Men are working to construct a temporary dike to hold back Willamette River flood waters at the intersection of NW Hoyt Street at 3rd Avenue in 1948. The Steel Bridge and the fire station at far right still exist today; no other building or structure remains.
(City of Portland Archives)
Lots of character in this 1927 photo of the northwest corner of West Burnside and NW Park Avenue. Lots of characters, too; groups of men chatting car repair, a gentleman filling his gas tank, and two men working around a hole in the street at far right. Lots of great signs, too, including “Benson Garage” on the brick wall which can still be seen today.
(City of Portland Archives)
We capture a moment in time as a gentleman is about to take a step to cross NE 12th Avenue at E. Burnside St. This view is looking south down 12th in 1937. The same intersection can be seen in this 1939 aerial view to give it a wider perspective. The Fairview Farms billboard in today’s photo advertised 7Up in the aerial photo.
(City of Portland Archives)
Construction of the Lloyd Center shopping center is just getting underway in the nice 1959 aerial photo. Holladay Park is one of the few identifiable features left today. This view looks to the northwest.
(City of Portland Archives)
The location of this St. Johns area building is unknown. Does it still exist? The presence of the man with the number is usually an indication of an upcoming public works project, most likely road widening. Good luck in finding this.
Found: Northeast corner N. Ivanhoe Street and N. John Avenue.
(City of Portland Archives)
A spectacular aerial image of Northwest Portland from the Willamette River west to about 18th Avenue in 1938. The scene is so familiar and yet so much has changed. No longer will we find the Lovejoy and 10th Avenue ramps, the gas storage tank and the rail yards. Many of the low-rise buildings have been replaced by new high-rises, freeways or parking lots. The bridges and parks remain, reminding us of what once was.
(City of Portland Archives)
This vision for Portland’s bridges across the Willamette River greeted The Oregonian readers on the first day of 1910. The Broadway Bridge at bottom had not been built yet. The illustration shows the industrial nature of Portland’s waterfront at that time, and the reliance on sailing ships to move cargo to and from distant ports.
(The Oregonian, University of Oregon Libraries)
Vintage Portland 