Scappoose, Oregon

Scappoose Creek Bridges

The original North and South Scappoose creek bridges were destroyed when US 30 was "improved", according to Taylor.

Oregon State Archives - A 1940 Journey Across Oregon

The hills (L) recede and the highway enters the Scappoose Plains, a fertile district devoted to potato culture, truck gardening, and dairying.

SCAPPOOSE (Ind. gravelly plain), 20.9 m. [West of Portland] (56 alt., 248 pop.), is on the site of an old trading post and farm of the Hudson's Bay Company, under the charge of Thomas McKay. Chief Kazeno, mentioned in the annals of the Astorians and of many other later writers, had his village close by. It was here that the great Indian highway, later the Hudson's Bay trail between the Columbia River and the upper Willamette Valley, had its beginning. When Lieut. W. R. Broughton of the Royal Navy, visited the Columbia River in H. M. S. Chatham of Captain Vancouver's squadron in 1792, he found at Warrior Rock, on Wappato (Sauvie) Island opposite Scappoose, Indians with copper swords and iron battle axes. These Indians said that they had obtained these axes from the other Indians many moons to the eastward. Scappoose appears to have been a great trading center for the Indians on the lower Columbia during many centuries. The virulent disease which almost wiped out the Indians of the Sauvie Island region began among the Indians at Scappoose Bay and was attributed to "bad medicine" administered by Captain Dominis of the brig Owyhee, which had been trading in the river.

The first white man to settle on Scappoose Plain was James Bates, an American sailor, who probably deserted from the Owyhee in 1829. The town of Scappoose had a slow growth and was not incorporated until July 13, 1921. In 1934 fire destroyed several buildings. Today it is a trading center for a prosperous farming community with large potato warehouses and a pickle factory.

Michael C. Taylor, Road of Difficulties: Building the Lower Columbia River Highway

Mile 18.7 [Westbound from St. Helens Road at NW Wardway and NW Nicolai Road]: Scappoose Depot

Johnson's Landing on Scappoose Bay was the original settlement in this area. When the Northern Pacific Railway began laying track towards Goble from Portland, William West donated and for a switching yard and a depot (to the right) near the Fairview Cemetery and at once plotted the town of Scappoose. The post office was moved to the railroad line and the city began to take root. In 1870, Scappoose... was the most populated precinct in Columbia County with 273 persons.

Wikipedia: Scappoose, Oregon

In recent years, Scappoose has increasingly become a "bedroom" community of Portland, Oregon, with many commuting to jobs in the city. Dairies, farming, and logging played an important role in the early years of Scappoose's history. In the more recent past, several factories existed in the community and provided jobs. The town was home to a shoe factory, two candle factories, and a Steinfeld's Sauerkraut factory. The area still has gravel mines and the West Coast Shoe factory.^[9] Scappoose is also the home of Oregon Aero, Inc., a supplier of aeronautic seats and helmets.^[10]

On April 6, 2009, the Scappoose City Council voted to significantly reduce development fees in an effort in encourage new industrial and commercial development. Also, the council waived business license fees for Scappoose-based businesses in 2010.

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