Located on Second street between Clay and Market streets – the current location of the Keller Auditorium – the southern annex of this large exhibition hall was used temporarily by the Metropolitan Railway Company to store cars for their Fulton Park electric line. This arrangement was brought about because of a landslide that covered the tracks between Portland and Fulton Park in late January 1890. As all of the cars were stored at the Fulton Park power house, no service could be given along Second Street. As soon as a temporary track was installed around the slide area, some cars were brought to this location to ensure downtown service. In March 1890, an office was added to the barn.

In late 1892, the unusual Patton gas-electric car, which had been undergoing trials on Second street, was placed into long-term storage in the car barn at the pavilion.

It is not known when this car barn was taken out of operation. The last mention of it I have found is from July 15, 1896 when the victim of a shooting attack made her way to the nightwatchman at the “Second-street car barn, at Market street.” The annex is shown as being vacant in the 1901 Sanborn Atlas of Portland (Vol. 1, Sheet 48).

By 1890, the exhibitions and industry fairs that were once held at the pavilion had already been moved to the larger and grander Exposition Building at the corner of Washington, 19th and 20th streets. The decrepit pavilion itself was finally demolished in 1903.

Years of Operation: February 8, 1890–1896?
Operating Companies:
Lines Served:

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