Before the Port of Portland developed facilities on Swan Island, its shops and drydock were a bit downriver just north of the Burlington Northern bridge, nestled in a cove on the east bank of the Willamette River. Sanborn Maps also shows “Western Cooperage Co, Barrel Stock Factory” alongside the elevated BN tracks. The cove, off N. Edgewater Street, is empty property today but shows signs of earlier habitation such as concrete slabs and pilings in the water. The railroad bridge’s original stationary spans are still in place but the swing-span was replaced with a lift-span in 1989.
(Library of Congress)
Vintage Portland 
I see William Randolph Hearst was either loading or unloading some cargo that day. Or maybe that sloop is a Goldman Sachs money trawler.
The business just south of the railroad tracks is the old McCormack and Baxter company site. Once one of the most contaminated sites in the state of Oregon. Cleaned it up finally. If you drove over the site, which I did, you had to stop on the way out over a steel grate and wash your vehicle. The water from that washing then had to be disposed of as contaminated water.Did not like going out there. The Willamette cove site was purchased by Metro and will become a park.
The University of Portland bought the land south of the McCormick and Baxter site.
Wow, the west bank of the river and Swan Island are wooded in this photo!
You sure about that? Maybe I’m just jumping to conclusions (wouldn’t be the first time) but isn’t that right about where the McCormick & Baxter Creosoting Co. was? Looks like some of the buildings are in the right locations and there are gigantic piles of logs. Although University of Portland’s website says McC & B didn’t start before 1944 so…
Here’s some references:
http://www.up.edu/expansion/default.aspx?cid=8693&pid=3593
http://www.flickr.com/photos/earthfixteam/sets/72157627512029734/detail/
http://www.neighborhoodnotes.com/news/2009/05/city_snaps_mccormick_and_baxter_superfund_site/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neighborhoodnotes_pdx/sets/72157617790202157/
Not to nitpick, but at the time of the photo, it would have been the SP&S Railway bridge. Early references sometimes refer to it as the NP bridge. It was BN from 1970-1995. It is now BNSF.
Sheldon
Trivia: They filmed part of the movie “The Hunted” in 2003 on the site just south of the McCormick and Baxter site. Crappy movie with Tommy Lee Jones and Benecio del Toro. Filmed the Kosovo scene there. Were there for weeks and then blew up the set. Kinda cool to see all the work they put into it.
Growing up in North, we always called it that area south of the bridge Riddell. Paintballiing in the abandon buildings was a lot of fun although UP security ran us out of there a couple times.
Ridell International did own the property south of the McCormick and Baxter property. There used to be a chain link fence seperating the two properties. The old Ridell site is where a part of the film The Hunted was shot.
Contaminated area. In fact, much of the Portland Harbor has fallen victim to the sins of our forefather’s doings. This area is currently included in the Portland Harbor Superfund along with the GasCo triangle north of this and some of the east side industrial areas (between Broadway and Fremont Bridges) called river mile 11. Some of these areas have fencing to keep people out because it is so hazardous. The GasCo building should be included in one of the future VP daily photos!
The McCormick and Baxter site has been cleaned up. I watched them do it. Pounded in a steel underground curtain wall to stop contaminants from reaching the river and capped the area with soil. Should be okay to at least walk around on.
BTW it cost $30 million dollars to cleanup the McCormick and Baxter site
Part of the cooperage property became Western pre-fab Homes in the mid to late 50’s and their lumber storage yard abutted the rr embankment. I drove for them in 60 for a few mos. The winding and steep little road down from Willamette blvd was a real adventure with a semi. There was no other access at that time.
Also delivered tank truck loads of creosote and other wood treating chems to Baxter later in the 60’s and 70’s. The two properties did not connect as i recall. except via the water table if you catch my drift. trust me baxter was just nasty, but we all enjoyed electricity from those treated power poles.
What a great photo.
google: Portland Harbor Superfund
http://www.gascobuilding.blogspot.com
Kind of interesting.
My father worked here. I’ve heard lots of stories about the cooperage, but this is the first picture I’ve seen. thank you!
Another view from a different angle…
One more item of note in the photo in my previous reply, look across the river to the right and you will see the Gasco plant that rumblefish referred to.
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i spent a lot of time in the late 60’s early 70’s playing in and around the river here. from Wilatte tug and barge down to the st. johns bridge swimming, catching fish, building rafts and forts, shooting BB guns, riding bikes. it was a great place to grow up. we had a lot of fun down there.