Production of Liberty ships in support of the war effort was in full swing during this circa 1943 aerial view of the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation shipyards in North Portland, just beyond St. Johns. The outfitting dock at center still remains, as well as a few of the buildings seen here. The shipyards delivered almost 500 Liberty, Victory and Attack Transports during WWII.
(City of Portland Archives)
Portland Public Schools open for the first day of the new year today. Nobody is going to the old Peninsula School these days however. The school, on the north side of N. Lombard Street at Knowles Avenue in 1945, has been replaced by an Arbies Arby’s fast food restaurant today.
(City of Portland Archives)
These two gentlemen look like they work at Crouchley Plumbing Co. rather than J.R. Chauncey Jeweler. The businesses in 1931 were at 204 and 204-1/2 N. Jersey Avenue; that’s 8709 N. Lombard using today’s street numbers. The Crouchley Plumbing Co. has been in business since 1907 and you can still walk into their office two doors down at 8717 N. Lombard.
(City of Portland Archives)
The area around NE 33rd Avenue and Columbia Blvd. is shown in this circa 1968 aerial photo. The image has been modified to show a proposed overpass to separate traffic and ease congestion (and increase safety) at the intersection. The final configuration is not exactly like this but it’s not too far off.
(City of Portland Archives)
The bustling St. Johns downtown area is shown in this nice 1938 photo. The view is northwest on Lombard. N. Philadelphia comes in from the front left and N. Burlington Ave. branches off to the right.
(City of Portland Archives)
Wide streets and tidy neighborhood shops are hallmarks of the stretch of N. Lombard Street where N. Fiske Avenue crosses in the University Park area of North Portland. This 1944 view is to the southeast and the dense trees of Columbia Park can be seen a few blocks down on the left.
(City of Portland Archives)
The Fred Meyer store and two gas stations still anchor corners at the intersection of N. Interstate and Lombard Street as they did in 1956, but the photographer whould now be standing in the middle of the Max tracks headed toward the Expo Center.
(City of Portland Archives)
