Arbor Lodge * Bridgeton * Cathedral Park * Hayden Island * Kenton * Linnton * Overlook * Portsmouth * St. Johns * University Park
North Portland’s Community newspaper for 109 Years - Founded in 1904
Roosevelt students embrace Freedom Rider history
By Faye Powell
Fifty years ago on May 4, 1961,
thirteen black and white, mostly
young activists boarded buses in
Washington, D.C., bound for New
Orleans. Their mission was to challenge the segregated seating on interstate transportation that existed
throughout the Deep South. They
were well schooled in the philosophy and techniques of nonviolent
protest and keenly aware they
risked injury, even loss of life, by
their actions. Before the end of the
Freedom Rides that year, 436 individuals from all across the United
States had joined the movement.
The resulting scale of violence
against the activists that occurred,
particularly in Alabama, shocked
the nation and ultimately helped
break the back of racial segregation
not only in public transportation but
also in other areas of public accommodations.
During the month of January, a
“Freedom Riders, Fighters & Writers Exhibit” created by Roosevelt
High School students in partnership
with University of Portland students and in collaboration with the
traveling PBS “Freedom Riders”
exhibit, will be installed for public
viewing at many Portland locations,
including North Portland Library
January 9-11, Portland Community College – Cascade Campus January 12-13, Mt. Olivet Baptist
Church, 8725 N. Chautauqua Boulevard January 15, Highland Christian Center, 7600 NE Glisan Street
for the Martin Luther King Day
Celebration January 16, University of Portland January 17-20, and
Roosevelt High School January 21-
MOVING?
Send your change of address
to the REVIEW ASAP!!!
DON’T LET YOUR
SUBSCRIPTION EXPIRE!!
The Review-PO Box 83068-Portland Or 9203 Jan 6, 2012
Expiration date is above
your name
Roosevelt High School and University of Portland students interviewed
Max Pavesic who was a Freedom Rider in 1961
24. A formal gathering and reception honoring the participants will
be held at Roosevelt High School
at 7 pm, January 23.
The PBS exhibit is based on the
documentary, “Freedom Riders,”
by filmmaker Stanley Nelson that
premiered on PBS’s “American
Experience May 2011. Raymond
Arsenault’s book, Freedom Riders:
1961 and the Struggle for Racial
Justice (Oxford University, 2006)
on which the film is based is considered the definitive history of the
Freedom Rides.
As stated on the Portland Public
Schools website, “Roosevelt High
School is building a college-going
culture, fueled by a dose of moral
indignation. Students of color and
those in poverty are statistically less
likely to go to college. Adults and
students at Roosevelt are not okay
with that. They are rallying around
the recognition that education is a
civil right. And starting in January,
they’ll show what they mean in
words, service and deeds.”
The “Freedom Riders, Fighters &
Writers Exhibit” was designed to
accomplish the following goals: to
inform and inspire local citizens
about the role the Freedom Rides
played in the Civil Rights Movement; to honor Portland’s local
Freedom Riders and Fighters; to
engage local audiences in exploring ways to take a stand for social
justice; to support local students’
travels to historic black colleges
and civil rights sites; and to provide
an opportunity for Roosevelt students to advance and highlight their
writing and presentation skills.
The students, under the direction
of Roosevelt’s Writing and Publish-
A Peninsula Story
The City of Vanport and the community of Kenton had a curious
love-hate relationship. While there
is not time or space to adequately
cover the entire phenomenon, there
is the need to glance at the two entities and see how the interwoven
fabric of the city and the neighborhood became the stuff of legend.
Like all of America, Kenton and
St. Johns were devastated by the
great depression. Within weeks of
the collapse of the stock market in
1929, banks across America began
closing, and the once thriving Kenton Bank was no exception. Still,
throughout the depression the area
was sustained by an enviable proximity to rail and water transport
which allowed for an employment
rate that was often better than other parts of the country.
Liquor served to sustain both
communities as the manufacturing
industries that surrounded the area
allowed for the type of refreshment
ing Center facilitator, Kate McPherson, spent the summer and fall of
2011 conducting oral history interviews with two Portland-area Freedom Riders, as well as other local
men and women engaged in social
justice work. They also interviewed
staff in Mayor Sam Adams’ office,
The Oregonian and Powells Books
to learn about public service, journalism and career choices. Material gathered through these interviews provided inspiration for the
creation of poems, narratives and
artwork for the exhibit as well as to
improve their writing and research
skills.
First person contacts with individuals involved in social justice
work provided powerful experiences for understanding historical
events and community problems.
Roosevelt student Dorian Erich
says, “To be a Freedom Fighter
does not mean to be something extremely big or perfect…Becoming
a Freedom Fighter will change lives
for [a] better future.”
Student Hana Kent adds, “You
can be a freedom fighter by just
speaking up and raising awareness
and issues in our community…This
class has taught me so much. I not
only know how to be a freedom
fighter, but it’s made me a better
writer too.”
For the University of Portland
students, the project provided a
valuable opportunity for practical
experience outside the classroom
that will help them become better
teachers in the future. One UP stu“Freedom Riders”
Continued on Page 2
Recognizing those
who make a
difference….
Well-known
Linnton
community
activist earns
prestigious
award
It started in 1999 with a vision
by Pat Wagner, and her fellow
volunteers, to pull the Linnton
Community Center out of the
ashes of an unfortunate financial
situation, that has won her the
2011 Steve Lowenstein Trust
Award. Now the Linnton Community Center is a place that enriches lives, builds character, and
strives to develop a community
consciousness for the benefit of
all persons who live or work in
the Linnton community and beyond. It has become an integral
and energizing part of the
Linnton neighborhood.
“This is a very humbling experience,” said Wagner. “But it is
also because of many other people’s support and help that we
have the wonderful Linnton
Community Center which is now
able to serve the area’s homeless,
the underserved, and low income
families in the area.”
Thanks to Pat’s leadership, the
center reopened and has grown
by leaps and bounds. Thousands
Continued on Page 8
“Award”
Jantzen Beach Amusement Park
Or Historical Soc Picture
Part II
that only a bar
could provide.
