The Ernie Bonner Collection contains a wide variety of documents, reports, minutes, notes and other resources related to the history of urban planning and development in Portland, Oregon.
Ernie Bonner (1932 - 2004) served as chief planner in Cleveland, Ohio before he was recruited to Portland as the city’s Director of Urban Planning in 1973. He acted as Portland’s chief urban planner until 1978; in this capacity, he was instrumental in the formation of both Tom McCall Waterfront Park and Pioneer Courthouse Square.
After leaving the City Council he worked as a Metro councilor, president of Sunlight Energy Systems, and as an energy conservation manager for Bonneville Power Administration. Later he worked or volunteered with various Portland groups including: Riverfront for People, Metro 7, Portland Planning Commission, and the Park Blocks Foundation.
The Bonner Collection also is a repository for documents and historical materials collected by Bonner that are related to the Portland Public Market, Harbor Drive, Front Street and the Park Blocks.
See Related Collections held by PSU:
Ernie Bonner Papers, 1919-2003
Ernie Bonner Oral History Collection, 1994-2004
Submissions from 1962
Harbor Drive Ramps and Overpasses, unknown
Submissions from 1961
Harbor Drive closure - Bonner's notes, Ernest Bonner
Ramp Harbor Drive to Ash Street, Fred Fowler
Ash Street ramp project, Terry Schrunk
Submissions from 1960
Harbor Drive to Ash or Oak Street, Tom Edwards
Submissions from 1959
To W.C. Williams from Fred T. Fowler, Fred Fowler
Letter from Mayor Schrunk-1, Terry Schrunk
Letter from Mayor Schrunk-2, Terry Schrunk
S.W. Harbor Drive, W. Weller
Submissions from 1957
Letter to W.J. Weller from W.C. Williams, G. S. Paxson
Letter to Fred T. Fowler from W.J. Weller, W. J. Weller
Submissions from 1943
Moses Plan (1943), unknown
Oregon Voter article, Unknown
Submissions from 1941
Cavalcade of Front Avenue, Henry Reed
Submissions from 1940
Bowes press release, William Bowes
To Bowes from Brown, A. Brown
To Bowes from Coale, Ralph W. Coale
To Bowes from Devers, J. Devers
To Latourette from Devers, J. M. Devers
To Bowes from Gould, Edward Gould
To Bowes from Gibson, R. Ivey
To Bowes from Henry F. Long, Henry Long
To Bowes from Wisconsin Taxation, Milwaukee (Wis.). Supervisor of Assessments
Resolution Adopting Route, Oregon State Highway Commission
Oregon State Highway Commission - misc., Oregon. State Highway Commission
Meeting notes, Portland (Or.). City Council
To Council from City Planning, Portland (Or.). City Planning Commission
To Oregon Journal from Public Works, Portland (Or.). Commissioner of Public Works
To Bowes from Payson Thompson 1, Payson Thompson
To Bowes from Payson Thompson 2, Payson Thompson
Portland City Council minutes, Unknown
To Bowes from Upson, U. L. Upson
Submissions from 1939
To Bowes from Bladock, R. Baldock
To Cabell from Bladock, R. Baldock
To Apperson from Bladock, R. H. Baldock
To McNary from Public Works, Ormond R. Bean
To City Planning from Freeman, Harry Freeman
To Bowes from McNary, Charles McNary
Oregon State Highway Commission, Oregon. State Highway Commission
To Carson from Upson, U. L. Upson
Submissions from 1938
To Ransom from State Highway Engineer, R. H. Baldock
To Upson from State Highway Engineer, R. H. Baldock
To Bean from Lipman Wolfe, Harold Wendell
Submissions from 1936
From Bean to Apperson, Ormond Bean
To Carson from Public Market, R. Early
To Bean from Public Market 2, Rey B. Early
To Bean from Public Market 3, Rey B. Early
Report of Street Committee, Street Committee
Water Front and Arterial Improvements, Subcommittee on Water Front and Arterial Improvements
To Bean from Woodward, William Woodward
Submissions from 1935
To Bean from Apperson, L. Apperson
To Bladock from Highway Engineer, L. Apperson
West Side Development Project, L. G. Apperson
To Council from Public Works 1, Ormond R. Bean
To Council from Public Works 2, Ormond R. Bean
To Council from Public Works 3, Ormond R. Bean
To Council from Public Works 4, Ormond R. Bean
To Early from Apperson, Ormond R. Bean
To Martin from Carson, Ormond R. Bean
To Mayor from Bean, Ormond R. Bean
To Plummer from Apperson, Ormond R. Bean
To Apperson from Funk, L. E. Burdick
To Bean from Public Market 1, Rey B. Early
To Bean from Gosslin, W. Gosslin
To Apperson from Woodward, Metropolitan Association, Inc.
To Apperson from State Highway Engineer, Oregon. State Highway Engineer
Portland City Council minutes, Portland (Or.). City Council
To Council from City Engineer, Portland (Or.). Office of City Engineer.
To Bean from Tenants Committee, Tenants Committee of the Portland Public Market
Press release, Unknown
To Mayor from Upson, U. L. Upson
To Carson from Eugene Willis, Eugene Willis
To Bean from William F. Woodward, William Woodward
To Martin from William F. Woodward, William Woodward
Submissions from 1934
From Apperson to Bean, L. G. Apperson
To Apperson from Bean, Ormond R. Bean
Statement by J. E. Bennett (2), J. E. Bennett
To Public Works from City Planning, Portland (Or.). City Planning Commission
Reconstruction Finance Corporation (1), unknown
Reconstruction Finance Corporation (2), unknown
Submissions from 1933
Statement by J. E. Bennett (1), J. E. Bennett
My reasons for opposing calendar 1953, W. Bennett
Council hearing on Market, Portland (Or.). City Council
To Council from Barbur 2, unknown
Submissions from 1932
To Council from Barbur 1, A. L. Barbur
To Harold W. Doty, Ormond R. Bean
To Barbur from Inspector of Buildings, H. E. Plummer
To Barbur from McClure, Portland (Or.). City Planning Commission
To Frank S. Grant, Portland (Or.). City Planning Commission
Submissions from 1931
Plan of downtown association, Down Town Merchants Association
Letter from Goddard to Baker, Henry Goddard
Letter from Carey & Harlan Co. to Mayor, Kenneth Harlan
Agreement: Public Market Co. and City, Public Market Company of Portland
Letter from Mann to Barbur, Special Committee on the Public Market
Submissions from 1930
To the Council from Barbur, A. Barbur
Letter from Herington to Mayor and Council, G. B. Herington
Letter from Bigelow to Grant, Portland (Or.). Commisioner of Public Affairs
Letter from Welsh to Bigelow, Portland (Or.). Department of Public Safety
Letter from President of Portland Market, Frederick Strong
Portland Market Co. on cost data, unknown