Restoration of Lincoln and Roosevelt Statues in Portland

In Portland’s South Park block, the statues of Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt are set for restoration following a public bidding process that confirmed their return.

These monuments were toppled five years ago during the Indigenous Peoples’ Day of Rage protests. Their revival comes after several public sessions where community members voiced various reasons for wanting them back. It’s interesting how people engage with these symbols; for instance, one participant mentioned wanting the Lincoln statue restored because “anarchists illegally removed it.” That really speaks to the divided feelings surrounding these monuments.

Concerns were especially pronounced regarding the Lincoln Monument. Some residents criticized what they perceived as an “erasure of monuments”, emphasizing the need for “high-level conversations” on how to contextualize these landmarks for today’s audiences.

This theme of recontextualizing history was prevalent in discussions. Quite a few argued that perhaps different communities might have more fitting tributes, which brings up questions about representation and historical interpretation. Additionally, there were mentions of “unauthorized vandalism.” One resident strongly stated that “a group of young white anarchists shouldn’t be deciding city policy” and insisted on a public vote regarding the removal of each statue.

It’s notable how mixed the sentiments are; one person pointed out that the crowd responsible for the statue’s destruction “doesn’t represent Portland.” Another echoed this sentiment, arguing that the city has a responsibility to preserve its past, saying, “Damaged monuments should be repaired and reinstalled as soon as possible… Art should not be the reason for their reunion.”

Discussions about this situation revealed a division among community members. Some wanted to update statues to include a more comprehensive narrative surrounding historical figures, while others simply desired the original monuments restored to their previous states.

The Lincoln statue is expected to be reinstalled by early 2026, and Roosevelt’s statue will follow about a year later. It feels as though, perhaps, this isn’t just a matter of restoring art but also an opportunity for the city to engage in deeper conversations about its history.