The number of
nightclubs and
taverns grew
at an exponential rate and
By Jim Speirs
soon Kenton
Historical
became the de
Editor,
facto location
St Johns
for
shady
Review
business dealings and questionable association with mobster
types. It was during the late 1930’s
that the infamous 8212 Club began
its reputation as a setting which invited the illegal and immoral dealings that would follow the club for
several decades. (I did a story on
the 8212 Club in the Review and it’s
included it in my “Tales” #3 book
released last summer.)
For families in Kenton, the theatre
remained the primary entertainment
attraction, and always seemed to
have first-run
flicks
which
helped to take
people
away
from the sorrowful dirge that was
the great depression. Other folks
from the North
Portland peninsula became quite
resourceful when
it came to providing cheap yet thrilling enjoyment
and outings for their families. The
Columbia River and the adjacent
slough became sites that allowed
for swimming, fishing, and in some
cases, boating for neighbors who
could either walk or take a trolley
to the waters edge. The Swift &
Co. rendering/slaughter stockyards
continued to hum with activity and
as the 1940’s approached shipbuilding and related machinery works
provided work, although the cer-
tainty of a steady income remained
untenable at best.
Jantzen Beach Amusement Park
remained a major draw for relaxation and entertainment. The proximity of the giant park to North
Portland insured that people from
our area could travel to the center
and enjoy a full day of excitement
for an insignificant amount of cash.
The price of admission was twenContinued on Pages 4 & 5
“A Peninsula Story”
Page 2 - St Johns Review - #1 Jan. 6, 2012 - PO Box 83068, Portland, Or. 97283 - email: [email protected] - website: www.stjohnsreview.com - 503-283-5086
SUBSCRIBE!!!
$12 FOR 1 YEAR (26 ISSUES)
$23 FOR 2 YEARS (52 ISSUES)
$33 FOR 3 YEARS (78 ISSUES)
S UBSCRIBE T ODAY !
North Portland’s
Community
Newspaper for
109 years
for Advertising &
Article Submissions
This is a RENEWAL _____
This is a NEW____ Subscription
This is an ADDRESS CHANGE _____
Name:____________________________________________
Address:__________________________________________
__________________________________________________
City/St/
Zip:_______________________________________________
Mail payment with forms to:
The St. Johns Review
PO Box 83068, Port. 97283
Issue:
#1 Jan. 6, 2012
Front Page Article:
RHS Freedom Riders/Pat Wagner
Errors & Corrections
Dear Editor,
Boosting the historic reputation of
the St. Johns community is clearly
Jim Spiers particular mission, but
he has jumped the gun in attributing the invention of plywood to the
“legendary timber baron, Thomas
Autzen.” It has been my personal
mission for more than 30 years to
record the larger history of the West
Coast lumber industry and when I
read Mr. Spiers’s claim in the Review’s December 23rd issue, I went
2012 REVIEW
Issues & Deadlines
$12 for 1 Year____ (26 issues)
$23 for 2 Years____ (52 issues)
$33 for 3 Years____ (78 issue)
$42 for 4 Years____ (104 issues)
$50 for 5 Years____ (130 issues)
2012 Published Issues
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
What was inside each issue
Historical Article:
A Peninsula Story Part II
Issue # Issue Date
#2
Jan 20
#3
Feb 3
#4
Feb 17
#5
Mar 2
#6
Mar 16
#7
Mar 30
#8
Apr 13
#9
Apr 27
#10
May 11
#11
May 25
#12
June 8
#13
June 22
#14
July 6
#15
July 20
#16
Aug 3
#17
Aug 17
#18
Aug 31
#19
Sept 14
#20
Sept 28
#21
Oct 12
#22
Oct 26
#23
Nov 9
#24
Nov 23
#25
Dec 7
#26
Dec 21
Deadline
Jan 11
Jan 25
Feb 8
Feb 29
Mar 7
Mar 21
Apr 4
Apr 18
May 2
May 16
May 30
June 13
June 27
July 11
July 25
Aug 8
Aug 22
Sept 5
Sept 19
Oct 3
Oct 17
Oct 31
Nov 14
Nov 28
Dec 12
Gayla Patton
Editor/Publ
The Review
Distribution Mgr.
Ginger Harris
Former Review Owners: Founder: Nov. 1904-05 J.C. Crome;1905-1918: R.W. McKeon;
1907-1918: Albert Markle (Part owners Byerlee 1907/David Dickson 1914); 1918-1926: H. L. Ray; 1926-1944:
H. L. Ray and Robert Irish; 1944: Robert and Ellen Irish; 1973: RDon Van Deusen and Milo Johnson; 19791994: Tom and Marcia Pry; 1994 (9 months) Michael Roeper; 1994-current: Gayla (Whitman) Patton
immediately to my notes.
As a student of history your author might have noticed along the
way that plywood – as “veneer” –
has been around for a very long
time, particularly in the highly decorative furniture and cabinetry
trades, where thinner cross-grain
laminates of precious woods have
been used for more than 250 years.
In fact, the ancient Egyptians
used laminated wood veneers in
making elaborately crafted furniture. More recent and mundane uses
of cross-laminated peeled woods
have included chair seats and backs,
berry boxes and barrels with related patents issues also dating back
to the 1880s and awarded to inventors all over the US. William Henry Moser of East Portland, Oregon
devised a means of making improved berry boxes from laminated wood in 1887. But he wasn’t a
resident of St. Johns (sigh).
Perhaps Mr. Spiers meant to say
that structural (as in architectural)
plywood was first exhibited in Portland at the Lewis & Clark Exposition of 1905.
That would make better sense, if
that is indeed true but it appears not
to be the case. However, if anyone
spends just a little time searching
online at Google Patents – a most
remarkable and useful tool – they
could learn that the term “plywood” or “ply wood veneer” and
the like extends back to a host of
products conceived by plenty of
others, most of them not Oregonians.
