Although city planning in the public sector did not begin in Portland until the 1970s, transportation planning has always been an integral part of Portland's success. During the founding era, Portland was little more than an infant settlement with a log store and a wharf. In order to grow, the settlement had to compete with river cities such as Oregon City, Milwaukee, Linnton, and St. Helens for commerce. (2) Portland had one distinct transportation advantage; Canyon Road connecting Portland directly to the agricultural centers in the Tualatin Valley.
The Great Plank Road
Portland Competition (3)
Originally a muddy dirt road connecting what is now Beaverton to Portland, canyon road allowed the new settlement to take advantage of the surrounding agricultural lands. When the California gold rush hit in 1848 the demand for lumber and produce skyrocketed. Daniel H. Lownsdale, a proprietor, saw the advantages the road could hold for Portland's future growth. In 1849, Lownsdale proposed that the road be planked to make it reliable and increase the transportation of produce. The completion of the road in 1856 established Portland as a major port.(1)
Street Expansion and the Willamette
Willamette River Dredge (5)
When the settlement incorporated in 1851, a rising class of young merchant entrepreneurs emerged. Now that the city controlled its own politics, these young men ensured that any planning would hold a primary focus on the transportation of goods into and out of the city. Ten years later, after several failed planning attempts, Portland elected Mayor Henry Failing. . Failing was quoted as saying, “Portland's roads (were) ‘a reproach to the city and its inhabitants.’” His first accomplishment as mayor was the passing of a new charter amendment. The amendment required property owners to pay in part for the grading and paving of streets across from their properties. (6) Under his guidance, the council them voted a special tax to purchase a dredge for deepening the city harbor and to remove obstacles from the Willamette River. In 1865, Portland paid $41,000 in gold coins for dredging equipment used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expand the river. (7)
The Oregon Steam Navigation Company
(8)
As population continued to grow and the gold rush continued to thrive, business along the river exploded. Steamboats quickly became the major mode of transportation for both passengers and freight services. During the peak of the gold rush, a boat named the Tenino took in a total of $18,000 dollars for a single trip along the river. (9) Seeing the potential of joint endeavors, J.C. Ainsworth, P.F. Bradford, S.G. Reed and R.R. Thompson formed the Oregon Steam Navigation Company in 1860. (9) By joining forces, the OSNC monopolized the city's main mode of transportation.
1. (Image)The Great Plank Road, photograph courtesy of the Oregon Historical Society
2. "City of Portland Civic Planning, Development, & Public Works, 1851-1965: A Historic Context." City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability 1 (2009): 1-64.
3. "Portland Bureau of Transportation | The City of Portland, Oregon." City of Portland, Oregon. http://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/ (accessed February 26, 2013).
4. (Image)Portland Competition, photograph courtesy of the Oregon Historical Society
5. "Portland Bureau of Transportation | The City of Portland, Oregon." City of Portland, Oregon. http://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/ (accessed February 26, 2013).
6. (Image) http://quarriesandbeyond.org/articles_and_books/orewashstruct/images/dredge01.jpg
7. Chett, Orloff. "Henry Failing (1834-1898) | Oregon Encyclopedia - Oregon History and Culture." Oregon Encyclopedia - Oregon History and Culture. http://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/entry/view/failing_henry_1834_1898_/ (accessed February 26, 2013).
8. (Image) http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/scripophily/peoplestransportationvig.jpg
9. Gaston, Joseph. The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912, Volume 1. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1912.
2. "City of Portland Civic Planning, Development, & Public Works, 1851-1965: A Historic Context." City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability 1 (2009): 1-64.
3. "Portland Bureau of Transportation | The City of Portland, Oregon." City of Portland, Oregon. http://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/ (accessed February 26, 2013).
4. (Image)Portland Competition, photograph courtesy of the Oregon Historical Society
5. "Portland Bureau of Transportation | The City of Portland, Oregon." City of Portland, Oregon. http://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/ (accessed February 26, 2013).
6. (Image) http://quarriesandbeyond.org/articles_and_books/orewashstruct/images/dredge01.jpg
7. Chett, Orloff. "Henry Failing (1834-1898) | Oregon Encyclopedia - Oregon History and Culture." Oregon Encyclopedia - Oregon History and Culture. http://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/entry/view/failing_henry_1834_1898_/ (accessed February 26, 2013).
8. (Image) http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/scripophily/peoplestransportationvig.jpg
9. Gaston, Joseph. The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912, Volume 1. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1912.
Jillian Emery