History of Portland Oregon

Harvey Whitefield Scott. History of Portland, Oregon: with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Prominent Citizens and Pioneers. Portland, Oregon. D. Mason & Company, 1890.

Portland Oregon Natural Disastors

Storms have occasionally interrupted business. The Oregonians pay no attention to rain and there is no diminution of traffic or travel or in the number of vehicles on the street, even for the most drenching showers. Cold, freezing weather, however, drives dray-men and hackmen to their quarters, and the finest, clearest days may pass with but the smallest possible work done. Snow sends every-one to shelter. The winter usually passes with but little of this. Some years, however, the fall has been considerable, and in 1883 it came so suddenly as to cause a genuine blockade. It fell on December … Read more

Portland Oregon Growth and Improvements

The year 1886 was marked by a great increase in buildings and improvements, some of which were of great extent, as will be seen by the following list: Morrison Street bridge (commenced), two hundred thousand dollars; Albina Terminal works, seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars; the new medical college, thirty-five thousand dollars; the reduction works in East Portland, fifty thousand dollars; Reed’s five-story brick building on Third street, between Washington and Stark, ninety-five thousand dollars; the United Carriage, Baggage and Transportation Co.’s barn, twenty-five thousand dollars; the four-story brick stable on Second street between Stark and Washington, twenty-seven thousand dollars; … Read more

Portland Oregon Geographical Position and Topography

The western side of North America is laid out on a large scale, a land of the “Jotuns,” a region of magnificent distances. It fronts the largest ocean; it has the most ample harbors, it is built out of the most continuous mountain ranges, and is watered by great rivers. It has large valleys and immense plateaus. Its geographical sections, the portions naturally connected by a coast, river, or mountain system, are wide and long, but the points which command natural ingress and egress to and from any one such section are comparatively few. Thus, on the whole of California’s … Read more

Portland Oregon Buildings and Improvements from 1886 to 1889

The year 1886 was marked by a great increase in buildings and improvements, some of which were of great extent, as will be seen by the following list: Morrison Street bridge (commenced), two hundred thousand dollars; Albina Terminal works, seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars; the new medical college, thirty-five thousand dollars; the reduction works in East Portland, fifty thousand dollars; Reed’s five-story brick building on Third street, between Washington and Stark, ninety-five thousand dollars; the United Carriage, Baggage and Transportation Co.’s barn, twenty-five thousand dollars; the four-story brick stable on Second street between Stark and Washington, twenty-seven thousand dollars; … Read more

Portland Oregon – Increase in Population and Wealth

During 1863 a long step toward improvement was the organization of the Portland and Milwaukie macadamized road, with A, B. Richardson as president, Henry Failing secretary, and W. S. Ladd treasurer of the Board of Directors. The shipping lists of the steamers show large exports of treasure, one hundred thousand dollars. two hundred and forty thousand dollars, and even seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars being reported for single steamers. Six thousand to seven thousand boxes of apples were also reported at a single shipment. The old side wheel river steamer John H. Couch for many years so familiar a … Read more

Portland Land Title Controversies

Land Title Controversies: Measures taken by Proprietors to Protect Land Purchasers’ Rights – The Three Causes of Litigation – Legal Points in the Stark vs. Starr Case – Decision of the Courts – Causes of Litigation Over the Lownsdale Estate – Final Settlement of the Case in the United States Circuit Court – Decision of Judge Sawyer and Concurrent Opinion of Judge Deady – Public Levee Case – Grounds of Private and Municipal Claims to the River Front – How the City’s Rights were Lost – Legal History of the Caruthers Claim.

Portland Excursions, Public Festivities and Celebrations

The gorge of the Columbia, with its Latourelle, Multnomah, and Horse-tail Falls, and its Oneonta canyon, with the Cascade mountains themselves, are most inviting, and to the artist no less than to the common excursionist, prove wonderful. Mount St. Helens has been an object of attraction to the Alpine Club of this city, the members of which recently played snow-ball upon its mosque-like top. Mount Adams and Rainier, although the finest and most curious of all, are too much removed to be frequented by the men of Portland; they will ultimately, however, come into due appreciation. For those bent on … Read more

Portland Commercial Growth and Development During Recent Years

The purely domestic commerce in the Willamette Valley was conducted with the old-time energy, employing forty steamers, with an aggregate tonnage of thirteen thousand, seven hundred and ninety-one, and twenty-one sailing vessels of various descriptions aggregating two thousand and thirteen tons. The Oregon and California Railway was now in active operation and the Oregon Central had tapped the agricultural portion of Washington county. In 1873 there appears a great rise in exports. For the fiscal year ending in September the following showing is made: To foreign ports there were employed three steamers, the California, George S. Wright and Gussie Telfair, … Read more

Other Settlers of Portland Oregon

Dr. D. S. Baker, who became the millionaire of Walla Walla, was one of the men of this day in our city. In 1850 William S. Ladd stepped ashore at the little primitive wharf. He is a Vermonter by birth, although his early life was spent in New Hampshire. He developed his energies upon a farm, bringing into productiveness one of the most stumpy and rocky pieces of land in the Granite State. Engaging early in the work of school teaching, he amplified his academic acquisitions, and as employe at the railroad station in his place of residence gained business … Read more

