10 thoughts on “Columbia Slough, 1932”

  1. What a great photo of an old dump truck! And it’s actually dumping a load of dirt, adding to that massive landfill. That’s an unusual photo. You’ve made my morning, VP! Anybody know the make of the dump truck? Was it an international?

  2. Portland rainfall for 1932-33 from July 1st – June 30th, was 7.98″, which was quite low.

    On the day of this photo, the weather appeared hazy and cool. By the time afternoon came round, all the workmen had their jackets off (see jacket pile in photo); they all had hats on though.

    The flagmen are seen returning to their positions on the road as a car approaches.

  3. If you enlarge the photo in the distance you will see a Biplane, cars and a building with a windsock. This must be the Rankin Airport that was built in 1930 near Union ave. (MLK) & Columbia Blvd. where they operated a flying school and flying service.

  4. Not quite enough pixels to enhance the signs to the left of the truck though I can make out the word “Airport”.

  5. This photo shows dirt excavated from the Columbia slough being dumped for the extension of Vancouver avenue. At the bottom of the photo ” Fill-Vancouver Ave. Ext. 10-20-32″

    Oregonian 10-18-32 Work on Fill  excerpt

    The County Commissioners yesterday adopted an order appropriating $3000 to reimburse the department of public works of Portland for dirt excavated by the city from Columbia slough to be placed in the Vancouver avenue extension route.

  6. robinthompson4, I vote for International too. Diamond emblem on the radiator, long word on the side of the hood, and the “California” rims*.

  8. The fill dirt being dumped here for the Vancouver Ave. extension I believe is where Union Ave. (MLK) & Vancouver Ave. intersect. Newspaper stories from the period give the location as Union Ave. opposite the Portland Auto Camp, or 1 mile North of Columbia Blvd. on Union Ave. There are old Portland Auto Camp postcards online with a map showing their location and Rankin Airport near what today would be 9209 N Vancouver ave. After Rankin relocated to Swan Island in 1933, the old airport remained a land mark for several years in classified ads, such as turn East on Gertz Road at Rankin Airport.

  9. Dennis, I looked up 9209 N. Vancouver Ave., on Google Earth and can see what it looks like today. Of course, the airport and auto camp are gone today. It’s mostly semi-industrial and low-lying land. Off in the distance you can see the West Hills and, I swear, some of the trees across the field look like the same ones in the old photo! This address is adjacent to today’s intersection of N. Vancouver Ave and 99E (MLK Blvd.).

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