On a delightful early-September Sunday, neighbors, longtime regulars, and curious newcomers gathered at “Foster Gardens” – 7855 S.E. Foster Road, in the Foster-Powell neighborhood – for a 75th-anniversary celebration that felt like a vibrant community reunion. Visitors enjoyed a free barbecue buffet, live music, and a casual parking lot cruise-in that was packed with proudly-polished classic cars and custom trucks.
Seventy-five years ago, statewide shuffleboard champion Betty Swanson bought this neighborhood spot – becoming one of Portland’s pioneering female bar owners. In 1951, a newspaper highlighted her success in what was, at the time, called “a man’s world”.
Betty and her husband Ken built the business by working day and night, while serving five-cent beers. Today, the tavern remains family-owned by Kerry DeWitt, who inherited it following her father’s death in 1999. DeWitt ran a S.E. Division Street beauty salon for 30 years, and said her Southeast Portland roots run deep…