History

==Portland in the 1840s==
*In 1843 the original land claim for the area that was to become Portland, in present-day downtown Portland, was filed by pioneers William Overton and Asa Lovejoy. Portland Timeline: 1843 to 1901, City of Portland Auditor's Office
*Willamette Valley settlers met at Champoeg to elect a provisional government. William Johnson was elected as High Sheriff, making him the first law enforcement officer. 
*In 1845, Overton sold his share of the claim to Francis Pettygrove. Until this time, the land was only called The Clearing. Pettygrove and Lovejoy flipped a coin to decide the name, each wanting to name the land after their hometown. Pettygrove's hometown of Portland, Maine won over Lovejoy's hometown of Boston, Massachusetts. 
==Portland in the 1850s==
*As of 1850, Portland, now nicknamed "Stumptown", contained a steam sawmill, log cabin hotel, and the weekly Oregonian. The population of 821. 
*The City of Portland was officially incorporated on February 8, 1851.
*Also in 1851, the first mayor of the city, Hugh D. O'Bryant, was elected, and the first city council meeting was held. 
*In 1852, Portland plated a right-of-way grid system, which also allocated land for the Park Blocks and public docks. 
*1853 brought the first ferry across the Willamette River, the Stark Street Ferry which was originally horse powered and operated from 1853 to 1895. 
==Portland in the 1860s==
*As of 1860, the population in Portland was 2,874. 
*In 1867, the first of the Park Blocks was officially acquired by the city. 
==Portland in the 1870s==
*In 1870 the population was at 8,293 and the city of East Portland, across the Willamette, was established. 
*Also in 1870, Chinatown was established in an area from SW 2nd to SW 4th from Washington to Burnside.
*In 1871 the first 41 acres of Washington Park was purchased from Amos N. King for $32,624. It was originally called City Park. 
*In 1875 the Pioneer Courthouse was completed; it is still standing today, making it the oldest Federal structure still standing in the Northwest.
==Portland in the 1880s==
*As of 1880, the population in Portland was 17,577 and the first electric street lights were installed.
*In 1887 the first zoo opened in Washington Park. 
*Also in 1887, the first bridge across the Willamette opened. It was the first Morrison bridge, built at a cost of $175,000 with a toll of five cents to walk across. It was the largest bridge west of the Mississippi at that time. 
*In 1888 Portland was first given the name "City of Roses". 
*Also in 1888, the first Steel Bridge opened and the Skidmore Fountain was completed.
==Portland in the 1890s==
*As of 1890, the population stood at 46,385 and Portland got its first electric streetcar.
*In 1891, the city of Portland merged with the towns of East Portland and Albina.
*In 1893 the city of Sellwood (incorporated 1877) was annexed to Portland. 
*In 1895 Portland City Hall was completed. 
*Union Station opened in 1896. 
*Donald Macleay donated Macleay Park in 1897, later to become a part of Forest Park.
==Portland in the 1900s==
*The Portland Rose Society held a "Fiesta from 1904 to 1906; this was the predecessor to the Rose Festival. Portland Timeline: 1902 to 1952, City of Portland Auditor's Office 
*Possibly one of the most major events of Portland's first century as a city was the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition held in Northwest Portland. The 1905 event drew more than two million visitors during its run and contributed to a population boom that lasted through the rest of the decade.
==Portland in the 1910s==
Portland grew again in 1915, when it annexed St. Johns and Linnton.
==Portland in the 1920s==
==Portland in the 1930s==
==Portland in the 1940s==
==Portland in the 1950s==
==Portland in the 1960s==
==Portland in the 1970s==
==Portland in the 1980s==
==Portland in the 1990s==
==Portland in the 2000s==
In 2009, PortlandWiki was launched.
== See also ==
* Historic Research Resources
* List of Portland's Mayors
* Neighborhoods
== External links ==
* History of Portland, Oregon on Wikipedia
==References==
Category:History