Portland settlement story

William Overton and Asa Lovejoy were the first to buy land in what would be the city of Portland. 

 

William Overton sold his share of the land to Francis Pettygrove. Lovejoy and Pettygrove both wanted to name the city after the city they lived. Lovejoy wanted to name it Boston and Pettygrove wanted to name it Portland. Both men settled on Portland after Pettygrove won a coin toss. 

 Portland, Oregon in 1853.(image from Wikipedia)

In 1850 around 800 citizens live in Portland. In 1851 Congress passed the Oregon Land Act, every man or women was entitled to 320 acres of land. 

Ben Holliday in 1869 started to built the railroad system in Oregon. Farmers wanted faster access to ship out their products to Eastern states. 

Map of the railroad system in Oregon. Holladay ran out of money before he could finish the railroad. Henry Villard would take over the project and finish it in 1887. This allowed for more migration to the west from the east. According the the website PdxHistory, "The town of East Portland was a growing corcern by 1898. By the end of the 19th century, Portland had 90,00 residents and it was the largest metropolis in the Northwest."

Historical Settlement Chapet 3

The Gold Rush in 1850 brought many Americans and Europeans to the Western Frontier. Before the gold rush fever stuck Americans,  Oregon had been claimed by Spain, Russia, Great Britain, and the United States. Oregon has many natural resources that attracted those nations. According to U.S Department of State Office of the Historian, "President James Polk, a supporter of Manifest Destiny with an eye also on the Mexican Southwest and California, was eager to settle the boundary of the Oregon Territory and proposed a settlement on the 49 degree line to Great Britain." The 49th parallel that was established as early as 1818 set boundaries between The United States and Great Britain. The Oregon Treaty would not be signed until 1846 between the United States and Great Britain. The United States gained Oregon and other Northern territories that are below the 49th parallel. This allowed many Americans to migrate to the west. Oregon would not be part of the United States union until February 14, 1859. Even before the Gold Rush, Oregon attracted many fur trade Europeans that were exploring new territories out west. Oregon territory in the early 1840 had a great amount of animals that fur trappers hunted for. The fishing canning industry would be on of the biggest industry in Oregon. Oregon would mostly be know for its agricultural industries. Before the Gold Rush hit Oregon population was greater than, the settlement in California. 


The Oregon Trail would be the main route that many Americans used to travel to the Pacific Coast. The Oregon Trail significant in the settlement of the Western territories. Hundreds of Thousands of Americans and Europeans traveled on the Oregon Trail. All looking to start a new life in the Pacific Coast. Not all people wanted to go to California for the gold rush. Many stayed in Oregon settled and took advantage of the many opportunities Oregon natural resources had to offer. Fishing, fur, and later timber became the three bid industries that contributed to the growth of Oregon. Although, Portland is not the Capital city of Oregon its becoming one of the fast growing cities in the Pacific Coast. Early settlement was first small amount of people living in Oregon, it was not until the end of 19th century that Oregon had the second largest city in the Pacific Coast. The Oregon Trail led to many settlements in the west. Below are some significant events that impacted the settlement of Oregon, along with some important historical events. 

• (1805) Lewis and Clark Expedition explored Snake and Columbia Rivers; established Fort Clatsop
• (1811) John Jacob Astor's Pacific Fur Company established Fort Astoria, first permanent white settlement in Oregon
• (1818) U.S. and Great Britian agreed to Joint-Occupancy Treaty
• (1819) Treaty with Spain set southern boundary of Oregon
• (1827) Second Joint-Occupancy Treaty with Great Britian
• (1843) First group of 900 emigrants arrived via Oregon Trail
• (1847) Cayuse Indian War; Whitman massacre
• (1848) Oregon Territory established
• (1859) Oregon became 33rd state
• (1861) Flood in Albany, water 36 feet higher than normal
• (1869) Union and Central Pacific Railroads connected
• (1872) Modoc Indian War
• (1873) Great fire in Portland destroyed most of town
• (1877) Nez Perce Indian war
• (1878) Bannock-Paiute Indian war
• (1885) Chief Joseph's Nez Perce tribes relocated to Colville Reservation

                              

Many brave men, women and children lost their lives on the Oregon Trail. The promise of land from the United States government brought many people to the west. Many stayed in Oregon for its rich natural resources. 

Factors that contributed to early settlement and future settlement.(chapter, 4) Fish, wheat, fur, and timber are big industries that provide primary sector jobs. Oregon has also been attracting many tourist for its nature sites and great hiking trails. Much like the Atlantic Periphery Oregon also many nature resources that people from all over the Pacific Coast take vacations or move the the state for its housing market. Nevertheless, Portland, Oregon is becoming one of the major cities in the Pacific Coast.