This spring, the future of a Portland icon hangs in the balance. On March 9, the owner and creator of the cherished “Home of White Stag Sportswear” sign that sits atop the University of Oregon’s new White Stag Block facility will ask the Portland Historic Landmarks Commission for permission to update the sign to reflect the UO’s presence in the signature facility beneath it.

Updating the sign is nothing new. Over the years, the sign has evolved from its original “White Satin Sugar” label to “Home of White Stag Sportswear” with the addition of the stag to the state’s outline. And as most Portlanders know, the sign currently reads, “Made in Oregon,” a neon plug for a chain of retail stores.

The retailer’s owners, who once owned the brick and mortar under the sign, have long served the state and region by promoting, highlighting and distributing Oregon-made, and Oregon-grown products, including UO merchandise. The “Made in Oregon” family, however, no longer owns the facility, no longer maintains a presence in the buildings, and has stopped paying for the power to keep the sign lit. The sign could go dark, as it did between 1989 and 1996, when its lights shimmered only during the holidays.

The University of Oregon, however, has offered to save and preserve this historical landmark. (For more on what you can do to help, click here.)

As part of its effort to keep the sign bright, the UO has agreed to purchase it from Ramsay Signs, Incorporated, as long as the lettering can be updated to reflect the UO’s presence in the building and the Old Town Chinatown neighborhood. As much as it appreciates the contributions to the state by “Made in Oregon,” the UO simply is in no position to offer up free advertising to a retailer that no longer occupies a portion of the facility.

Updating the sign, a neon icon on Portland’s skyline, to reflect the presence of the UO would not only ensure the sign will stay lit for the foreseeable future, it would also pay fitting tribute to a 125-year relationship between the Rose City and the state’s flagship institution.

The University of Oregon has been in Portland since 1884, when it opened a law school. For most of Oregon’s 150-year history, the UO has been committed to offering excellence in Eugene, Portland and beyond.  

The refurbished White Stag Block is nothing short of astonishing. The landmark facility merges parts of three historic buildings while also lighting the way for a resurgence in the Old Town Chinatown neighborhood. Help us to keep the path lit by supporting our effort to update one Portland’s cherished landmarks.  For more information on what you can do, click here.