After months of preparation, the 1847 Food Park is getting closer to opening in downtown Milwaukie. [Note: This has been updated since we first published this piece—the opening timing has changed since we received a press release.] Located on the former site of the Peake Funeral Chapel, it sits adjacent to City Hall, not far from Pfriem‘s Milwaukie Tasting Room and the Milwaukie Farmers Market. I was at a media/industry event there last night and got a chance to take a look at it—here’s what I saw.
The 1847 Food Park offers a variety of appealing things to the citizens of Milwaukie and anyone who wants to hang out there: food carts, indoor and outdoor seating, fire pits, year-round community-centered events, and a three-story structure that is home to the Sky Bar—pictured at the top of this article—which offers views of the food park and downtown Milwaukie area.
1847 Food Park: What’s in a Name?
So why 1847? Milwaukie was founded in 1847 by Lot Whitcomb, who arrived here via the Oregon Trail. More details from the Milwaukie Arts Committee:
“The food park is at the corner of SE Main and Scott streets. The name Scott comes from Richard Scott, who owned farm land just north of Seth Lewelling. (Scott Park, just behind the current library, also bears his name.) Now, it was Lewelling’s farm that developed the Bing cherry, but in later years, and perhaps after his death, parts of Lewelling’s property were sold to Scott … There’s lots of history in these few blocks of downtown.”
Peake Funeral Chapel
While their building is gone, they still remain through Stehn Family Funeral Homes, which acquired the business in 2023. The building was demolished that same year, with demo permits having been filed In 2022:
“Full demolition of existing structures on site, including 2-story, 1480 sf 2-unit apartment building & 2-story, 6690 sf funeral chapel. Existing utilities to be disconnected & capped.”…