Why visit Portland
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 13 parks and trails, 12 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Bridge Street Bridge, Portland Downtown Historic District, Portland School Apartments and Thompson Field.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 81°F; January lows average 16°F, and about 54 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Portland
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Portland
Portland is a city in Ionia County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,796 at the 2020 Census. The city is situated in the south central portion of Portland Township and is known as the "City of Two Rivers" since it is the confluence of the Grand River and the Looking Glass River. Portland is home to Portland Public Schools and Portland Saint Patrick Catholic School.
From the Wikipedia article Portland, Michigan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Bridge Street Bridge
Bridge
Historic bridge in Michigan, United States
Museums and landmarks3
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Portland Downtown Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in Michigan, United States
Portland School Apartments
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Parks, trails and playgrounds13
1 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes12
Confluxcity Brewing Company
Bar and pub · Sandwich, Pizza, American
110 North Water Street
Tu-Th 16:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-21:00; Su 12:00-18:00
Fabiano's River House Bar & Grill
Restaurant · Burger, Sandwich, American, Pizza, Tex-Mex
104 East Grand River Avenue
Tu-Th,Su 08:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 08:00-20:00
Queenhouse
Restaurant · German · 1.2 mi
7821 Ionia Road, Portland
Su-Sa 19:00-02:00
Riversedge Grill
Diner · American
160 Kent Street
Mo-Sa 08:00-21:00; Su 08:00-20:00
CreeMee
Fast food · Ice Cream
607 East Grand River Avenue
Apr-Jun Mo-Su 15:00-21:00; Jun-Oct Mo-Su 15:00-22:00; Oct Mo-Su 15:00-21:00
Subway
Fast food · Sandwich · 0.8 mi
1501 East Grand River Avenue, Portland
Mo-Fr 07:00-22:00; Sa 08:00-22:00; Su 09:00-21:00
History
According to government records, the first land that was owned in what is now known as Portland was owned by Elisha Newman in 1833. Ionia County histories say that Philo Bogue built a trading post on the Grand River later that year, the Bogue Flats Recreation Area now being named for him. The first post office arrived in 1837. Portland has been home to several Native American tribes, and was the dwelling-place of John Okemos in the 1850s.
The first train arrived in Portland in 1869, the last train left in 1984 when the tracks were removed. The railroad bridge built in 1881 remains, having replaced an earlier wooden bridge built in 1869. The city used to get 6 passenger trains per day in 1881, three in each direction. Portland's growth in population led to becoming a Village in 1869 and a City in 1969. The opera house opened in 1880, and the Carnegie library in 1905.
From the History section of Portland, Michigan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship2
Portland First Congregational Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Pewamowestphalia Middlehigh School
School · 5.9 mi
5101 S Clintonia Rd, Westphalia
Map of Portland
45 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29°F | 16°F | 2.2 in | 15.5 in |
| Feb | 32°F | 16°F | 1.7 in | 11.9 in |
| Mar | 42°F | 24°F | 2.2 in | 7.0 in |
| Apr | 56°F | 35°F | 3.3 in | 1.6 in |
| May | 68°F | 47°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 77°F | 57°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 81°F | 60°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 79°F | 59°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 72°F | 50°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 59°F | 40°F | 3.5 in | 0.5 in |
| Nov | 46°F | 30°F | 2.8 in | 3.6 in |
| Dec | 34°F | 22°F | 2.2 in | 14.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Ionia 2Ssw (11 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Ionia County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2024-02-08: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2021-07-15: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-27: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-06-18: Flooding (Flood)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Capital Region International Airport (LAN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 17 miles away.
- Ionia 12 mi northwest, about 19 min by car
- Fowler 12 mi northeast, about 20 min by car
- Lake Odessa 13 mi southwest, about 22 min by car
- Waverly 16 mi southeast, about 26 min by car
- Edgemont Park 18 mi southeast, about 28 min by car
- Potterville 18 mi southeast, about 30 min by car
- Lansing 20 mi southeast, about 33 min by car
- Dimondale 20 mi southeast, about 32 min by car
- East Lansing 23 mi east, about 37 min by car
- Holt 24 mi southeast, about 39 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Portland High School (Portland, Michigan), Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- PortlandMIHDA, Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- FirstCongregationalChurchPorldandMI2, Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.