10 thoughts on “Northwest Industrial District, 1929”
Interesting call to have built the Linnton tanks in the floodplain before the Willamette dam system (Willamette Valley Project) was started.
Looks like the planners got out their box of crayons and sketched where Front Ave was going to be built. Area hasn’t changed all that much in almost 100 years.
I believe that is the Standard Oil Company of California terminal and warehouse.
Those tanks have never been flooded. So yes a good call.
I can’t put my finger on it, but this looks more recent than 1929 to me.
Given the fact that Swan Island airport is there and Mocks bottom undeveloped I’d say looks right for 1929.
On second thought I think you are right. The company that took the photo was active in the late 1920s. I think I was surprised by the quality of the aerial photography.
I’m not sure, but the river looks fairly high, according to the buildings below University of Portland’s Bluff (aka Waud Bluff: https://www.portlandoregon.gov/parks/61019), unless they are on a dock, perhaps part of logging or shipping. Several of the houses in the lower right remain. A possible time marker is the Swan Island runways, intact but with no planes, as it was primarily used from 1926-1927 for commerce and post, and then disused as the Portland Airport is completed in 1930.
Actually the river is in it’s lower stages in this image as seen by the exposed amount of dock height at the three Wilbridge oil terminals. The buildings below Waud bluff that you are referring to are house boats or, as some like to call them, floating homes.
imagine just living out there in the country, and then all of a sudden there’s all of that right across the street from your house.
Vintage Portland 
Interesting call to have built the Linnton tanks in the floodplain before the Willamette dam system (Willamette Valley Project) was started.
Looks like the planners got out their box of crayons and sketched where Front Ave was going to be built. Area hasn’t changed all that much in almost 100 years.
I believe that is the Standard Oil Company of California terminal and warehouse.
Those tanks have never been flooded. So yes a good call.
I can’t put my finger on it, but this looks more recent than 1929 to me.
Given the fact that Swan Island airport is there and Mocks bottom undeveloped I’d say looks right for 1929.
On second thought I think you are right. The company that took the photo was active in the late 1920s. I think I was surprised by the quality of the aerial photography.
I’m not sure, but the river looks fairly high, according to the buildings below University of Portland’s Bluff (aka Waud Bluff: https://www.portlandoregon.gov/parks/61019), unless they are on a dock, perhaps part of logging or shipping. Several of the houses in the lower right remain. A possible time marker is the Swan Island runways, intact but with no planes, as it was primarily used from 1926-1927 for commerce and post, and then disused as the Portland Airport is completed in 1930.
Actually the river is in it’s lower stages in this image as seen by the exposed amount of dock height at the three Wilbridge oil terminals. The buildings below Waud bluff that you are referring to are house boats or, as some like to call them, floating homes.
imagine just living out there in the country, and then all of a sudden there’s all of that right across the street from your house.