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1843
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The Original Land Claim
Business partners William Overton and Asa Lovejoy file to claim the land on the west bank of the Willamette River.
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Bureau of
Planning
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1843
2-May
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Provisional government elected
Willamette Valley settlers met at Champoeg to elect a provisional government to formulate laws and elect officers to enforce those laws. At this meeting, William Johnson was elected as High Sheriff becoming the first law enforcement officer.
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Police Bureau
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1845
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The coin toss
Overton sells his share of the claim to Francis Pettygrove. Pettygrove and Lovejoy survey the land, deciding to build a city. Previously called The Clearing, Portland gets its name with the toss of a coin with Pettygrove's home town in Maine winning over Lovejoy's birthplace in Boston.
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Bureau of
Planning
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1846
27-April
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High Sheriff indicted
William Johnson, former High Sheriff, was indicted for "retailing of ardent spirits." The indictment charged Johnson with, "Being moved and reduced by an evil heart, did sell, barter, give or trade ardent spirits."
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Police Bureau
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1847
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Construction begins on Canyon Road
A plank road connecting Tualatin Plains with the City, it allows horse drawn carts to deliver produce from the rich farmlands to the west.
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Bureau of
Planning
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1849
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First Jewish settlers in Portland
Jacob Goldsmith and Lewis May operated a general merchandise store on Front Ave.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1850
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Portland or "Stump Town", consists of a steam sawmill, a log-cabin hotel and the weekly Oregonian. Sidewalks are rough planks and the streets are dirt turning to mud when it rains. Houses are small and simple, only 2 houses in town have a plaster interior.
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population:
821
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Bureau of
Planning
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1851
8-Feb
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City of Portland Incorporated
On February 8, 1851, Territorial Governor John P. Gaines signs An Act to Incorporate, passed as HB 29 by Territorial House of Representatives on January 14.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1851
7-Apr
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First Municipal election
Hugh D. O'Bryant elected Mayor.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1851
14-Apr
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First City Council Meeting
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Auditor-
Archives
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1851
14-Apr
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First ordinance passed
The common council passed Ordinance Number 1 providing for the appointment of a "competent and discreet person to act as city marshal." Hiram Wilbur was appointed as the first city marshal.
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Police Bureau
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1851
Nov
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First municipal building completed: a jail.
Cost: $135 for two lots of land and $1,200 for construction. It was a sixteen by twenty-five foot wooden structure.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1851
15-Dec
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First public school opened
In the "City Hotel" taught by John T. Outhouse.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1852
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City of Portland plats a right-of-way grid system that still exists. Land for the Park Blocks and public docks are allocated.
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Bureau of
Planning
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1853
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First fire protection companies formed
Vigilance Hook and Ladder company number one July 29 & Willamette engine company number one August 3.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1853
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First brick building erected
A two story structure built by William S. Ladd occupying the SW corner of Front and Stark.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1853
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First Ferry Across the Willamette
The Stark Street Ferry, originally horse powered, operated from 1853 to 1895.
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Bureau of
Planning
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1854
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Ground for Lone Fir Cemetery laid out
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Auditor-
Archives
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1855
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First dog licenses
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Auditor-
Archives
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1855
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First telegraph line
From Portland to Oregon City.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1856
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First water mains
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Auditor-
Archives
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1856
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Black owned mercantile store opened
Corner of Front and Stark, the store was owned by Abner and Lynda Francis and operated until 1960.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1857
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First gas lines
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Auditor-
Archives
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1858
17-May
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First public school building opens
Central School, a two-story wooden building with a cupola on top. By July 23 there were 280 students enrolled.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1858
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Congregation Beth Israel formed
First Jewish congregation in Oregon.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1860
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Steamboats bring Idaho Gold to Portland
Oregon Steam Navigation Company shipping of gold rush bullion demonstrated the role of Portland as freight depot of the Columbia.
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population:
2,874
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Bureau of
Planning
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1861
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First Japanese settler in Portland
Suzuki Kinzo was a political refugee from Yokohama and worked as a lamplighter.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1862
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First Black church organized
The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church met at Mrs. Mary Carr's boarding house on First St.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1864
Nov
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City Marshal Henry Hoyt hired two deputies to act as what the official records referred to as "Night Spies". This is the first mention of detectives on the force.
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Police Bureau
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1865
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Dredging Equipment Purchased
City paid $42,000 in gold coin for dredging equipment which was later loaned to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for work on the lower Willamette River.
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Port of Portland
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1867
7-Dec
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First Park Blocks officially acquired by the city.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1867
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The "Colored School" opened
A compromise between the school board, who refused integration, and African American residents. 21 boys and five girls.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1868
16-Apr
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First railroad begun
Oregon Central Railroad Company breaks ground in East Portland.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1870
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Chinatown Established South of Burnside
Chinatown stretched from SW 2nd to SW 4th from Washington to Burnside.
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Bureau of
Planning
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1870
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The City of East Portland incorporated
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population:
8,293
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Auditor-
Archives
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City Police force established
Replacing the City Marshal, the new force consisted of a chief, two captains, and twelve patrolmen.
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1871
20-Feb
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First 41 acres of WashingtonPark purchased.
From Amos N. King and his wife for $32,624. Originally called "CityPark."
