John Ross, our building's namesake, was

a) a Cherokee Indian Chief from Tennessee?

b) an Arctic explorer?

c) the first settler on Ross Island?

d) a figment of a designer's imagination?

When I moved to the John Ross in June 2007, what started as a simple question developed into a mystery as I learned that nobody seemed to have the same answer to my inquiry, "Who was John Ross?" Recently, I asked Mark Edlen, Chief Executive Officer of the firm Gerdling Edlen Development, who developed the John Ross.

According to Mr. Edlen, the answer is "d". Several years ago, Gerdling Edlen hired the highly regarded local strategic design firm, Ziba Design, to recommend design considerations, and a name, for their new condominium that was to be erected in the South Waterfront. The name chosen was "John Ross". Unfortunately, this is where the investigative trail goes cold. The people who worked on the naming project have moved on to other endeavors and I have been unable to get more information about the origin of the name, although I think it's safe to rule out "Cherokee Indian Chief" and "Arctic explorer".

Perhaps the name "Ross" was chosen to resonate with the building's proximity to Ross Island. Only later was it discovered that a pioneer named "Sherry Ross" first settled the island with his wife.

Perhaps the name "John" was chosen for its neighborhood familiarity. John's Landing, the community south of us on the Willamette River, was named for three Johns: the BP John Furniture Company, the site's original occupant; John Gray, a local businessman and philanthropist, who acquired the old furniture company and developed the property for commercial and residential use; and John Storrs, the famed Portland architect who converted the site into the Water Tower mall co-locating space for offices, restaurants, and retail stores.

What do you think: would "Sherry Ross" have been a better choice? At least the answer to the inevitable question, "Who was Sherry Ross?", would have been easy.

Mary Ellen Marmaduke

John Ross Resident