The basalt canyons of the Columbia River Gorge echo through the terraces of Hillsboro’s Civic Center Plaza. 

Look closely as the stone columns that cascade through the structural slopes bake in the sun or puddle with rainwater. You’ll see intricate carvings that harken to the dawn of modern human culture. 

Within the ancient igneous rocks, renowned Northwest artist Lillian Pitt captured history from the tribes of the Columbia River Plateau through replicas of ancient petroglyphs created more than 6,000 years ago. 

The original site of the drawings near Arlington, Oregon, was flooded by the John Day Dam in 1968. Some of the original rocks were preserved and moved to upland locations. 

Pitt’s re-creations were commissioned as part of the project to develop the Civic Center in 2004 and are now part of the City of Hillsboro's Public Art Collection.  A total of 31 petroglyphs can be found tucked among the columns at the center of Hillsboro's Cultural Arts District.

Born on the Warm Springs Reservation, Pitt is a descendant of Wasco, Yakama, and Warm Springs people. She has been the recipient of numerous awards and distinctions, including the 1990 Governor’s Award of the Oregon Arts Commission.

Hillsboro Parks & Recreation resources:

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