Portland's history is fascinating and unique, from our commission form of government to our wide acceptance of differing social agendas, Portland is a city without parallel in development. Beginning in the 1850's as a pioneer settlement and growing into a bastion of a livable, "City that Works," Portland's history is full of wild characters, strange occurrences and unique systems and structures. The following brief list of books is a broad offering of historical topics to whet the appetites of non-fiction fans, and historians alike. Enjoy!
NOTE: All links take you to the Multnomah County Library Catalog, you may place a hold or request a book from there.
Sweet Cakes, Long Journey. Rose Marie Wong (2004)
Library Catalog Record Here
An historical perspective on the growth and social activity of Chinese immigrants in Portland, Ore. The book looks at the development of Chinatown and the begins and eventual end of the Chinese neighborhood in what is now Goose Hollow. Drawn from substantial primary sources at the National Archives and looking at the laws and customs in Portland which influenced the social make-up of the community, this book is perfect for the undergraduate student, the casual Portland historian or the more in-depth social scholar looking to broaden their depth of Portland's rich immigrant past.
Portland : People, politics and power, 1851-2001. Jewel Beck Lansing (2005)
Library Catalog Record Here
Written by a former City of Portland Auditor, this comprehensive book deals with the history of Portland through the successive reigns of its 44 mayors. Throughout the pages are accounts of vice, immigration, and social unrest with focus on the women's suffrage movement, the development of the water system and Portland's continued contentious relationship with freeways and road construction, to name only a scant few issues expanded upon within the text. Told through archival sources as well as anecdotal accounts this is perfect reading for anyone who wants a comprehensive overview of Portland's civil past.
Water : Portland's precious heritage. Casey Short (2011)
Library Catalog Record Here
A brief, yet lively history of Portland's water system starting with the earliest incarnation of the Bull Run system to the modern series of dams, overflows and hydro-electric plants that serve the city. Using archival sources, photographs and maps the book gives a solid, if somewhat bureaucratic background of the most natural and untreated water system in America. A must-read for those interested in utilities development, natural preservation and the intersection of basic natural resources with City life.
We Claimed this Land : Portland's Pioneer Settlers. Eugene E. Snyder (1989)
Library Catalog Record Here
Biographical sketches of the 212 pioneers that claimed parcels of land under the Donation Land Act. A great book for historians or Portland natives interested in the lives of the men and women whose land eventually became the City of Portland. A fascinating way of understanding what it meant to claim land, the process, the arguments and the eventual method of establishing a city from the various plots.
The Grand Era of Cast Iron Architecture in Portland. William John Hawkins III (1976)
Library Catalog Record Here
A unique view into an area of Portland that is almost entirely gone. Hawkins' book takes the reader on a journey of the fantastic handmade buildings that dotted the between Burnside and Morrison, and from 6th Ave to the Willamette. Parts of these structures still stand, however the majority were demolished in the early 20th century. Full of surprising historical accounts and fascinating archival photographs, this book makes an excellent visual read for students of architecture, public history, social changes and city development. An absolute must read for the Portland history buff.
