Simon Benson

Simon Benson (September 9, 1851 – August 5, 1942) was a Norwegian-born American businessman and philanthropist who was active in the city of Portland, Oregon.

In 1867, his parents and the rest of the family also followed – landing first in New York City, and then traveling to Black River Falls, Wisconsin, to join the oldest son and daughter.

Having heard about abundance of the timber in the Northwest and with his experience working in the woods and sawmills of Wisconsin, Benson moved his family to Portland, Oregon in 1880.

Riding through two personal cycles of prosperity and poverty before his third and lasting success, Benson went into the business of logging near Clatskanie, Oregon and Oak Point, Washington, downstream from Portland, buying up tracts of timber wherever he could.

He later built the famous Benson seagoing rafts which could carry up to six million board feet (14,000 m³) of timber, cutting the cost of transporting logs to markets in California.

The family lived in a rented house for two years until Benson decided to build a new home at the corner of SW Park and Montgomery.

In 1912, he began building a fine hotel because he felt it was needed in Portland to attract tourists and more commerce to the city.

Benson was also an enthusiastic supporter of good roads and among a group of businessmen who encouraged the building of the Columbia River Highway.

In 1912, Benson gave the City of Portland $10,000 for the installation of twenty bronze temperance fountains for clean drinking water.

In 1921, after moving to Beverly Hills, California, Benson deeded the city of Portland nine acres overlooking the Willamette River between North Greeley and Going Streets.

Portland State University's Simon Benson Award honors philanthropists who have made a lasting impact in the region.