Yamhill Historic District
(We're now traveling into the historical parts of town)
The city of Portland grew up here in front of us, with profits from salmon, wheat and timber during the gold rush era, and the city flourished up here in the oldest part of town, the Yamhill District.
By eighteen eighty nine, electric streetcar lines (3rd in the country), were in use here, from power produced by Willamette Falls in Oregon City.
By the year 1906, streetcars, horses and dozens of different kinds of automobiles were in use, including the Benson, an auto cobbled together in Nils Benson's garage across the river on Grand Avenue.
On display in the Historical Society in the park blocks.
In spite of streets that were deep mud in the winter, and deep dust in summer, Portland began to grow rapidly because it was a trade center, and grew to 90 thousand people by the year 1900.
7 of the reasons it grew so fast and became a major trade center was:
The Portland harbor was an exciting place to be---the sights, the sounds, the mystique of ships and sailors from faraway places.
GREAT FIRE OF '73
The city experienced catastrophe when 22 square blocks here was destroyed or heavily damaged by The Great Fire of eighteen seventy three; many believed started by anti Chinese arsonists.
Civic leaders subsequently decided to rebuild only with cast iron, brick, and stone.
17 of the buildings built after the fire remain, primarily in the Italianate style, erected between eighteen seventy eight and eighteen eighty seven, and defines the character of this district.
There is only one structure still standing from before the fire {Northrup and Blossom-Fitch Building—"Paddy's Irish Bar"; from eighteen fifty eight, up here to our right on Yamhill street. It's the only survivor of the fire, and the oldest building in this district.
...
The next sight is the Waldo Building.
With many more
(We're now traveling into the historical parts of town)
The city of Portland grew up here in front of us, with profits from salmon, wheat and timber during the gold rush era, and the city flourished up here in the oldest part of town, the Yamhill District.
By eighteen eighty nine, electric streetcar lines (3rd in the country), were in use here, from power produced by Willamette Falls in Oregon City.
By the year 1906, streetcars, horses and dozens of different kinds of automobiles were in use, including the Benson, an auto cobbled together in Nils Benson's garage across the river on Grand Avenue.
On display in the Historical Society in the park blocks.
In spite of streets that were deep mud in the winter, and deep dust in summer, Portland began to grow rapidly because it was a trade center, and grew to 90 thousand people by the year 1900.
7 of the reasons it grew so fast and became a major trade center was:
- It was selected as the West Coast terminal for The Petonia, the U.S. mail steamer.
- The salmon & lumber industries
- The 1st transcontinental railroad in 1883, linking Portland with the East Coast.
- Became a major trade center because of its proximity to Railroads and Rivers.
- After the Gold Rush of '49, it became a boomtown, carrying wheat and other commodities to and from California and other ports around the globe. At that time, Portland had the longest wheat terminal in the world, and currently the largest on the west coast. Millions of bushels of wheat. Amazing but true!
- A few years after that, cargo carrying international shipping lines found Portland 97 miles up river, opening up a full spectrum of international trade that funneled itself through Portland.
- "The Great Plank Road" - First planks for the Canyon Road connecting Portland with the rich Tualatin Valley were laid near this spot in September 1851, helping to beat other nearby towns for dominance. As a community effort it brought farm produce to our docks and established Portland as a port and market for the Old Oregon Country.
The Portland harbor was an exciting place to be---the sights, the sounds, the mystique of ships and sailors from faraway places.
GREAT FIRE OF '73
The city experienced catastrophe when 22 square blocks here was destroyed or heavily damaged by The Great Fire of eighteen seventy three; many believed started by anti Chinese arsonists.
Civic leaders subsequently decided to rebuild only with cast iron, brick, and stone.
17 of the buildings built after the fire remain, primarily in the Italianate style, erected between eighteen seventy eight and eighteen eighty seven, and defines the character of this district.
There is only one structure still standing from before the fire {Northrup and Blossom-Fitch Building—"Paddy's Irish Bar"; from eighteen fifty eight, up here to our right on Yamhill street. It's the only survivor of the fire, and the oldest building in this district.
...
The next sight is the Waldo Building.
With many more
