Historic Risley Landing Gardens
Past, Present, and Future
Risley Landing Gardens thrives on a 1.12-acre site located in the Concord-Oak Grove area on the east bank of the Willamette River across from Marylhurst, also known as Mary’s Woods.
The site, settled by pioneer Orville Risley in the early 1850s, is part of a 640-acre donation claim granted to Orville’s son, Jacob S. Risley, in 1866 by President Andrew Jackson. During the 1850s-1890s, settlers loaded building stone (from the nearby Risley quarry), lumber, grains, hops, fruits, and vegetables onto barges and steam vessels in order to ship them from Risley Landing to markets up and down the river, from Oregon City to Portland. The river was the primary means of commerce and transportation until the electric railcar line began service in 1893 on Arista Avenue. The basalt foundation still exists today, and visitors may sit there to view the river and reminisce.
The site of Risley Landing Gardens was held by the Risley family for over 100 years. In 1983, it was donated to the Oak Grove Garden Club by Hugh G. Starkweather (the grandson of Jacob S. Risley) and William Starkweather. William was the son of Harvey Starkweather, a prominent legislator and educator. Mr. Starkweather wanted the site to be a memorial park in honor of his mother and sisters. A bronze plaque dedicated to them is implanted on the wall of the Landing.