On memorial day 1948 an oregon city of more than 18,000 residents was swept away in a matter of hours. And on may 30, 1948, it was a city that disappeared just as quickly. The story of vanport city, which was conceived in 1942 as temporary housing for shipyard workers and. It was the first time, although harrison had spent decades as a historian in africanamerican history, that he heard of the city. The oregon historical societys current exhibit features vanport, too.
Oregon historical society press, 1987 history 151 pages. Opb is kicking off the 11th season of its original television series oregon experience with a new, onehour documentary vanport. Oregons lost city is a look at how the city and the eventual flood impacted race relations in portland. Vanport a portmanteau of vancouver and portlandwas home to 40,000 people, about 40 percent of them africanamerican, making it oregon s secondlargest city at the time, and the largest public housing project in the nation. Nestled in the floodplain between north portland, oregon, and vancouver, was. Manly mabens vanport does an outstanding job of telling the story of the swift rise and astonishing destruction of the largest world war ii housing project in the united states. Podanys new book vanport, released this month as part of arcadia publishings images of american series, comes out on the 68th anniversary of the flood that destroyed the city. This auction is for a scrap book of newspaper stories and pictures of the 1948 vanport flood in portland, oregon. Situated on a flood plain between vancouver, washington, and portland, oregon, the columbia river reclaimed the city for its own in a flood on. Vanport, oregon was a wartime public housing project built to shelter kaiser shipyard employees working in portland and vancouver, washington. Photographs and captions on every page give a complete picture of the history of this town built for shipbuilders and their families during wwii, the lifestyles of the. By jeffrey stone this week we look back on a tragic and controversial event in oregon history.
The oregon historical society is dedicated to making oregons long, rich history visible and accessible to all. By 1943 it was the secondlargest city in oregon and remains the largest government housing project in u. But on a sunday afternoon in may 1948, it disappeared completely destroyed by a catastrophic flood. Interviews are conducted with former vanport residents and an oregon and african american historian. The film will be followed by a lecture from the author of the book vanport, zita podany. Kaiser shipyards was in desperate need of employees, but a housingcontinue reading vanport tragedy and conspiracy in postwar oregon.
His account, with a first draft expected by the end of the year, will add to the only one official book on vanport written in the late 1980s by manly maben, a teacher from vancouver who. Vanport by carl abbott in its short history, from 1942 to 1948, vanport was the nations largest wartime housing development, a site for social innovation, a lightning rod for racial prejudice, and the scene of one of oregons major disasters. We all are left wondering why history books and curricula dont even mention what once was oregons secondlargest city, home to 40,000. The history of vanport new book published on anniversary of flood. Vanport was built to house employees of the kaiser shipyards during world war ii and was eventually managed by the housing authority of portland. Oregon historical society ed washington was 7 years old when his family moved from birmingham, alabama, so that his father could work in the shipyards. Legislature requires publication of oregon blue book. The shipbuilding town of vanport home to most of oregon. Resurfacing history around the o university of oregon. Named and most widely remembered for the town that it washes out just north of portland, oregon, the flood will crest twice, at 29. Between 1940 and 1943, defense employment in the portland and.
The film will be followed by a lecture from the author of the book vanport, zita podany during the early 1940s, vanport, oregon was the second largest city in the state. Manly maben vanport city, oregon, was conceived in 1942 as a temporary housing project for the families of men and women who came to the pacific northwest to work in the kaiser shipyards and further the war. It took one hour for the burg, with a population of 17,000 onethird of it black, to completely disappear, leaving a reported people dead and thousands homeless. How oregons secondlargest city disappeared in less than an. Vanport tragedy and conspiracy in postwar oregon public. During world war ii, the united states industrial sector was working overtime to keep up with military demand. May 28, 2017 by jeffrey stone this week we look back on a tragic and controversial event in oregon history. May 23, 2016 vanport, built in a little over a year to house them, was a city that did not sleep. This book is a very readable and fast way to learn about the vanport, oregon on.
