Life in the City of Portland

The Physical Layout of the City

Portland in the year 2046 is a strange mix of technologies and lifestyles. Prior to 1985, the population of the Portland metropolitan area stood at 1.5 million. In 2046, the population of the area stands at 126,440. Because of the massive population decline, most of the population of the city lives either in the Old Town, the original center of the city on the west side of the Willamette, and a narrow band along the east bank.

The city is split into four quarters, divided on the line of Burnside Street. The western quarters are on the west bank of the Willamette, the eastern quarters are on the east bank. Addresses are given as NW, SW, NE, and SE, depending upon the quarter.

The area north of the base is mainly residential, the homes of military personnel who live off base and the civilian workers who support them. To the east is the large Navy Yard, where many of the Royal Navy's largest ships are built, and a large complex of stills, which produce alcohol fuel. To the west is an industrial park, home to several ship component factories, which belch thick coal smoke day and night. To the south is the Willamette River, teaming with commercial and military shipping.

The Town Itself

Portland is a town, which uses coal for its main energy source, because of this it tends to have the feel and aroma of London circa 1890. Frequent, dense fogs are helped by the damp climate and the coal smoke. Like all the Pacific Northwest it is a temperate rainforest climate, very wet. The buildings are mainly refurbished, pre-1985 structures. Glass tends to be very expensive, so many buildings have boarded up windows. In the downtown area across the river things tend to be clean, extensively refurbished, and well kept up. The area around the navy base is a bit run down, not a slum, but hardly upscale.

The Streets

The streets of the city are usually brick, as asphalt is in short supply. Some of the main streets are concrete, and minor streets are often covered just with the rubble of broken up pavement. Portland is a city of horses and horse drawn vehicles mainly, so watch where you step! People mainly walk and use the new electric trolley system, which has recently replaced the horse drawn one. Horse drawn cabs, like London's hansom cabs abound, and the better off people own their own carriages. The motor vehicles on the streets are almost always commercial or military. Only the wealthiest can afford to buy and maintain, let alone fuel a passenger car (which are all Italian imports). After 60 years only a few lovingly maintained pre-1985 cars are in running condition.

Street lighting is by gaslight. The city tends to be very dark at night, because electricity, though available, is very expensive. Only the main thoroughfares are well lit.

Portlandia

Portlandia, a statue erected in 1984, the year before the Third WorldWar III, is based on the image on the city seal. Adopted as the symbol of the city, her image appears on the Republic of Portland's coinage, and even on the brass buttons worn by the UKA regiments raised in the Republic's territory. The statue has the unfortunate nickname of "the Crapshooter" for her pose, and Portland army regiments also are known collectively as the "Crapshooters" as well, though not always to their liking!

Policing and Public Safety

Outside the main thoroughfares, people usually only venture out at night in groups. Street crime is rampant and can get ugly. There are many newcomers to town with few skills and get they can desperate. The Portland Police Bureau has the reputation of being both corrupt and highly inefficient. The national police force, The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, is highly professional but few are available for street patrol. So people walk carefully and pack weapons at night.

Housing

Housing is cheap in Portland, if you are willing to fix up a place.. The is a program that lets people choose an abandoned structure, repair it to livable standards, and then earn title to it. Building supply houses are very profitable, but there are few non-commercial real estate brokers! Only in the downtown area west of the Willamette is the a real estate market.

Clothing Styles

People in Portland tend to dress in a turn of the century Edwardian style for formal affairs and professionally, tending to wool tailcoats, top hats, white gloves for men, and long shirtwaist dresses for women, with appropriate jackets. Much of this is due to the poor heating in a lot of places. Everyday dress is more late 20th century: jeans, leather jackets, tee shirts, boots are all popular.