Water fountains in downtown Portland, Oregon, also called Benson Bubblers after the man who installed them.

It Was Almost Named Boston

Named in a coin toss between two East coast businessmen, Portland was one of the first accessible ports in the West. Using the Willamette River to carry goods to other major docks, the city attracted lumber tycoons, mill workers, lumber jacks and dock workers. Fir trees covered everything from the sloping hills to the beaches. Logs rolled down the Portland streets to mills. And water fountains were installed to help promote temperance among workers.

Although the water fountains are still here, the scenery has changed. Today coffee shops dot street corners, commuters pedal to work in lanes created solely for bikes and light-rail trains glide across bridges traversing the Willamette. It also takes less time to get to the mountains or coast — just over an hour by car.

Business has changed, too. By the late 1980s, Portland was known as the Silicon Forest thanks to the proliferation of technology companies. Today, Portland is reputed to be one of the top wireless cities in the United States.

But it's not all lattes and motherboards. The city is often cited as one of the most creative cities on the West Coast. Artists and creative types enjoy opportunities with a world-renowned animation house, individual art galleries that showcase global and local artists and avant-garde theaters.

Some things haven't changed since the city's creation. Portland is a magnet for people who love the outdoors and those who seek a large city with a small town feel. And fir trees still cover the sloping hills that surround the city.