Simon Benson

author

Simon Benson

An immigrant who arrived with very little, he became one of the Pacific Northwest’s best-known lumbermen and a generous Portland philanthropist. His story connects frontier logging, civic ambition, and some of the city’s most familiar landmarks.

1 Audiobook

Third Biennial Report of the Oregon State Highway Commission

by Simon Benson, R. A. Booth, Herbert Nunn, W. L. Thompson

About the author

Born in Norway in 1851, Simon Benson emigrated to the United States as a child and grew up in the Midwest before heading west. He eventually settled in Oregon, where he built a major fortune in logging and became widely known in Portland business and civic life.

Benson’s success came from the lumber industry, where he earned a reputation as an energetic and innovative operator. Over time, he expanded his interests beyond timber and invested in prominent Portland projects, including the Benson Hotel.

He is also remembered for his philanthropy. Benson helped support education and public works in Portland, and his name remains especially tied to the city’s well-known Benson Bubblers drinking fountains and to Benson Polytechnic High School. He died in 1942, but his legacy still shows up across Portland’s streets and institutions.