On may 30, 1948, the vanport flood begins on the columbia river. This is a student produced documentary, completed in june 2007. Join us for a screening of the pbs documentary oregon experience. Vanport street scene with residences and water tower in the background. Hi, i dont know much about vanport except from what i have read and what my mom has told me she grew up in oregon and remembers vanport and the 1948 floods, which affected where she lived as well, but i think it is an important part of oregon s history and applaud any efforts to make the article better. Dikes surrounding vanport presumably would protect it from flooding, but an old railroad cut that had been filled in as part of the dike on the western edge of. Vanport became the second mostpopulated city in oregon, behind portland. In its heyday, vanport was the secondlargest city in oregon with a population of over 40,000 residents. Vanport city, oregon was conceived in 1942 as a temporary housing project for the.
They were twostory boxes with onestory wings, built on wooden foundationsa challenge in a swampy site. Vanport has developed and adopted appropriate documents, manuals and procedures to help guide its staff on compliance for our chain of custody requirements. Dikes surrounding vanport presumably would protect it from flooding, but an old railroad cut that had been filled in as part of the dike on the western edge of vanport unexpectedly gave way. In its short history, from 1942 to 1948, vanport was the nations largest wartime housing development, a site for social innovation, a lightning rod for racial prejudice, and the scene of one of oregons major disasters. Nestled in the floodplain between north portland, oregon, and vancouver, washington, a housing project was built to help house world war ii. Vanport, sometimes referred to as vanport city or kaiserville, was a. During the early 1940s, vanport, oregon was the second largest city in the. Mar 17, 2018 the first residents moved in on december 12, 1942, and vanport was soon the second largest city in oregon with 35,000 people, a movie theather, five schools, a library, a police station, and after the war, a college. The official website of the oregon secretary of state chronology of events in oregon history from 1902 to 1950. Hi, i dont know much about vanport except from what i have read and what my mom has told me she grew up in oregon and remembers vanport and the 1948 floods, which affected where she lived as well, but i think it is an important part of oregons history and applaud any efforts to make the article better. How oregons second largest city vanished in a day history. Vanport flood begins on columbia river on may 30, 1948. When it was christened on december 12, 1942, vanport became the second biggest city in oregon, with a peak population of 42,000.
Oregon history vanport sign detail, located at the vanport wetlands dog park, portland, oregon. In its short history, from 1942 to 1948, vanport was the nations largest wartime housing development, a site for social innovation, a lightning rod for racial prejudice, and the scene of one of oregon s major disasters. But many portlanders still dont know the history of the 1948 tragedy that wiped oregons secondlargest city off. But many portlanders still dont know the history of the 1948 tragedy that wiped oregon s secondlargest city off the map. Kaiser shipyards was in desperate need of employees, but a housingcontinue reading vanport tragedy and conspiracy in. Jan 09, 2019 the oregon historical societys current exhibit features vanport, too. Nestled on a floodplain, vanport was a housing project to help house world war ii shipyard workers. Vanport city, oregon was conceived in 1942 as a temporary housing project for the families of men and women who came to the pacific northwest to work in the kaiser shipyards and further the war effort. Vanport, oregon images of america series by zita podany. Covering people and events from 1854 to the present day, this definitive reference on the history, politics, and policy of multnomah county provides compelling details about public works undertakings and political scandals. Vanport and the 1948 vanport flood the columbia river. The city was destroyed in may 1948 when a 200foot section of the dike holding back the columbia river collapsed during a flood, killing 15 and. During the early 1940s, vanport, oregon was the second largest city in the state.
Oregon experience vanport season 11 episode 1101 pbs. Scrap book of 1948 vanport flood in portland oregon nr. A 1948 flood washed away the wwii housing project vanportbut its. How oregons secondlargest city disappeared in less than. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in history of. Vanport city, oregon, was conceived in 1942 as a temporary housing project for the. Vanport city, oregon photo albums vanport, oregon was a wartime public housing project built to shelter kaiser shipyard employees working in portland and vancouver, washington. Photographs of the aftermath of the flood that destroyed vanport, or. Lead by melissa favara, a writer and educator who lives in portland, oregon and teaches english at clark college in vancouver, washington. Vanport housing was composed of 14unit apartment buildings. Vanport construction began in august 1942 to house the workers at the wartime kaiser shipyards in portland and vancouver, washington. Oregons tiniest county geographically quickly grew to be the states most populous.
