“North” Portland, c1882

Circa 1882 Portland was only on the west side of the river as Albina and East Portland had not yet been annexed. To call this North Portland, as the label states, makes sense but it’s most definitely Southwest Portland now. The view is similar to this earlier VP entry where we look north on the block between SW 11th and 12th; The Old Church is nearing completion in the center. There are some handsome mansions fronting the South Park Blocks on the right; the side-by-side white Italianate homes belonged to brothers Ralph and Isaac Jacobs.

(City of Portland Archives)

Bird’s-eye View of Portland, 1879

E.S. Glover’s 1879 bird’s-eye view of Portland is pretty spectacular. It accurately portrays the early buildings and landscape in this growing city. It also shows some natural features such as Tanner Creek, the gullies of South Portland, and the creek outflow near present-day OMSI, that are all filled today. As always, click for hi-res version.

(Library of Congress)

Portland Panorama, 1909

This is a very nice early photo of Portland’s Corbett/Lair Hill neighborhood with the Willamette River, Northeast Portland and Mt. St. Helens forming a backdrop. I believe the large house (actually a duplex) just beyond the mostly-empty block with the small house at lower right is still in existence, one lot north of the corner of Water Ave. and Whitaker St. The big building at center left is probably the original Failing School.

(City of Portland Archives)