Portland Riverwalk, located in the
Ionia County, Michigan
Ionia County is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 66,804. The county seat is Ionia. The Ionia County Courthouse was designed by Claire Allen, a prominent southern Michigan architect.
Ion ...
city of
Portland
Portland most commonly refers to:
* Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States
* Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
, is a
rail trail
A rail trail is a shared-use path on railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed, but may also share the right of way with active railways, light rail, or streetcar ...
connected to a system of similar trails in total length. Used for walking, bike riding, and various sports activities, it has served as one of the city’s main focal features.
History
Portland rests on both the site of the big alls under the water.
Looking Glass River
The Looking Glass River in the U.S. state of Michigan is a river flowing through the central region of the Lower Peninsula. It is about long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , acc ...
and the
Grand River; the city itself is known as the “City of Two Rivers”.
Although the exact year of the trail’s birth is not clearly defined, its lifespan continues to grow, as there have been more additions to its length in recent years. There have also been additions to the existing trail system to provide more comfort for passersby; this includes an observation deck and
gazebo
A gazebo is a pavilion structure, sometimes octagonal or turret-shaped, often built in a park, garden or spacious public area. Some are used on occasions as bandstands.
Etymology
The etymology given by Oxford Dictionaries (website), Oxford D ...
, and a long string of benches, each of them dedicated to an individual who has served the city of Portland.
During a walk, one could discover possibly one or two of the city’s four historic metal
truss bridges
A truss bridge is a bridge whose load-bearing superstructure is composed of a truss, a structure of connected elements, usually forming triangular units. The connected elements (typically straight) may be stressed from tension, compression, or ...
. All of them have been preserved, though only one bridge still stands in its original location and continues to serve vehicular traffic. The other three bridges have all been moved to different areas of the town and reserved for pedestrian use only.
Location
Some of the important locations are:
*Trailhead on Gibbs Road
*Bridge over the Grand River
Tourist Attraction Zone
The Riverwalk has one endpoint located at the Portland High School; from there, it heads east and begins to surround virtually all the city. It frequently runs parallel to either the Grand or the Looking Glass, and therefore highlights the area’s natural beauty.
Even though the trail system is in a suburban location, the Riverwalk offers a variety of scenic sites that range from neighborhood sidewalks and city pavement to quiet wooded areas and fields.
Reviews
Due to its popularity with both residents and tourists, this rail trail continues to flourish and spread itself around the city and throughout.
References
External links
portland-michigan.orgportlandmichigan.comportlandmichigan.usportlandmainstreet.orgportlandriverfest.com
*{{HAER , survey=MI-72 , id=mi0379 , title=Burroughs Street Bridge, Spanning the Looking Glass River on Portland Riverwalk, Portland, Ionia County, MI , photos=8 , data=8 , cap=1
Protected areas of Ionia County, Michigan
Rail trails in Michigan