Strangely, had Thomas Autzen
been an inventor of novel uses of
plywoods or related wood products
he surely would have filed for a
patent on such, but he did not, at
least not between circa 1880 and
1920. Neither was he an assignee
of patents initially awarded to others, nor were any patents recorded
in his name.
Please understand that I am fascinated with St. Johns and the Peninsula’s history, especially because
it’s my home too. But I beg others
and especially the Review to be a
little more careful in how they study
and relate the historic record whether in independent research or in feature articles covering our colorful
past. Thanks!
Kevin Bunker
Fiske Ave
From the Review Editor:
Mr. Bunker,
Thank you for taking the time to
write your letter to correct the information in the Part I series of
“The Peninsula Story.” You are absolutely correct and the error was
NOT that of Mr. Speirs but of mine
when writing the caption for the
photograph. I apologize to Jim (as
painful as that may be since he also
brought the error to my attention)
and to readers.
Gayla
----------------------------------------Dear Editor,
I’m always getting sidetracked,
but still read the print of every issue. In the December 23, 2011 issue, Jim Speirs started a story on
the Kenton District. Let me refine
some information he wrote on the
movie houses once there.
In 1911, a small 200-300 seat theater, The Derby, opened at 1718 N.
Derby, now what would be 8124 N.
Denver. That theater was Kenton’s
first, listed in City Directories from
1912 through 1917. That building
Continued from Page 1:
RHS Freedom Riders
dent remarked that the first person contacts opened her eyes to
the reality of some of the students’ difficult lives. Seeing the
students come to realize how
much they are capable of doing
also provided many rewards.
In March 2012 Roosevelt students plan to tour historic black
colleges and Civil Rights Movement sites throughout the South.
The complete schedule of exhibit locations, dates and times plus
a downloadable booklet made
by the students may be found at
www.pps.k12.or.us/schools/
roosevelt/401.htm. Donations to
help defray expenses for the students’ tour can also be gratefully accepted at the website.
has since been torn down, and replaced by the two-story one now
there. After The Derby closed, there
may have been either peep-show,
hand-cranked coin-operated machines in many Kenton establishments, but no permanent structure
with motion picture projectors.
That’s not to say some shop owner
might not have had a portable single projector to screen films, but
feature movies would not likely
have been permitted by any film
distributor.
In April of 1925, a building permit was issued for Kenton’s second
and last movie house, The
Chaldean, at 1710 N. Denver, now
8106. The theater opened to the
public September 17, 1925 and ran
until 1930 when it was taken over
by new interests and reopened with
talkie equipment as The Kenton. It
ran all the way until at least April
15, 1956, when the 1st advertisement was placed. The theater likely did not operate after that date,
and was no longer listed in 1957
Directories.
The complete history was published in the Review back in 2004
(Vol. 101, No. 9, 10, and 11; April
23, May 7, and May 21). In that
series of articles there was reference
to a projected theater to be constructed on the site of the closed
Derby around 1921 but never materialized. Recently, there was another plan to construct a small
Drive-In Theater just below Kenton, along Columbia Blvd. but it
seems as though economics and
regulations killed the project.
I inserted a brief section and some
photos in my book “Theatres of
Portland”, published two years ago.
Maybe someday a new venue will
materialize. Maybe even in the
former Kenton Theater building.
But, times have changed and actual moving picture film is being
phased out in favor of digital presentations which can be shown almost anyplace these days.
Steve Stone, Crest Theater
4780 N Amherst Street
Portland, Oregon 97203-4501
(503)289-9313
----------------------------------------Old Fire Station info
Dear Mr. Speirs,
Every once in awhile, if I happen
to be in the St Johns area, I will pick
up a copy of the Review and always
find your stories most interesting.
In a recent issue you had a story
on the St Johns police station and
there was a brief mention of the fire
department being there. This was
very interesting to me; I am someContinued on Page 8
“Letters”
PO Box 83068, Portland, Or. 97283 - email: [email protected] - website: www.stjohnsreview.com - 503-283-5086 - #1 Jan. 6, 2012 - St. Johns Review - Page 3
Friends of
PORTLAND FIRE &POLICE BUREAU REPORTS
Baltimore Woods’ Pedestrian hit
a fully involved house fire. Truck
book sale a
On December 29, at 8:17pm 20- 22 firefighters had the roof of the
year old Erica Knoy was hit by a home opened up within seven minsuccess!
car N. Lombard and Ida. Knoy is utes of arriving on scene, allowing
By Jacqueline Barnas
The Friends of Baltimore Woods
(FOBW) held its second annual book
sale on Saturday, December 3, 2011,
and raised $2,063 for land acquisition initiatives in the Baltimore
Woods corridor. Purchase of this
land will enable Baltimore Woods to
serve as an ongoing restoration and
education site for native plants and
animals. Although good progress has
been made to date in acquiring land
for this purpose, there is still more
which needs to be purchased and
funds that need to be raised to complete the vision for the woods’ preservation.
Numerous volunteers and book donors contributed to the book sale’s
success, some of whom had not been
involved with the Baltimore Woods
non-profit group before. As one donor said, “I have had these books
here for years just gathering dust.
This is a better use for them – helping the community.”
Barbara Quinn, FOBW Director
said, “This sort of generosity on the
part of so many - from young parents who donated children’s books
to the elderly who shared their longheld treasures – is much appreciated.”
Thanks also are due to David Gold
and Ken Unkeles, co-owners of Cathedral Park Place (CPP), for their
donation of matching funds, space
and tables for the sale. Some of
CPP’s resident artists and vendors
likewise made donations, an effort
that was spearheaded by Peter Julber of Cagoule Fleece.
For more information about
Friends of Baltimore Woods initiatives and to get involved, visit their
website at:
www.friendsofbaltimorewoods.org.
in critical condition at an area hospital. Investigators determined that
Knoy and her boyfriend, 18-yearold Shawn Miller, were at a party
earlier in the evening and had consumed alcohol. After the party they
went to McDonalds at N Lombard
and Ida to purchase some food. After getting their food, they walked
to a nearby bus shelter to wait for
the bus. Knoy, who was wearing
dark clothing, walked out into the
street to check for the bus when she
was struck by a vehicle traveling
eastbound on Lombard. The driver
stopped and cooperated with investigators. He did not appear to be
driving impaired and was evaluated by Traffic Investigators. By coincidence, he had earlier been at the
same party as Knoy and Miller.