For more than a century, the oregon historical society has served as the states collective memory, preserving a vast collection of artifacts, photographs, maps, manuscript materials, books, films, and oral histories. New opb documentary tells the story of life in vanport. Though never intended to be a permanent settlement, its sheer size allowed it to take on homelike amenities, including a hospital, fire and police services, a movie theater, and its own school system. The columbia river broke the level and put homes w 50 thousand people were living. Vanport, sometimes referred to as vanport city or kaiserville, was a hastily constructed city of. Harrison has been filling in the gaps by spending the last 10 years researching and writing a new comprehensive book about vanport. Jun 09, 2017 when it was christened on december 12, 1942, vanport became the second biggest city in oregon, with a peak population of 42,000. See more ideas about city, oregon and portland oregon. The shipbuilding town of vanport home to most of oregons. Through june 28, 2015, the oregon historical society will be hosting the exhibit a community on the move, which explores the history of vanport, as well as portlands black community throughout. This book is a very readable and fast way to learn about the vanport, oregon on columbia river flood of 1948 that wiped out this second largest city in oregon at the time.
The city was destroyed in may 1948 when a 200foot section of the dike holding back the columbia river collapsed during a flood, killing 15 and leaving its population of largely africanamerican. Vanport assignment unst 108i portland serbulo libguides at. In 1948 the columbia river dike broke and wiped out the entire city in a massive flood. This workshop will spark ideas about teaching vanport through creative responses to film and images and will provide several writing prompts and assignment ideas. Census enumerates 953,786 residents first woman, mary jane spurlin, appointed judge in oregon to multnomah county district court. Vanport documentary and author event saturday, february 23, 2019, 46pm oregon city public library community room. From the oregon history project of the oregon historical society. During the early 1940s, vanport, oregon, was the second largest city in the state. The first residents moved in on december 12, 1942, and vanport was soon the second largest city in oregon with 35,000 people, a movie theather, five schools, a library, a police station, and after the war, a college. When the columbia river flood came in 1948, destroying the complex, 25% of those left homeless were african american. Its very name, vanport, is derived from vancouver and portland.
This foldout map of vanport, along with a booklet of services and rules of conduct, was provided to all new residents. When the war was over and the shipyard jobs ended, despite calls by civic leaders for them to leave, many blacks stayed in vanport, making oregon their home. I will list the dates and newspaper articles, postcards and company monthly news letters. People, politics, and power, 18512001 by jewel lansing.
Vanporta portmanteau of vancouver and portlandwas home to 40,000 people, about 40 percent of them africanamerican, making it oregons secondlargest city at the time, and the largest public housing project in the nation. Vanport photographs ohs digital collections oregon historical. According to a historical marker, the break happened at an old railroad cut that had been filled. Nestled in the floodplain between north portland, oregon, and vancouver, washington, a housing project was built to help house world war ii shipyard workers. Zita podany nestled in the floodplain between north portland, oregon, and vancouver, washington, a housing project was built to help house world war ii shipyard workers.
It was a city that touched many lives in a very short period of time. Oregon state archives photo vale irrigation project begins water delivery. In its short history, from 1942 to 1948, vanport was the nations largest wartime housing development, a site for social innovation, a lightning rod for racial prejudice, and the scene of. Once the deluge arrived in vanport, the second largest city in oregon during world war ii, hadley says, it swallowed the town not in a gulp, but in a creeping, uniform sweep. Planning, politics, and growth in a twentieth century city. Vanport, built in a little over a year to house them, was a city that did not sleep. When the united states entered the war, the demand for ships and for.
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