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Donate to the restoration fund
Funding Goal: $10,000 by December 31, 2024
What it's for: Hire conservators to restore the paint and stabilize the structure of the two 70-year-old "mouse/bear" signs from the Polar King Restaurant
Or...Pre-order a T-shirt!
Polar King Fundraiser t-shirts are available for pre-order on our website! All proceeds from your purchase will go to the restoration fund.
Background
The Polar King: A Gresham Institution
The Polar King has been serving up ice cream cones and good old-fashioned diner food since 1952, when drive-ins and movie theaters dominated Powell Boulevard in Gresham. It was a popular place to get fries and a burger after a long morning of picking berries, or a soft drink while cruising with friends. Welcoming guests to the restaurant was the iconic sign of a cartoon polar bear holding a soft-serve ice cream cone and wearing a crown.
70 Years of Memories
Gresham has changed a lot since the Polar King first opened. Once a sleepy farming town, it is now the 4th largest city in Oregon by population. Generations have grown up with the Polar King and have fond memories of the sign (though many people think the polar bear looks more like a mouse).
Age and Weathering
Decades of exposure to the elements has left the two polar bears (which once adorned either side of the sign) in a compromised state, the paint peeling and the plywood structure starting to decay. In spring 2024, the signs were removed as a hazard. Their future was uncertain.
Preserving the Signs
An astute board member of the Gresham Historical Society noticed when the signs disappeared from the roof of the restaurant and asked the owner if GHS could take them, thereby saving them from the dump. After discussion, the board and collections committee of GHS decided that the best course is to restore the signs and seek options for their permanent display outdoors, where they will continue to be available to the community.
How You Can Help
We're crowdfunding the restoration of the Polar King signs - meaning that we're seeking donations for a special fund that will be dedicated to their care. In order to provide the best standard of conservation for these signs, we're hoping to raise $10,000, which will cover all or most of the cost of hiring professional conservators.
Press Coverage
This Gresham diner’s iconic mascots have been removed. What’s next for the beloved signs?
Riya Sharma, Oregonian/Oregonlive, 5/30/2024
Driving down U.S. 26 from Portland to Gresham, one of the first things people would notice were the two 8-foot-tall plywood bears atop a small 1950s-building, next to the neon lights that spelled out the diner’s name: Polar King.
But after more than 70 years beckoning Gresham customers, the weather-worn bears have been removed from Polar King and their future is still to be determined.
Historic Gresham diner bids farewell to deteriorated plywood figures
Jashayla Pettigrew, KOIN, 5/28/2024
A treasured Oregon diner has bid farewell to the polar bear-like figures known for greeting customers — and holding soft-serve ice cream — over the past several decades.
Polar King’s mascot duo was removed by volunteers with the Gresham Historical Society earlier in May.
Polar King’s plywood mascots removed due to decades of wear and tear
Chris Keizur, Gresham Outlook, 5/24/2024
An iconic polar bear duo (mouse?) has been taken down from the sign of a beloved diner that has been serving food along Powell Boulevard for more than 70 years.
Because of decades in the Oregon elements — rain, snow, ice, and that blustering wind from the Gorge — the giant mascot atop Polar King, 1030 E. Powell Blvd., was removed by volunteers the week of May 13. That exposure had left the pair of 8-foot-tall signs covered in grime, with dents and flaking paint. Basically a headache for the restaurant more interested in serving comfort food.
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Gifts and contributions to the Gresham Historical Society support the continued preservation and sharing of our local history. We are a 501(c)(3) organization, and all donations are tax deductible.
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About GHS
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GHS is a nonprofit organization that manages a museum and special collections archive located in Historic Downtown Gresham. Our mission is to preserve and share our community's heritage.