Photo by Brenda Dunn
Did you know you can honor Beverly Cleary’s literary career right here in Portland? The beloved author gave us so many delightful childhood tales, many based in our city. You can retrace her childhood and children’s books on this free Beverly Cleary walking tour.
Beverly Cleary was born in McMinnville, Oregon, and spent most of her childhood in Northeast Portland, where many of her beloved stories are set. Henry Huggins, Ribsy, and Ramona Quimby are immortalized in our city and part of a fun self-guided walking tour.
Celebrate this beloved author’s life and reminiscence the incredible characters that shaped our childhoods. Retrace the author’s steps as you walk past her childhood hangouts and the many iconic locations from her stories.
Beverly Cleary Walking Tour
Multnomah County Library put together a self-guided Beverly Cleary map with a special route through the Hollywood district. Here are some of the highlights from this walking tour.
Cleary’s childhood hangouts
You can walk by two of Beverly Cleary’s childhood homes. Stop by the Fleur de Lis Bakery, which was formerly the location of Hollywood Library that Cleary visited. You can also visit her former high school.
Iconic character locations
Here are a few iconic spots from the books that you can relive:
- Find the spot where Ramona got her boots stuck in the mud.
- Pass through the playground where Beezus waxed the slides to make them faster.
- See the location of the fictional Colossal Market.
- Find where Henry dug for nightcrawlers.
- Admire Quimby’s home.
Grant Park Statue Garden
This is the highlight of the whole trip. See Beverly Cleary’s beloved characters in bronze. Dedicated in 1995, the state garden features Ramona, Henry and Ribsy. The Ramona and Ribsy sculptures are water features that are turned on in the summer for kids to splash around in. The statues are located in Grant Park.
Are you ready to follow in the footsteps of Beverly Cleary? View Multnomah County Library’s guided tour.
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