Miller, Knoy’s boyfriend, fled the
scene prior to police arrival but was
located a short time later. Miller told
police that he had a no-contact order with Knoy and was not allowed
to be around her. Miller provided a
full statement to police prior to being booked into jail for the no-contact order, which is a mandatory
arrest. The investigation is ongoing.
The driver was not cited. Anyone
with additional information about
this crash is encouraged to contact
Officer Chris Johnson at (503) 8232213, or
[email protected].
Fire on N. Smith
A residential fire was reported
around midnight, 12/27/11 at 9909
N Smith St.
Firefighters from Portland Fire
Station 22 (St. Johns) arrived with
Truck 22 in just five minutes to find
engine firefighters to attack the
heavy fire on the home’s second
floor. The fire was brought under
control at 12:23 am. All occupants
and pets were able to safely evacuate.
Armed Robbery of St.
Johns Safeway
On Monday, December 26, 2011
at 10:57 p.m. Portland Police officers assigned to North Precinct responded to a call of a robbery at the
St. Johns Safeway located in the
8300 block of North Ivanhoe.
Officers learned a clerk was emptying out a self-check-out register
and placed the money in a money
bag when the suspect took the bag
of money and fled the store on foot.
The suspect is described as a white
male in his 20’s, 6’0 tall, thin build
and was last seen wearing a black
hooded sweat shirt, dark pants and
a dark bandana over his face. The
clerk turned toward the suspect to
confront him when she saw a black
handgun in his hand. The suspect
ran from the store.
When officers arrived they set up
a perimeter and called for a police
canine to search for the suspect. No
arrests have been made as of this
report.
Anyone with information regarding this Robbery is asked to call
Portland Police Robbery Detectives
at 503-823-0400.
Man shot
Portland Police have arrested a
Continued on Page 8
“Police/Fire Reports”
Page 4 - St Johns Review - #1 Jan. 6, 2012 - PO Box 83068, Portland, Or. 97283 - email: [email protected] - website: www.stjohnsreview.com - 503-283-5086
A Peninsula Story -
R
COLO
Vanport 1943
Continued from Page 1 -
Business &
service
directory
By Jim Speirs
Call 283-5086
8338 N. Lombard
----------------------------------503-247-1066
House Not Selling?
FOR RENT
Farrell & Associates, Inc.
Property Management
503.285.4670
Jeff Rhoades
Property Manager
M e n t i o n t h i s a d a n d re c e i v e
$100
Discount
on initial set-up or placement fees.
4772 N. Lombard
Portland, OR 97203
Available
NOW
The 4-book series
TALES OF
NORTH
PORTLAND
ty-five cents and the park operators
allowed for huge family incentives
to draw in crowds. In 1935 Safeway
Stores sold coffee for 27 cents a
pound, sirloin steak for 19 cents a
pound and a fifty-pound sack of potatoes for 39 cents. A person could
buy a new Hupmobile for $795 and
a fifth of (top notch) straight Kentucky whiskey cost $1.30! A huge
landscaped home in Alameda had an
average price of about $7,200$7,500.
The St. Johns trolley ran from
downtown Portland to the terminus
in North Portland every thirty minutes and took about an hour to travel the distance. The (very efficient)
Kenton trolley used what is now the
parking lot of the Wells Fargo Bank
to turn around while unloading their
passengers. Derby Street, which became Denver, was not paved until
the late 1920’s, and there are many
stories and tales of the rivers of mud
that flowed down the center of Kenton. When cattle drives occurred it
made for a sanitation nightmare because cattle dung mixed with overflowing mire took days to clean up.
By the late 1930’s war was in the
air. The Japanese had been raping
and pillaging Asia, Manchuria, Korea, and China since 1931. The brutality was unparalleled and reports
of the atrocities committed by the
Kwantung Army continued to shock
the civilized world. In Europe the
outbreak of fighting began in 1939
when the French and British declared war on Germany after they
entered into a conflict with Poland
which was subsequently divided up
by Russia and Germany.
Pearl Harbor brought on the inevitable – and America was once again
at war. There is ample evidence that
FDR was organizing for hostilities
months before the sneak attack on
the Hawaiian Islands. However, his
activities appear more prudent than
conspiratorial and the American
preparation more cautious than
overt. (And there remains no evidence to suggest that Roosevelt actually schemed to get America involved in another European war.
Certainly FDR was sympathetic to
the plight of the British, but most of
America saw the European hostilities as an extension of WWI and
wanted no part of it!)
Shipbuilding was a part of North
Portland since the Star of Oregon
was launched in the 1840’s.
Even before the first bombs struck
the Pacific Fleet in 1941 shipbuilding was gaining momentum in North
Portland. Henry Kaiser was in the
process of building three huge shipyards – all of them in or near our
peninsula. The Oregon Shipbuilding
Corporation was located near the St.
Johns Bridge, while Swan Island and
Vancouver quickly came on board
as locations where the legendary
Liberty ships were to be built.
Massive and immediate new hous-
ing became necessary to accommodate the new labor force and
throughout North Portland Kaiser
began the construction of his Kaiser
Towns – the biggest one being Vanport, which stretched for miles in the
area of Delta Park and Heron Lakes
golf course of today.
War was good for Kenton and St.
Johns. Kaiser’s yards produced Liberty ships at an astonishing rate. By
August 1942, between the three major shipyards, each location produced a new ship in about a 50-day
period. Winston Churchill was to
remark that the American shipbuilding record was “nearly unbelievable.”
Kaiser Towns to house workers
grew in a hodge-podge of configurations for there was neither regulatory environment nor licensing procedure that prevented the massive
expansion of the newly created living quarters. The need to defeat the
Axis powers usurped everything else
so careful attention to “quality control” in the war housing areas was
normally overlooked.
