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There's lots of photos of Oregon City, but here's one I'd never seen til recently.

I would have guessed the very late forties, til I saw what looks like an early fifties Ford(?) sitting at the gas station.

It's from the bluff looking towards the river on 99E, just outside the paper mill.

The big brick building was the Post Office on 99E at Main Street. Behind the Post office was Chuck Morgan Tires. Then on the rocks overlooking the river was a house that remained a residence til 1964.

On the right side of 99 was an Olds dealership that I do not remember.

This is a pretty great photo.
FB_IMG_1486529354018_zpsazzz9rvt.jpg


WAYNO.
 
Used to travel this way with my parents to Salem to see my grandmother in the State Hospital in Salem in the mid 50's. I remember there was a DQ in Canby I think where we would stop and get ice cream cones on the way back to Portland. Funny how old photos such as this one can trigger memories of years ago. Thanks for sharing.
 
Used to travel this way with my parents to Salem to see my grandmother in the State Hospital in Salem in the mid 50's. I remember there was a DQ in Canby I think where we would stop and get ice cream cones on the way back to Portland. Funny how old photos such as this one can trigger memories of years ago. Thanks for sharing.

We did too. My Grandparents lived in Salem, and I-5 did not yet exist, so we traveled 213 thru Gladstone and Oregon City, then got onto the Super Highway 99 to Salem. Times were different. Dad stopped all along the way for a beer, and we were okay with that, as he'd bring us one of those little bottles of 7-Up and some popcorn. Sounds awful now, but it seems that's just what Dads did after the war.

WAYNO.
 
We did too. My Grandparents lived in Salem, and I-5 did not yet exist, so we traveled 213 thru Gladstone and Oregon City, then got onto the Super Highway 99 to Salem. Times were different. Dad stopped all along the way for a beer, and we were okay with that, as he'd bring us one of those little bottles of 7-Up and some popcorn. Sounds awful now, but it seems that's just what Dads did after the war.

WAYNO.
i prefer 99 to and from oregon city/ Milwaukee especially when im on my way home from curts gun shop. i just like takin my time and less traffic. better scenery too.
 
My Dad was probably working in the grinder room at Crown Zellerbach when that photo was taken. Thanks for the picture.

My Uncles were working there too.

Didja see the old West Linn Inn on the Crown side? I also remember that place very well.
 
I've lived in Oregon City since 1974, we moved here when I was 5. I've seen it change a lot in those 40+ years. Main street sure looks different than it did back then. Now it's much, much busier and has kind of lost some of it's old charm, in my opinion. Not sure if we'll plan on staying here for good, may have to get out farther at some point.

As for the photo, I just love old photos, especially of towns, buildings, etc. Even better when it's a place I know so I can compare today to yesterday.

If you like the old photos, you might also enjoy this - it's from an episode of Route 66 filmed in Oregon City in 1962, 14 years before we arrived on scene. If you know Oregon City, you might enjoy this blast from the past, and recognize some key landmarks:

 
theres a little hole in the wall mexican joint not too far from that subaru dealership up there that my sister in law and i went to when we went to buy her a new car. man that place was really tasty.
 
It was a big deal, the filming of Route 66 in Oregon City. In the opening scene, seems I remember the Corvette coming across the old bridge.:D I've never seen the episode since i was a kid.

Now I'm actually watching the video. How absolutely cool!!!

Thanks!

WAYNO.
 
My dad was born and raised in Oregon City and would tell all kinds of stories of life around there. He would have loved seeing that photo and in fact I think he donated some photos that he had to the historical society.
 
It was a big deal, the filming of Route 66 in Oregon City. In the opening scene, seems I remember the Corvette coming across the old bridge, filmed from the elevator.:D

His Mom's house is still there and looks the same - partway up Washington street on the east side
 
There's lots of photos of Oregon City, but here's one I'd never seen til recently.

I would have guessed the very late forties, til I saw what looks like an early fifties Ford(?) sitting at the gas station.

It's from the bluff looking towards the river on 99E, just outside the paper mill.

The big brick building was the Post Office on 99E at Main Street. Behind the Post office was Chuck Morgan Tires. Then on the rocks overlooking the river was a house that remained a residence til 1964.

On the right side of 99 was an Olds dealership that I do not remember.

This is a pretty great photo.
View attachment 348168


WAYNO.
By the shape of the car in the lower left I'd say around 1960.
 
I forgot to mention that my great-grandmother and her family lived in Oregon City back in the 1890's, when she was a young girl. No photos of Oregon City from them (except for some portraits taken in an Oregon City photo studio), but I have, somewhere, my great-aunt's (great grandmother's twin sister) journal, where she documented some of their life in Oregon City. One thing that stood out was that they would, on the occasional Sunday, take a paddlewheel boat from Oregon City into Portland for the day and back again - the highlight of their week.
 
Watching this video really takes me back. I know every land mark.

Interesting how they doctored the story line to match the town. Turning right off the bridge into Oregon City and declaring the mill must be over there, but showing them actually working at Crown in West Linn.

And the bus on Main Street. That looked like a Rose City Transit. In 1962, the only bus service was the old Blue Buses, and they stopped on the street at the base of the elevator. None of this matters, cause it's just a tv story, but boy does it rekindle memories of my youth.

Seeing the department stores and clothing stores in downtown OC, shows OC was a swinging town. Everybody worked at one of the two mills, and everybody had money to spend. i agree, OC has lost its charm.

Thanks again for posting this video. I'm now watching it again.

WAYNO.
 
Cool to see old pictures like that. I grew up in Oregon City and lived in the area up until 2 years ago. I'm 27, so I certainly haven't seen it make any of the drastic changes it has since then, but I've certainly seen it change. They've really cleaned up the downtown area quite a bit as of the last few years. If anyone is a fan of fish tacos, make sure you head over to the Verdict. Best I've ever had.
 
They don't let old folks like me into the Verdict.:)

I've snuck in a few times, and each time wished I'd brought ear plugs.
 
It's a bar, Wayno. They'll let just about anyone in!

Oh I know, but as soon as I come in the door they crank up the music to make sure I don't stay.:cool:

Seriously, in spite of how loud the place always is, they do have great food.
 

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