Meier and Frank Santaland — where have I been for 35 years
so, i was reading in the latest Portland Monthly an article about the monorail on the 10th floor of the Meier and Frank building downtown. at first glance, i thought the article was a reminiscence about Christmas’ past, but then i actually read the article and it was about the last year of Santaland. with Meier and Frank changing to a Macy’s and the upper floors being turned into a boutique hotel, this will be the last year for Santaland and the children’s monorail.
Yes, it’s a monorail suspended from the cieling that makes its showing every winter in celebration of the holidays. it’s been around for 40-50 years and is still in working order, but not movable. i’m racking my brain wondering why i don’t have any memories of this. i’ve lived in this fine city for 35 years and even called my mom to ask if they ever brought us down? i was informed that yes, we had come down when i was really little, but as my siblings and i got older, other activities trumped the visit to Santaland and the monorail.
funny thing, i mentioned this to my NY born and raised coworker who shockingly stated, “you, Mr. Portland, don’t know about the monorail?!?!?” he was truly shocked.
what else am i missing out on people? what other amazing things did i not do as a kid? i feel like i missed out on something.
and yes, i went and wandered through Santaland to see if it jogged any memories and saw the monorail today at lunch. nothing.
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i have gone to santa land every year since i was born. now, at 18, this is its final year. how ironic that when i’m not really concidered a child anymore, a major part of my childhood is dismembered. from what i understand santaland minus the monorial will be moving in the the basement. but its not the same. i used to take the escalators up all the way to the tenth floor.
boo.