Portland Expo Center

One of the best ways to seeing (and sometimes buying) American and world history is going to an antique fair.  Billed as "America's Largest Antique and Collectible Shows," the fair is located north of the city at the Portland Expo Center.  This show occurs several times a year; spring, summer, fall, and a Christmas bazaar in December.  

To get to the antique fair I took Portland's light rail, known as the MAX, which conveniently finishes at the Expo Center.  After getting off the train, visitors are greeted with an installation of several Japanese gates that memorializes the temporary confinement of several thousand Japanese and Japanese Americans in 1942.  As somber as the memorial is, it's nice that the area can recognize the past and help to educate the general public on the location's specific history. 

Inside the antique fair I was impressed by the elaborate displays and the high-quality of the collectibles that were presented.  The fair included lots of Depression glass, milk glass, pop-culture toys, antiques, and lots of collectibles for spring and Easter.  Another educational moment and fun sight was discovering some of the preserved memorabilia from the Lewis and Clark Exposition that happened in 1905, which of course, celebrated the centennial anniversary of the famous trans-American journey by Lewis and Clark.      

I'm already excited to see what new and old treasures I'll see this summer.  Check out my photos below: