Scappoose Mexican workers camp at Delta Farms in 1943

9 Jul 1943 - St. Helens Sentinel-Mist - “Tent City To House Mexican Harvest Hands Nearly Completed On Dike Lands; First Contingent Arrives - Construction of a migratory labor camp on Delta Farms in the Scappoose dike district will be completed early next week and the camp will then be ready for occupancy by the approximately 400 Mexicans who are expected here to work in the harvest. The rapidly growing tent city already is home to 41 Mexican laborers who came here a few days ago from The Dalles and are now employed on farms in the Scappoose vicinity. Camp Only For Men - When the camp is completed it will be strictly an all-male city, for there will be no women among the harvest hands. The camp will consist of 100 tents, plus a couple of 60x24 foot community tents which will house the kitchens and mess facilities. In addition, there will be a laundry for clothes washing and shower facilities. Although some of the equipment being used at the farm labor camp has seen service, a majority of the tents are brand new. The camp is located some four miles from Scappoose, deep in the diking district, and is placed where workers will not have to travel far to get to the harvest fields. Power, Water Provided - Electric lights and power will be provided for the camp by an extension from a PGE circuit nearby and work of drilling a well so that water under pressure can be provided is under way. A crew of eight men, all employees of the farm security administration, is busy putting up the tent city. Work was started June 28 and it is expected that everything will be completed by next Monday or Tuesday. From here the crew will go to Grants Pass to erect a similar camp. Workers from Mexico are made available for harvesting agricultural crops through a treaty with the United States and Mexican governments. The farm security administration is acting as agent for the federal government in recruiting and importing the laborers, probably the first large group of Mexicans ever brought to Columbia county for work in the harvests. Pay Board, Room - Mexicans who live at the camp will pay a small weekly sum for their sleeping facilities and will be assessed about $1.75 per day for board. A camp supervisor will be incharge of the tent city and the staff will also include a couple of assistants, a cook and several of his helpers. Right now the 41 Mexicans at the camp are helping in the cherry harvest, but later these workers and those who are to arrive will work in the bean and cucumber fields. An additional contingent of Mexicans is expected to arrive Sunday and at capacity the camp near Scappoose may house as many as 500 of the harvest hands. The tent city will remain here until harvests are completed, which may be well into October, and then will be dismantled and moved elsewhere.”

The Bracero program (from the Spanish term bracero, meaning "manual laborer" or "one who works using his arms") was a series of laws and diplomatic agreements, initiated on August 4, 1942, when the United States signed the Mexican Farm Labor Agreement with Mexico. For these farmworkers, the agreement guaranteed decent living conditions (sanitation, adequate shelter and food), and a minimum wage of 30 cents an hour, as well as protections from forced military service, and guaranteed part of wages were to be put into a private savings account in Mexico.

25 Aug 1945

Highway 30 widening 1949