Oregon in Control of Hudson’s Bay Company

As the ten-year period of joint occupation drew to a close, new commissioners were appointed by the two governments to effect a settlement of title to the disputed territory, but after much discussion they were unable to agree upon a boundary line, and, in 1827, a new treaty was signed extending the period of joint occupation indefinitely, to be terminated by either party upon giving one year’s notice. Thus, again, the settlement of the question was left to time and chance. In the meantime the British government, through the agency of the Hudson’s Bay Company, had gained a tangible foot … Read more

Natural Advantages of Portland Oregon

The term “advantages” is relative, being always used with reference to the purpose in view. The advantages of a city relate to its adaptation to the uses of commerce, manufacturing and residence. Under the head of commerce, facility for both water and land communication is to be regarded, together with the extent and variety of commodities available for exchange. Under manufacturing advantages, power, labor, and availability of raw material, fall into the account. As to residence one must consider salubrity, beauty of natural surroundings and contiguity to his business operations, together with social, educational and religious privileges. The geographical position … Read more

Names and Character of Early Pacific Steamships

The first river steamboat in Oregon was the Columbia, built by General Adair, Captain Dan Frost and others, at Upper Astoria in 1850. She was a side-wheel boat, ninety feet in length, of about seventy-five tons burthen, capable of accommodating not to exceed twenty passengers, though I have known of her carrying on one trip over one hundred. Though small, her cost exceeded $25,000. Mechanics engaged in her construction were paid at the rate of sixteen dollars per day, and other laborers five to eight dollars, gold. She made her first trip in June, 1850, under the command of Capt. … Read more

Men of Portland

Portland has a rich and colorful history.  Many of the biographies will reflect that.  (History of Portland, Oregon) Alisky, Charles Adolph Bellinger Charles B. Brandt, John Bronaugh, Earl C. Chapman, W. W., Col. Corbett, Henry W. Coulter, Samuel Deady, Matthew P. Dekum, Frank Delashmutt, Van B. Dodd, Charles H. Dolph, Cyrus A. Dudley, William Lincoln Durand, Ezra Earhart, Rockey P. Failing, Henry Fleischner, Lewis Gill, Joseph K. Glisan, Rodney, M.D. Green, Henry D. Hawthorne, Dr. J. C. Henrichsen, Lars C. Hirsch, Solomon Holman, James Duval Holmes, Thomas J. Jeffery, Edward James Johnson, A. H. Jones, Henry E., M. D. Kamm, … Read more

Leading Events in the History of Oregon

Before the first white settler had sought to secure a habitation in the forest which marked the site of the present city of Portland, the region of which it is now the commercial center had passed through the most interesting period of its history. The progress of civilization in this portion of the New World, covering a period of nearly half a century antedating the founding of the city, after many heroic sacrifices and struggles, had led to the peaceful conquest of a vast area and to the establishment of American supremacy. The successive steps which contributed to these results … Read more

Independent Pacific Ships and Their Owners

In April, 1859, the owners of the steamboats Carrie Ladd, Senorita and Belle, which had been plying between Portland and Cascades, represented by Captain J. C. Ainsworth, agent, the Mountain Buck, by Col. J. C. Ruckel, its agent, the Bradford horse railroad, between the middle and upper Cascades, by its owners, Bradford & Co., who also had a small steamboat plying between the Cascades and The Dalles, entered into a mutual arrangement to form a transportation line between The Dalles and Port-land, under the name and style of Union Transportation Company. There were some other boats running on that route, … Read more

Incidents in the Administrations of Justice During Territorial Period

J. K. Kelly was appointed District Attorney for the United States,  and Walter Forward, of Marion County, was appointed Marshal. The first term of this Court was opened at No. 63 Front street, near Stark, on the third floor of the building, in 1859, and for many years the government afforded no better quarters for it, although the place was poorly adapted for its purpose. In 1871 the present government building was completed and the Federal Courts were assigned commodious and convenient quarters. During the years that have followed the organization of this Court, the strong individuality of Judge Deady … Read more

History of the Portland Proprietors

There were three that were usually termed the Portland proprietors, and who so far broadened and deepened the movements of things as to be called with some propriety the founders of the place-not, however, to the exclusion of any honors due to the first trio. Of these proprietors, the first on the scene was D. H. Lownsdale, whose name is most honorably perpetuated among us in the person of his son, J. P. O. Lownsdale. He was one of the representative men of the nation of half a century ago; intelligent, restless, and strongly patriotic, making the needs of his … Read more

History of the Portland Banks and Insurance Agencies

The Bank of British Columbia is a branch of a London, England, corporation, which was founded in 1860 and has a capital of $2,425, 000. The Portland branch was established in 1866 with E. Russel as acting manager. It has been very successfully conducted and enjoys a liberal patronage. For several years, George Good, a financier of well recognized ability, has had charge of the business in this city. The bank building, at the junction of A, Front and Vine streets, was erected in 1882 and cost $65, 000. The Oregon and Washington Mortgage Savings Bank was incorporated in 1876, … Read more

History of The Oregon Weekly Times

The Western Star, of Milwaukie, after running a few months, was brought down to Portland and published under the name of The Oregon Weekly Times. The Methodist church, on the corner of Third and Taylor streets, was dedicated in the autumn of 1850; the Congregational church, on Second and Jefferson, in 1851; the Catholic church on Third and Stark, was begun in 1851, but not dedicated until February, 1852. A public occasion of much interest was the celebration of St. John’s day, in 1850, by the Masons. The people assembled at the Masonic Hall, which was still surrounded by logs … Read more