Stark Street


Stark Street is an east-west-running street in Portland, Oregon, in the United States. The street is named after Benjamin Stark, and Southeast Stark Street and Southwest Stark Street are divided by the Willamette River.
In late 2017, activists proposed renaming Southwest Stark Street for gay rights activist Harvey Milk, noting that Stark was an unapologetic racist who advocated for slavery. In June 2018, the city council approved renaming that 13-block stretch of Stark, which is entirely within downtown, as SW Harvey Milk Street. The name change took effect immediately upon the council's approval of the ordinance enacting it.