The Kaiser Special, a seventeencar train out of New York arrived in
September 1942 with a massive
number of new workers which created problems regarding housing,
transportation and race. At the time,
Portland had a population of about
340,000 of which no more than
1,800 were African-Americans.
When Kaiser began recruiting workers out of New York the first of several race-related issues began rearing its ugly head. Cities like Vanport
were segregated and the logistics of
a divided work force caused problems from the onset.
For the most part, the urgency of
wartime production overcame the
racial issues but the friction remained. Unions became involved
and eventually the Kaiser Company
dropped recruiting and hiring from
New York when the American Federation of Labor (AFL) unions consented to supply white workers for
the shipyards at a reduced hourly
rate. The unions felt the agreement
solved most issues.
By Jim Speirs
Available at:
Color Ad Costs:
$32 each for 1 year (26 times)
$35 for 7-25 Xs
$38 for 2 - 6Xs
$45 for 1 X
Design is FREE.
Email: [email protected] or
Call 503-283-5086
*St. Johns Deli &
Grocery:
7920 N. Lombard
*Copy Pilot:
4788 N. Lombard
*Kenton Station
8303 N. Denver
Get the 4-volume
set for $44.95
Vanport pre-flood
Or Historical Soc Picture
Or Histo
PO Box 83068, Portland, Or. 97283 - email: [email protected] - website: www.stjohnsreview.com - 503-283-5086 - #1 Jan. 6, 2012 - St. Johns Review - Page 5
orical Soc Picture
Vanport 1948
Regardless
of race related
problems,
Vanport, with
its mixed population, was a
financial
boom for the
community of
K e n t o n .
However,
even
with
monetary success, some of
the economic
benefit
to
Kenton was
not the type of
thing that is
considered
wholesome in
nature, but it
was war and
much was overlooked.
The City of Vanport, which in 1944
was Oregon’s second largest city
with nearly 10,000 housing units,
had only one liquor store for the entire population. Clearly, this was not
enough to supply a thirsty and rambunctious population. Vancouver
had what was called blue laws on
the books and this prevented liquor
from being sold on Sunday. (There
would be no crossing the Columbia
River to get juiced!) Seeing an opportunity, a Kenton resident named
Mr. Berry (who was on the liquor
control commission) petitioned to
vastly expand the number of outlets
that could supply booze to the
parched citizens of Vanport and
Kenton.
This liquor saturation was in violation of existing laws regarding
density of liquor outlets in a community, but Mr. Berry was powerful
and influential so those pesky statues were quickly forgotten. The use
of “smile money” got things done
swiftly in Kenton. Soon the wild
community of Kenton became a near
feral animal and its reputation for
debauchery and immorality was unparalleled, even by St. Johns standards! Kenton became the go-to
spot for almost any type of decadent,
wicked, and sinful activity imaginable – the juices of life flowed on
the street of Denver. Kaiser and
Swift & Co. provided paychecks and
Kenton provided hooch and for as
long as the war continued the shaky,
yet necessary, relationship blossomed.
In September 1945, WWII came
to a sudden and immediate conclusion. The German’s had capitulated
the previous May and now the Japanese surrendered unconditionally.
(Although MacArthur and Truman
did allow for one condition, that being the continuation of Hirohito’s
reign as Emperor.)
Vanport 1948
For the shipbuilding industry, and
the Kaiser yards, the ending of the
war happened literally overnight and
as the morning dawned, tens of thousands of war industry workers found
themselves unemployed. For communities that had been exclusively
manufactured to produce war related items, the termination of hostilities meant a logistics nightmare
which nobody had properly considered. (At the time, the War Department anticipated fighting with Japan
would last until 1949-50 so in 1945
little consideration was given to
planning post-war living.)
There simply was no use for the
work force. To add to the dilemma,
there was no need for most of these
transplants to stay on the West Coast.
Many of the people were uneducated speculators who saw the opportunity for big money from the Kaiser juggernaut and gave no thought
to what would happen when it all
came to a conclusion.
Although the City of Vanport sat
in the middle of the Columbia River
flood plain, there was slight thought
given to the exposure of Oregon’s
second largest community to disaster. Vanport, like all of the surrounding Kaiser Towns, were a bi-product of an urgent and unique condition brought on by the unparalleled
challenges of wartime activity in the
vast and mostly unknown Pacific
Ocean. Occasional references to the
Vanport location can be found in
writings of the time; however, little
of it suggests any cause for flooding considerations, or danger to the
Vanport population. In 1943, The
Bosun’s Whistle, a publication for all
three Kaiser Shipyards carried a
number of articles on Vanport. One
such notation said this: “The entire
project is surrounded by an impervious dike…” Repeated writings
lauded the engineering marvels and
capabilities that insured the integriOr Historical Soc Picture
Or Historical Soc Picture
ty of the dike system, and the quality of material that protected the residents of Vanport.
In later years, and with a political
ax to grind, it’s been suggested the
actual collapse and failure of the
Columbia River levee in May 1948
was an orchestrated and racist effort
to demolish Vanport – a City they
said, that had out-lived its usefulness
and was an increasing problem to the
City of Portland. The difficulty with
this argument is that by May of 1948
the majority of Vanport remained
white, so it’s complicated to witness
a racial component to the clearly
natural tragedy. Also never addressed was the issue of the massive
run-off in the Columbia River basin
that spring; one that remains unprecedented until today.
Still, the rumor and innuendo persists; that the levee breach was a
planned and orchestrated event, one
that was carried out by a sinister
group who somehow deliberately
caused the Columbia River to break
its confines. This assumes that the
same group must have been the
source of the record breaking deep
Cascade snow-pack, unusually
heavy spring rains, and Corps of
Engineer’s early mistakes.
Somehow the lunacy of this illogic seems like it should be reserved
for space aliens, but there remains
an insignificant cabal of believers
who insist the entire Vanport flood
was a planned event and one designed to remove Oregon’s second
largest city by using the Columbia
River to accomplish their unconscionable deed!
