OT The history of Northeast Portland

[SlyPokerDog]

@HCP you should listen to this. It's not bad, just gives some fascinating history about Northeast Portland.

On May 30, 1948, a flood destroyed Vanport, Oregon. What really makes the story more than a historical footnote is how it tied in to the racial makeup of both Portland and Oregon at the time.

President Harry Truman, left, listens as Gen. Philip Fleming, Federal Works Administrator, explains damage caused by the sudden flood at Vanport, Oregon. The president visited the area during his inspection of the Columbia River flood damage.
​

http://www.missedinhistory.com/podcasts/the-vanport-flood.htm

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

His neighbors are probably waiting to write the new history. Pre HCP and post HCP.

The second half of the book will be the happy part.

 

[MarAzul]

@HCP you should listen to this. It's not bad, just gives some fascinating history about Northeast Portland.

On May 30, 1948, a flood destroyed Vanport, Oregon. What really makes the story more than a historical footnote is how it tied in to the racial makeup of both Portland and Oregon at the time.

President Harry Truman, left, listens as Gen. Philip Fleming, Federal Works Administrator, explains damage caused by the sudden flood at Vanport, Oregon. The president visited the area during his inspection of the Columbia River flood damage.
​

http://www.missedinhistory.com/podcasts/the-vanport-flood.htm

I watched this for 5 maybe 7 minutes. There isn't any corollary in this Oregon history and the actual Van Port flood. However, I did know a couple guys, brothers that lived through the event.
Sprinted out of they so the story goes. Van Port was built quickly to house the shipyard workers. As was Kellogg Park, Guiles Lake.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Dana Danes music (later pager) galore!

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I watched this for 5 maybe 7 minutes. There isn't any corollary in this Oregon history and the actual Van Port flood. However, I did know a couple guys, brothers that lived through the event.
Sprinted out of they so the story goes. Van Port was built quickly to house the shipyard workers. As was Kellogg Park, Guiles Lake.

You watched what?

 

[barfo]

You watched what?

He watched the flood. Then he began building his ark, and assembling the animals.

barfo

 

[MarAzul]

You watched what?

Sorry, listened. Since then another 30 minutes.

Hey! You know, there was a black guy working at the VA clinic as a nurse, maybe 5 or 6 years ago. The guy was really good, for a big ham fisted guy, he was real deft with drawing blood.
Very painless. Well, anyway while he was doing the lab work on me one day, I ask him, do you live around here?

Oh no, I drive here everyday.

How long you been doing the drive?
About eight months.
Are you going to move here?
No.

Well why not?
There are only White people here. My children would be afraid.

I suppose he might have a point, I have only seen one other black guy in the area, here in Bandon. Although the Sheriff is Black, so that's two.

I am not so sure the lady telling the story has the total story.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

The NEP anthem.

 

[THE HCP]

My grandpa used to tell us stories about the flood. Crazy shit. I'll check this out tomorrow. Love my neighborhood man. So much history and culture. Has definitely been gentrified over the past 15 years, but love it none the less.

 

[THE HCP]

I assume the reason I'm so out of shape is on the fact that all these restaurants and MANY more are all a few blocks from our house. Love my neighborhood. Love the inner city life.
A few book shops and art galleries. Wine tasting, Mcminamins, list goes on. No strip malls or WallMarts around here FAMS. And

 

[MarAzul]

No strip malls or WallMarts

Have you got a Trader Joe's?

 

[Nate]

What about a Cracker Barrel?

 

[THE HCP]

Have you got a Trader Joe's?

Yes sir about 15 blocks from us and a Whole Foods about 10 blocks. Not sure the business history of Trader Joe's, I'm sure somebody knows the horrific details. But before you or anybody even shares, I'd rather live in a neighborhood with Whole Foods and Trader Joes in walking distance, than a Target or WallMart. Just my opinion.

 

[MarAzul]

Back in the day, NE Portland was right up town.
When I was a kid, my Great Uncle live there, in a big old three story house. On the corner of Williams and Broadway, I think. I remember getting off the trolley right where the tracks turned and there was his house. He owned the Maddox Van & Storage Co. right across the river in the Pearl now. Last time I was near, it still said Maddox on one outside Brick wall, but the place isn't storage these days. Yuppie flats now. Anyway, he rode the trolley to work from his house to work I don't think involved walking more than two blocks.

 

[MarAzul]

Looking at the old Trolley Map and contrasting it with today, begs up several question.

Who was the moron that decided to rip out all that track and crush the transportation system?
I suspect he was related to the moron that decided to run all those ugly ass Freeways through heart of the once beautiful City.
In retrospect, it seem obvious to me now, that anyone with half an eye for aesthetics would have routed the freeways way around the city and preserved the beauty that was already there.

The Trolley ride from Oregon City to Portland was a pleasant adventure, full of sights along the way. Gladstone, Jennings Lodge, Oak Grove Milwaukie, Sellwood, Oaks Park, Ross Island!
Kellogg Park was in there too.

Anyone remember the Vaughn St Ball Park? You could get to a game there from all over the region, mostly by Trolley. It was a rather neat city in those days.

Anyone remember when Ross Island and Hardtack Island were actually two Islands in the Willamette river? Now it's a lagoon full of rusty barges in and old rock quarry
It once was a great place to go camping by boat and fish off the shore.

