Nestled in the floodplain between North Portland; Oregon; and Vancouver; Washington; a housing project was built to help house World War II shipyard workers. Its very name; Vanport; is derived from Vancouver and Portland. When the United States entered the war; the demand for ships and for workers to build those ships became a huge priority. Workers were recruited from all corners of the United States. Portland had a serious lodging shortage; so much so that these workers lived in cars; tents; parks; and whatever shelter could be found. Vanport; built in a little over a year to house them; was a city that did not sleep. In its heyday; Vanport was the second-largest city in Oregon with a population of over 40;000 residents. It was a city with many firsts. It was a city that touched many lives in a very short period of time. And on May 30; 1948; it was a city that disappeared just as quickly as it came into existence; leaving a legacy that will not soon be forgotten.
2016-04-29 2016-04-29File Name: B01EZG8SP8
Review
