Gresham

By George R. Miller

The history of Gresham, Oregon, is rooted in the pioneers who trekked along the Oregon Trail in the 1800s. Traveling down the Columbia River or over the precipitous route by scenic Mount Hood, they arrived in what was then called Powell Valley, so named by the first settlers. They found trees that were unparalleled, tall, and straight, which they used to build their first communities. The rich, fertile land was cleared to grow an array of crops that would eventually make the area well known for its agriculture.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Release date: Mar 21, 2011
• ISBN: 9781439625491

George R. Miller

Author George R. Miller is a meteorologist by trade. He is retired and has authored two books on Pacific Northwest weather in addition to authoring or coauthoring previous Arcadia titles Images of America: Gresham and Images of America: Kelso. The Portland Rose Festival Foundation is the governing body that oversees all the Rose Festival events.

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INTRODUCTION

The Corps of Discovery journeyed down the Columbia River in the fall of 1805. Their return trip brought them again through the land in the spring of 1806. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark noted in their journals that the area looked rich in agricultural potential. They also mentioned the endless forests of huge trees.

In 1847, John, Jackson, and Dave Powell joined an emigrant train bound for the Oregon Country. After traveling down the Columbia River, they stopped at what was to be known as Troutdale, north of Gresham on the river. They spent the winter at the mouth of the Sandy River, rolling logs down the Columbia to a government sawmill in the Vancouver area. Jackson Powell joined the gold rush to California in 1848 but returned in 1851. He took up a donation land claim in the area.

In 1852, James Powell followed his brother to the area. He brought with him his wife, Eliza, and her two sisters. James purchased his donation land claim next to that of his brother’s. It was for Eliza Powell that Powell’s Valley was named. She was affectionately known as Aunt Eliza Powell and regarded as the first white woman to make a home in the area.

Other early settlers arrived in the area via the Barlow Road. Their last stop was at Phillip Foster’s home in Eagle Creek, southeast of Gresham. It was also a tollhouse but a welcome stop after an arduous and treacherous journey over the Cascade Mountains before entering the fertile Powell’s Valley. Portland, Oregon, 11 miles to the west along the Willamette River, was already a growing community.

After Oregon received its statehood in 1859, the area that was to be known as Gresham saw numerous settlers move in—Powells, Metzgers, Roberts, Shattucks, Johnsons, Linnemanns, Rueggs, Slerets, and many others. (The names are familiar to people today.) They either purchased donation land claims themselves or from others. These pioneers soon learned that the area was rich in agriculture potential. But before that aspect could be developed, the forest had to be cleared. Small lumber mills developed throughout the region as the forests were cleared in preparation for the agriculture that was soon to begin.

As this book will show, dirt and muddy streets soon became gravel and thence paved. Schools were built to accommodate the growing number of new residents. Businesses were developed so citizens would not have to travel the dangerous road into Portland. Some disasters occurred, but residents found many ways to enjoy themselves. Not all aspects of the town could be put into these pages, but it is hoped it will give readers a glimpse of the town as it was developing.

A popular gathering spot in the late 1800s near what is now Gresham was called the Camp Ground. It was a place where people met on a Sunday afternoon. Hundreds of teams of horses and wagons lined the dirt street as visitors came out from Portland. According to recollections of Marion Dudley Eling, the Camp Ground was located in a stately grove of fir and cedar trees at the current intersection of Main Avenue and Powell Boulevard. Indeed, Gresham, before it was officially named, was called Camp Ground and Powell’s Valley. The majority of the trees were blown down during a fierce windstorm on January 9, 1880.

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STREET SCENES AND TRANSPORTATION

What did Gresham look like many years ago? Towns change remarkably over the years. Buildings that once stood are no longer there. Streets are changed, widened, and in some cases eliminated. In most instances, what one views today is not how it looked when the town was in its early stages. Such is the saga of Gresham. Very few landmarks that were present at the start of the 20th century exist at the start of the 21st. Methods of transportation also changed over the years. This transition is noted in this chapter and in other photographs throughout the book. It is interesting that the town of Gresham was the first community outside the city of Portland to receive MAX, or Metropolitan Area Express light rail in the late 1980s. Yet in the early 1900s, Gresham was connected to Portland and several other towns in east Multnomah County via an electric rail system that carried hundreds of people. Maybe some things do not change.

This photograph was taken in the late 1890s. It shows Main Avenue looking south toward Gresham Butte, which was clear-cut of its trees. The building on the left is the old Shattuck store. Planks in the lower right act as a boardwalk. The bottom photograph was taken later, around 1919, and also looks south.