Anyone remember the Battleship Oregon moored South of the Ross Island bridge on the Westside? Quite a sight from the Trolley as you were were coming into town from the South.

Shit! CO2 hasn't screw anything up yet. Did you know the Trolley ran on electricity? Hydo Electricity.

The Trolley brought you within a sprint to the Ball Park.

 

[Nate]

Looking at the old Trolley Map and contrasting it with today, begs up several question.

Who was the moron that decided to rip out all that track and crush the transportation system?
I suspect he was related to the moron that decided to run all those ugly ass Freeways through heart of the once beautiful City.
In retrospect, it seem obvious to me now, that anyone with half an eye for aesthetics would have routed the freeways way around the city and preserved the beauty that was already there.

The Trolley ride from Oregon City to Portland was a pleasant adventure, full of sights along the way. Gladstone, Jennings Lodge, Oak Grove Milwaukie, Sellwood, Oaks Park, Ross Island!
Kellogg Park was in there too.

Anyone remember the Vaughn St Ball Park? You could get to a game there from all over the region, mostly by Trolley. It was a rather neat city in those days.

Anyone remember when Ross Island and Hardtack Island were actually two Islands in the Willamette river? Now it's a lagoon full of rusty barges in and old rock quarry
It once was a great place to go camping by boat and fish off the shore.

Anyone remember the Battleship Oregon moored South of the Ross Island bridge on the Westside? Quite a sight from the Trolley as you were were coming into town from the South.

Shit! CO2 hasn't screw anything up yet. Did you know the Trolley ran on electricity? Hydo Electricity.

The Trolley brought you within a sprint to the Ball Park.

The trolley tracks in Oak Grove were super shady all my life. Lots of drug deals, robberies, assaults, and tweakrs/syringes in there. I moved back to Oak Grove as an adult a year ago. The trolley tracks are nice paved walking paths now. Even the basketball court at old oak grove elementary got re done. A lot of crazy shit used to happen there too

People have also been buying up all the piece of shit properties that were falling apart, overgrown, and inhabited by tweakers. Then building really nice homes. Part of the reason that Milwaukie is the fastest growing city in the country I guess.

When spring water trail got cleared out last year, some of the homeless came to oak grove and set up camp next to the walking path. And of course parts of it looked like a landfill. Super fucking gross... maybe @crandc will let them move in with her? I'll buy the plane ticket.

 

[MarAzul]

The trolley tracks in Oak Grove were super shady all my life. Lots of drug deals, robberies, assaults, and tweakrs/syringes in there. I moved back to Oak Grove as an adult a year ago. The trolley tracks are nice paved walking paths now. Even the basketball court at old oak grove elementary got re done. A lot of crazy shit used to happen there too

People have also been buying up all the piece of shit properties that were falling apart, overgrown, and inhabited by tweakers. Then building really nice homes. Part of the reason that Milwaukie is the fastest growing city in the country I guess.

When spring water trail got cleared out last year, some of the homeless came to oak grove and set up camp next to the walking path. And of course parts of it looked like a landfill. Super fucking gross... maybe @crandc will let them move in with her? I'll buy the plane ticket.

I suppose the last time I rode a Trolley in the area was maybe 1950 give or take a year. You could not rely on the service by 1952 and it shut down for sure in 1958.
Sound like the area went totally to hell after that, hey? Sound pretty grim by your account.

 

[Nate]

I suppose the last time I rode a Trolley in the area was maybe 1950 give or take a year. You could not rely on the service by 1952 and it shut down for sure in 1958.
Sound like the area went totally to hell after that, hey? Sound pretty grim by your account.

I wouldn't say grim. Just a lot of drug addicts in shitty apartments/houses. Petty criminals.

There's also a lot of really cool old homes. Especially by the river.

 

[crandc]

The trolley tracks in Oak Grove were super shady all my life. Lots of drug deals, robberies, assaults, and tweakrs/syringes in there. I moved back to Oak Grove as an adult a year ago. The trolley tracks are nice paved walking paths now. Even the basketball court at old oak grove elementary got re done. A lot of crazy shit used to happen there too

People have also been buying up all the piece of shit properties that were falling apart, overgrown, and inhabited by tweakers. Then building really nice homes. Part of the reason that Milwaukie is the fastest growing city in the country I guess.

When spring water trail got cleared out last year, some of the homeless came to oak grove and set up camp next to the walking path. And of course parts of it looked like a landfill. Super fucking gross... maybe @crandc will let them move in with her? I'll buy the plane ticket.

As usual, stupid and insulting, which I imagine was the point.

From the guy who said being raped is a lesbian's dream come true.

 

[Nate]

As usual, stupid and insulting, which I imagine was the point.

From the guy who said being raped is a lesbian's dream come true.

I thought you cared so much about homeless people, that maybe you would like to take some off the streets? Are they not good enough to live with you?

Also, I said that a person sounded like your dream come true. I never said he was going to rape you. Why would you assume that? Because he was a "bad hombre"? How very intolerant of you.

More specifically, I said: "that guy sounds like @crandc 's dream come true"

I thought you loved illegal immigrants? I guess you just say stupid shit, but don't mean it.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

The only shitty thing about living in the city would be lack of 24 hour taco bells yo.