Part III in the
January 20, 2012
issue of the Review
About the Author:
Jim Speirs is a lifelong resident of
North Portland, 4th generation. He
is a published author and enjoys writing about North Portland’s history.
He was a teacher of Political Science
at Portland Community College and
Chemeketa Community College and
taught the politics of World War II,
Viet Nam, and Korea at both colleges. He still lives and works in North
Portland. Jim has four published
books: “Death In Spades” and
“Tales of North Portland I, II and
now III ” (from his St. Johns Review
articles) which are available for purchase at Copy Pilot, St. Johns Deli
& Grocery, Orleans Candle and
Kenton Station. More novels and
Tales of North Portland books are
currently in the works.
His articles may not be republished
without the permission of the author.
Send info/comments to: PO Box
83068, Portland, Or 97283
!
Come see what’s
NEWat
DiPrima Dolci!
1936 N. Killingsworth St.
503-283-5936
www.diprimadolci.com
Page 6 - St Johns Review - #1 Jan. 6, 2012 - PO Box 83068, Portland, Or. 97283 - email: [email protected] - website: www.stjohnsreview.com - 503-283-5086
CROSSWORD
PUZZLE
26. Dry riverbed
30. "___ the season to be jolly"
31. Long-haired wild ox
32. Astringent
33. Where the sun rises
35. Transparent
39. Barricade
41. Spiny anteater
43. A type of necklace
44. If not
46. A noble gas
47. S
49. Estimated time of arrival
50. Annoying insect
51. Grub
54. Shocked reaction
56. Distinctive flair
57. Graniteware
63. Tibetan monk
64. Be worthy of
65. Moses' brother
66. Leave out
67. Not closed
68. Homeric epic
69. Not a single one
70. In order to prevent
71. League members
ACROSS
1. S S S S
6. Bit of gossip
10. Not barefoot
14. Swindle
15. Schnozzola
16. Decant
17. Washing machine cycle
18. Box
19. Graphic symbol
20. Underestimate
22. Ancient Peruvian
23. Memo
24. Not the borrower
DOWN
1. Beige
2. Tibia
3. Transmit
4. Leisure
5. Strict
6. Unquenchable
7. Half-naked
8. Brother of Jacob
9. And nothing more
10. A light shower
11. Hunting dog
12. 1/16th of a pound
13. Gloomy, in poetry
21. Elector
25. Every single one
26. Distort
27. Wings
28. Russian parliament
29. Make pregnant
34. Part of the Bible
36. Biblical garden
37. Dwarf buffalo
38. Deliver a tirade
40. As well
42. Stop
45. Emissaries
48. Unsaturated alcohol
51. Cantaloupe for example
52. San Antonio fort
53. Street urchin
55. Braid of hair
58. Back of the neck
59. Welt
60. Diva's solo
61. Wander
62. Terminates
Meetings/North
Send meeting information and updates to: [email protected].
Updated information is the responsibility of each associations/organizations.
Misc. Community Meetings
Public Safety Action Committee
Wednesday, December 28th, 7:00 p.m. , Kenton Firehouse
Join us for this monthly meeting to discuss public safety and livability is
North Portland.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Lions Club Meeting
Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m., Pattie’s Home Plate, 8501 N Lombard
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Plaza Clean Up, Saturdays- St Johns Plaza
Every Saturday through winter and spring- come help with the
maintenance of the plaza! Rain or shine. Sweep leaves and clean up
litter while catching up with your friends and neighbors.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------St Johns Ivy Pull
Saturdays, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., NW Bridge Road
Join us at the monthly ivy pull—meet us on NW Bridge Road- at the
turnout on the westbound ramp up to the bridge. Bring clippers, loppers
or saws if you have them, though some will be provided.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Peninsula Optimists Club
When: Meets every Monday (with business meetings on the 1st and
3rd Mondays) at 12 noon at Christies Restaurant, 5507 N Lombard St.
Mission: The club was founded in 1946 with the mission of raising
funds to support youth organizations and provide scholarships to
graduating seniors.
Membership: Persons interested in considering membership are
encouraged to attend.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Boy Scout Troop 52
When: Meets every Tuesday from 7-8:30 p.m. at St. Johns Christian
Church, 8044 N. Richmond. Open to boys age 11-18. For more
information, please call Anthony at 503-913-7085.
==============================================================
Neighborhood Associations
CLASSIFIEDS:
INSTRUCTIONS:
Send ad with payment to:
The Review, PO Box 83068,
Portland, Oregon 97283 or call
503-283-5086.
Credit Cards Accepted
30 Words/$15;
15 cents per word over 30
CLASSIFIEDS ARE ON A
PREPAID BASIS ONLY
CLASSES/LESSONS
FREE PRIVATE ENGLISH
LESSONS. Lecciones Gratis
de Ingles. World English
Institute. Instituto Mundial de
Ingles. Grammar. Reading.
Writing. Gramatica. Lectura.
Escritura. 503-247-7616. 23/6
******************************
YOGA CLASS - 55 & OVER
Revitalize mind & body. Improve
focus, release stress while increasing strength & flexibility.
Class is ongoing - join anytime.
Thursday 9:15-10:15am at the
University Park Community Center. 9009 N Foss Ave. Call 503823-3631 for more information.
*****************************
VOICE & PIANO LESSONS
Jensen’s Voice & Piano Studio
offers lessons with college credits available. For an appointment
or more information call Pauline
at 503-286-1168.