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1873
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First sewer
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Auditor-
Archives
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1873
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School integration
The "Colored School" closed and black students were admitted to the three district elementary schools. In December of 1873, 30 black students were enrolled, spread evenly among 21 classes.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1873
2-Aug
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Major conflagration
The fire originated in the furniture factory of Hurgren and Shindler (corner of First and Salmon). It destroyed 20 blocks and nearly one-third of the business area of the city causing 1.075 million dollars damage.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1874
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First Chinese Christian mission in Portland
on Alder St between 4th and 5th Ave.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1874
7-April
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Chief James Lappeus arrests fifteen members of the "Womens Temperance and Prayer League" for picketing downtown saloons. The women were charged with "Disorderly Praying." The women appeared in court the following day and were found guilty, by an all male jury. They were sentenced to one day in jail.
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Police Bureau
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1875
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Pioneer courthouse completed & occupied
The oldest Federal structure still standing in the Northwest.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1875
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Fire alarm telegraph erected
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1879
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First telephone lines
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Auditor-
Archives
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1880
9-Jan
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A tornado hits Portland
"Killed one or two persons and injured several others."
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population:
17,577
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Auditor-
Archives
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1880
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First electric street lights
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Auditor-
Archives
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1881
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Portland's first known selection standards for police officers were set by city council. The standards read "Applicant must be a U.S. citizen, able to read and write English, resident of Portland for one year, have no criminal record, be of sound mind and body, and be a minimum of 5' 10" in height and weigh 175 lbs."
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Police Bureau
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1883
Jan
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First Paid Fire Department Organized
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Auditor-
Archives
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1883
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Transcontinental Railroad
Northern Pacific enters Portland.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1883
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Great mansions grace the Park Blocks
Meier and Frank and Olds and King establish department stores. The Chowns and Dekums are established in hardware and retail groceries are abundant.
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Bureau of
Planning
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1884
21-Oct
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Palatine Hill water pumping station begins operations
The station could pump 16 million gallons per day to the reservoir at 6th and Lincoln.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1885
1-Nov
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First meeting of the "Water Committee"
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Auditor-
Archives
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1886
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Members of the anti-coolie league burn the shacks of the Chinese market gardeners and dynamite two laundries, giving all the Chinese 30 days to leave Portland. Forced out, many Chinese return to China or migrate to San Francisco leaving only 3,000.
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1886
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Anti-Chinese factions
Mayor John Gates intervenes against threats to expel the Chinese population from Portland by activating City militias and doubling the police force.
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1887
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First zoo opens in Washington Park
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1887
4-Feb
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City of Albina incorporated
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Auditor-
Archives
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1887
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Steam operated trolleys are introduced
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Bureau of
Planning
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1887
April
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First bridge across the Willamette opens
Cost: $175,000. The first Morrison. A toll of five cents was charged to walk across. At that time it was the largest bridge west of the Mississippi.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1888
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Portland christened the City of Roses
So named by attendees of an Episcopal Church Convention.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1888
Feb
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Bull Run purchased
The Portland Water Committee purchases riparian rights, title, and interest to all land adjacent to Bull Run River.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1888
July
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Steel Bridge
First Steel Bridge opened. The first steel bridge on the West Coast.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1888
22-Sep
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Skidmore Fountain unveiling
Cost: $18,000. Skidmore, a druggist, bequeathed $5,000 for the purpose when he died at 44 of tuberculosis. Oldest piece of public art in Portland.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1890
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Profile of Portland's residents
Population of Portland was 89% white. Census categories included 480 colored, 4539 Chinese, 20 Japanese, and 6 civilized Indians living in Portland. 63% were men; 37% were women; 63% were native born and 37% foreign born.
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population:
46,385
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Auditor-
Archives
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1890
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Portland Hotel
George Markle completes Henry Villard's unfinished Portland Hotel across from the Pioneer Courthouse at 6th and Morrison street.
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Bureau of
Planning
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1890
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City Hall Bonds
Bonds issued for construction of a city hall.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1890
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First Electric Streetcar
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Auditor-
Archives
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1891
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The first horse patrol was established in the newly developed Fulton Park area. This was a one-officer patrol that was nearly terminated when the assigned officer was discharged for shooting live pigeons with his service revolver.
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Police Bureau
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1891
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Port of Portland Created
The Oregon Legislature's primary goal in creating the Port of Portland was to improve navigation.
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Port of
Portland
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1891
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Land purchased for construction of City Hall
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Auditor-
Archives
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1891
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Voters Approve the consolidation of Albina, East Portland and Portland as one City of Portland
The City of Albina was originally incorporated in 1887 and East Portland in 1870.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1893
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Sellwood Annexed to Portland
City of Sellwood, incorporated 1877 - 1893.
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Bureau of
Planning
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1894
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Major Flood of Willamette
High water flooding 250 square blocks, causes merchants near the river to move to higher ground.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1894
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First African American police officer
George Hardin served until 1915 when he became the first black person hired by the sheriff's office.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1894
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Reservoirs 1-4 completed
1-2 Mt Tabor, 3-4 Washington Park.
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Auditor-
Archives
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1895
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City Hall opens for business
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Auditor-
Archives
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1895
2-Jan
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First Bull Run water flows to the city
Water comes through Conduit 1.
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1896
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Mayor Sylvester Pennoyer discharged and replaced entire police force. He appointed four different chiefs within a nine-month period.
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Police Bureau
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1896
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Union Station opens
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Auditor-
Archives
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1897
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Donald Macleay donated Macleay Park
Now part of Forest Park.
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1898
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Mayor William S. Mason replaces the police commission, the chief, and the entire eighty- four member police force.
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Police Bureau
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1899
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Board of Park Commissioners established
The same year that the State of Oregon passed an act to provide for the acquisition of land for parks by cities, under the management of a board of park commissioners, Portlanders voted to establish the Board.
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1900
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population:
90,426
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