Although the area may not have been fully platted at the time, it corresponded to block 205 along Park Street on the Survey of Portland Map of 1852[3] and blocks 205 and 224 on East and West Park Avenue on later maps.

The property deed given to James H. Wilbur, a leader in the Methodist Episcopal Oregon Mission, specified "a male and female seminary," but for unknown reasons the school was named the Portland Academy and Female Seminary.

Buchanan had become principal and Kingsley had returned to his duties for the Willamette District of the Methodist Mission.

[6] From the beginning, the school referred to teaching staff by gender specific titles, where men were teachers and women were preceptresses.

[2] In 1854 the Oregon Territorial Legislature provided for funding of public schools, and in 1858 Portland's Central School opened on Sixth Avenue between Morrison and Yamhill Streets.