Arbor Lodge Neighborhood Association
Contact: [email protected]
Meetings: General Meetings held quarterly Jan.,
Apr., Jul., Oct. 6:30 p.m. on third Thursday at the Kenton Firehouse
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Bridgeton Neighborhood Association
Contact: [email protected]
Meetings: General meeting 3rd Monday of the month, 7:00 p.m.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Cathedral Park Neighborhood Assn., Friends of
Contact: Andrew DeVeux at [email protected]
Meetings: 7:00 PM, 2nd Tuesday of the month, BES Water
Lab, 6543 N Burlington.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Kenton Neighborhood Association
Contact: [email protected]
Meetings: 7:00 PM, 2nd Wednesday of the
month, Kenton Fire House, 8105 N. Brandon
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Overlook Neighborhood Association
Contact: [email protected]
Meetings: Third Tuesday of the month (except
in August & December) at 7pm to 9pm. Kaiser
Town Hall, 3704 N Interstate Ave. (Enter on
N Overlook Blvd.) First Floor NW Meeting Room
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Portsmouth Neighborhood Association
Contact: P.O. Box 83694, Portland, Oregon 97283
Meetings: PNA Board Meetings, 7:00 PM - 8:30
PM, Community Education Center, 4625 N. Trenton.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------St. Johns Neighborhood Association
Contact: [email protected]
Meetings: General Meetings are the second
Monday each month at the St. Johns Comm Center from 7-8:30pm
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*University Park Neighborhood Association
Contact: [email protected]
Meetings: Thenext general meeting will be Jan. 23, 7pm @ Trinity
Church, 7119 N. Portsmouth. Other meetings will be: May 28, Aug 27,
Nov 26th (These are all the 4th Monday of each month.)
*Updated information sent by NA
PO Box 83068, Portland, Or. 97283 - email: [email protected] - website: www.stjohnsreview.com - 503-283-5086 - #1 Jan. 6, 2012 - St. Johns Review - Page 7
Obituaries
In memory of family & friends
Allen, Dorothy Elaine
Sept. 14, 1926 to Dec. 19, 2011
HOLY CROSS CATHOLIC
CHURCH
Interstate Bible Chapel
Worship & Sunday School:
10:00am each Sunday
5227 N
Bowdoin
8036 N. Interstate Ave.
Portland Or.
“Where All Are Welcome”
“In the Spirit of Unity, Welcome!”
Non-Denominational
Dorothy passed away peacefully and
is home with Jesus, her Savior and
Lord. She was born in Pasco, WA and
raised in Spokane, WA. She married
Burnell (Skelly) Allen in 1946 and
raised their three children in Portland,
Oregon.
She loved music, singing and playing piano as a member of St. Johns Baptist Church until
they moved to Woodburn Estates, Woodburn, OR in 1980.
She continued providing music for anyone who asked, and
loved to bring happiness to anyone she met. She always
had a hug to offer. Dorothy was actively involved in the
community and with the Mid Valley Community Church.
She played piano and sang in the church, played for The
Retread Band, was a member of the Music Club, Walking
Club, and the Quilting Club. A baker at heart, she provided
countless goodies for family and friends. At age 83 and almost blind, she became an avid quilter and was awarded 1st
Place for her queen size quilt at the Canby Fair in 2010.
She was preceded in death by her son, Dennis, and leaves
behind her husband, Burnell (Skelly) Allen, and two daughters, Sharon Allen-Roe of Vancouver, WA and Terri Allen of
Corvallis, OR, and three grandchildren: Ashley Allen, Justin Roe, and Jaci Roe.
A memorial service celebrating her life was held at Dec
30, 2011. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to either St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude
Portsmouth Trinity
Lutheran Church
(503) 289-2834
Sunday: 11:00am
1st Friday of Each Month,
fellowship meal & video @6:30
2 Timothy 2:15
Sun: 8:00am & 10am
Sat Mass: 5:00pm
Spanish Mass: Sunday Noon
Daily Mass: Mon-Fri, 8:30am
BRING YOUR BIBLE
Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or to Make a Wish Foundation
for this will bring happiness to people which is the awesome
legacy that Dorothy has left her family and friends.
Earl Burton Lillevig
Nov 3, 1927 - Dec 11, 2011
Earl B. (Burton) Lillevig passed away Sunday, December
11, 2011 in Portland, Oregon with family at his side. Earl was
born November 3, 1927 in Leeds, North
Dakota, he was a veteran of the Merchant
Marines, the United States Army, and
served in Viet Nam with the Army Corp
of Engineers. Earl stayed true to his
farming roots and the natural resources
provided by the land he so cherished, that
he sought a life working for the US Federal
Government, Soil Conservation Service,
as a Civil Engineer in the Engineering &
Business &
service
directory
7119 N. Portsmouth (503) 289-6878
Worship Directory ads are:
$240 for 13 ads
$315 for 18 ads
$390 for 26 ads
Ad information can be changed
throughout the ad’s run
Watershed Planning Unit.
Even after retiring he treasured his time with his comrades
he worked with and when possible would join them for their
quarterly gatherings. He was a proud, passionate, and active
member of the Sons of Norway.
Earl married his life partner Delva Mae Howard, September
5, 1950 in Fargo, North Dakota; together they traveled,
studied, worked, lived and made the world a better place. They
are loved by all who came into contact with them.
Earl was preceded in death by Del in 2001 and they are
survived by a closely knit circle of foster children, family,
and friends. Earl lived the past 10 years at Calaroga Terrace
Senior Community where he enjoyed the friendship of many.
A “Celebration of Life” service will be held January 9, 2012,
10:30 am at Hustad Funeral Home located at 7232 N.
Richmond Ave., Portland, Oregon 97203. A military service
with interment will follow at 3:00 pm at Willamette National
Cemetery located at 11800 S.E. Mt. Scott Blvd. Portland, OR.
=======================================================
This space avaialbe for your ad
Call 503-283-5086
or email
[email protected]
Red
Carpet
Service
Michael D. Mellum,
D.M.D., P.C.
Nicholas R. Mellum
D.M.D.
Family and Cosmetic
Dentistry
Serving St. Johns since 1974
8910 N. Kellogg St. 503-286-4492
St. Johns Newest Sr. Adult Care Home
Two Locations!
