Surrounded by the same stately trees for which it was named, The Oaks in 1999 celebrated its 94th year of operation, making it one of the oldest amusement parks in America. Built by the Oregon Water Power and Navigation Company, the park opened its gates on May 30, 1905 to Portlanders who arrived by foot and on horseback, in automobiles and by boat from the
Willamette River. In keeping with the design of other "Trolley Parks" across the country, most of its visitors disembarked from trolley cars which ran along the Portland-to-
Oregon City tracks forming the eastern boundary of the park. In 1925, Edward H. Bollinger purchased the operating company. In 1943, he then purchased the park comprising of 44 acres from the Portland Electric Power Company. His son Robert took over in 1949 and continued to operate the park until 1985, when he donated The Oaks to a non-profit corporation.
The park is at the east end of the Sellwood Bridge.