Page Index

• Harborton

• Claremont

• Germantown Road

• Springville

"Linnton is actually a collection of seven small neighborhoods spread over 5 miles and separated from each other by steep creek drainages. It ranges from the Willbridge area along Highway 30, across from the Burlington Northern Railroad Bridge, to the lower flanks of Newberry Road, across from Sauvie Island. Had it become the big city of its early dreams, its hills and valleys probably would have been filled, terraced, and built upon to create one seamless city along Highway 30. As it is now, Linnton is a quiet community..."

"Once an active port and site of one of the first plywood mills in the country, Linnton was the northern terminus of the Linnton-Yamhill Road, one of the first market roads connecting to Springville Road and beyond. Linnton has become little more than a gas and food stop, although supporters hope to develop a small business district on the waterfront which would join the community center, the feed and seed store, and couple of gas stations and small restaurants currently doing business there."

Oregon State Archives - A 1940 Journey Across Oregon

LINNTON, 7.9 m [West of Portland], a part of Portland since 1915, was founded in the 1840s by Peter H. Burnett, later, first governor of California. He visioned the tiny town as the future metropolis of the Columbia Valley but Portland drew most of the shipping trade and Linnton languished. At present it is an important industrial district of the city; large lumber shipments leave from its wharves.

John Terry, Linnton: The little town that tried to best Portland, then joined it

...in 1910, the town figured its time had come. The vote on Sept. 12 was 65 to 43 in favor of citification, which became official on Oct. 5.

Alas, status as a municipality was not all it was cracked up to be. Early 1915 saw citizens wrangling over various issues, among others the mayor's firing of the water superintendent. Linnton's disenchanted voted on April 26 to throw in with the city of Portland, 170 to 80. Portland voters accepted the proposal June 7, and the two have walked hand in hand ever since.

Wikipedia: Linnton, Portland, Oregon

According to Oregon Geographic Names, the Town of Linnton was platted in 1843 by Peter Burnett (later, the first governor of California) and Morton M. McCarver. The two named the community for U.S. Senator Lewis F. Linn of Missouri, a proponent of settling the Oregon Country.[2] Linnton had its own post office from 1889–1975. Industrialization began in 1889 when the Portland Smelting Company started to build a smelting plant, followed by the Linnton Manufacturing Company starting in 1892.[2] Columbia Engineering Works arrived in Linnton in 1910.[2]

Linnton was incorporated on October 5, 1910, after a vote on September 12.[2] At that time it was a company town for Clark-Wilson and West Oregon lumber mills, and the Columbia Engineering Works shipyard.[citation needed] In 1913, the Portland Gas & Coke Company moved its manufacturing plant to the town's southern border large oil refiners began to purchase sites for shipping and storage.[3] Linnton was soon annexed by Portland in 1915, bringing with it much of today's Forest Park.[2]

In 2006 there was talk of secession following a rejection by Portland Mayor Tom Potter and two other city council members of a waterfront revitalization plan over toxic industrial waste concerns.[4]

Links

CLICK HERE to continue exploring the highway