Garden Place
For Your Loved Ones
Bonnie Gill
Owner/Operator
5903 N. Houghton St.
Jensen’s
503-247-7103
We dig the St. Johns Review
VOICE & PIANO STUDIO
High School and College
Credits Available
Southwest Portland’s monthly community newspaper
since 1992. for news or advertising information please
contact Don Snedecor publisher at (503) 244-6933 or
visit wwwswportlandpost.com
Call for an appointment: (503) 286-1168
Cost: 1X ad: $35
2 Xs to 6Xs: $28 each
7Xs to 25Xs: $25 each
1 Year (26 Xs) $22 each
Page 8 - St Johns Review - #1 Jan. 6, 2012 - PO Box 83068, Portland, Or. 97283 - email: [email protected] - website: www.stjohnsreview.com - 503-283-5086
Award
Letters -
Continued from Page 1
Continued from Page 2
of dollars-worth of contributions
and volunteer labor were invested
in the renovation of the LCC facility and allowed the scope of its services to grow tremendously. LCC’s
programs now are able to serve the
most vulnerable and they have added a bilingual preschool and food
bank.
The food bank, which opened in
2006, served 5508 people in 2010.
The LCC does not turn families
away for their inability to pay and
it is the only service provider for
the people of Linnton and the surrounding neighborhoods. Working
and job-seeking families are provided with a safe place for their
children to go, and seniors can
come help out and build supportive connections with each other
through monthly potluck dinners.
Most every night the gym is bustling with activity from Aztec dancers rehearsing, to open gym night
when teens and adults come to play
basketball. The LCC is truly the
center of activity in the Linnton
Community.
In the course of the effort to
breathe life back into the LCC, the
community was hit by the tragic
traffic death of a child near the center. It was after this heartbreaking
incident that Pat and the other community volunteers immediately saw
the need to work together to get
traffic lights and crosswalks in-
Police/Fire Reports
Continued from Page 3
man in the December 24 shooting
of 24-year old Quincy Dwane Field.
He is the victim’s 32-year-old
brother Brandon Michael Field.
Central Precinct officers responded to the area of 26th and SE Belmont on a report Field was in the
area and took him into custody
without incident. Brandon Field
was interviewed and booked by the
Commissioner Fritz, Mayor Adams, Lowenstein Chair Michelle
Harper, Pat Wagner, Commissioner Saltzman, Commissioner Fish.
Pat Wagner surrounded by some of the friends, volunteers, and
staff who make the success of Linnton’s Community Center possible
.
stalled at the fatal intersection.
Pat Wagner continues to pour energy into the LCC by volunteering
her time, often over 40 hours per
week to ensure the children and
families of Portland’s most rural
and northernmost neighborhoods
have a safety net and a place they
can turn to for community events
and partnerships. If it wasn’t for
Pat’s amazing dedication and ability to rally a community in need,
LCC would be just another abandoned building along Highway 30.
Domestic Violence Reduction Unit
Detectives and lodged at the Multnomah County Detention Center on
Attempted Murder, Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Assault in
the first degree. He is being held
on $505,000 dollars bail. As of
December 27, 2011 the victim was
in critical condition.
On Friday, December 23, 2011 at
9:18 p.m. Portland Police officers
assigned to North Precinct respond-
ed to the 9300 block of North Chautauqua Boulevard on an adult man
shot in the abdomen. Arriving officers in fact located a man who had
been shot and they called for Portland Fire and AMR ambulance to
treat the man.
It was discovered upon arriving
the suspect and victim knew one
another.
LIVE MUSIC
FIVE NIGHTS A WEEK!!
Just Say NO to Karaoke
Kadel’s Auto Body is Now in St. Johns!
6900 N Fessenden Street ● Phone (503) 247-1159
Lifetime Guarantee since 1954 ● 24 Hour Helpline
14 Convenient Northwest Locations
Toll Free Any Time 1 (888) 452-3357(4kadels)
WWW.KADELS.COM
one who is very interested in the
history of the fire service and especially Portland. I had always known
there was a station at the police station but didn’t know much about it
until I saw your story. Do you have
any photos of this or know of any?
One reason for this question is that
a very good friend of mine in Newberg recently acquired a 1924
American LaFrance Fire Truck that
was a Portland piece. In tracking
down history on the truck he found
it was original to E22. However,
this was long before 22 was in St.
Johns. At that time it was downtown
and he figured the location to be
where the Justice Center is now.
However, in the late thirties according to some old Portland fire
records the truck was moved to St
Johns and became E32 which was
in the Police Station until the current station was built in 1960. It is
not in too bad of condition but he
is working on it to make it run and
look better. If you have any photos
of the station, etc. it would be of
great interest.
About a hundred years ago my
Dad’s family had roots in St. Johns.
Sometime about then one of my
Great Grandfathers, William Icensee, built a house at the end of Roberts which is still around. However, what it looks like now compared
to what it was fifty years ago is very
sad. Either my Grandmother or her
older sister were the firt graduating
class at Roosevelt. My Great
Grandfather was a blacksmith who
did a lot of ironwork around town.
for instance, the ironwork around
the reservoirs was done by him or
his company. His shop was downtown, not in St. Johns. My Dad told
me stories about when he was a little kid about his Grandfather driving out of St. Helens Road and the
cops always looking for him as he
had a Ford V8 and a lead foot. Un-
fortunately, I have never come
across any photos of the house on
Roberts.
Enough for now. Like I said, I
find your stories very interesting. I
just wish I could find someone who
knows about a piece of property
about a mile north of me on NE 162.
There is a neat old house just sitting that looks like part of an estate. Being as how this area has always been kind of a no-man’s land
between Portland and Gresham,
nobody has done much history on
the area.
Sincerely yours,
Bill Hall
NE 162nd
-----------------------------------------Dear Editor,
Thank you for updating me on the
new businesses coming to the area.
Very exciting. Can’t wait for the
hardware store or the Dollar store.
YIPEE!!
Sincerely,
Sally
North Portland
----------------------------------------Dear Review,
Enclosed with my own subscription payment is two more for other
family members as a gift. They
lived in St. Johns for years and will
enjoy keeping up with what is happening.
Thanks
R. Corlande
=======================================
Letters To The Editor:
Letters are welcome and encouraged. They must be legibly written
and contain a signature. Anonymous letters will not be read, but
put into the round file below the
editor’s desk.
Letters must not contain abusive
language and or content and they
may be edited for space. Letters
published are not necessarily the
views of the publisher. Send to the
address at the top of each page.
========================================================