By the turn of the twentieth century, Portland had developed into an established city complete with a commercial downtown, bustling waterfront, and fully operational trolley line. A series of bridges connected the east and west sides of the Willamette River, while the shipping industry moved goods from eastern Oregon, through Portland, and on to destinations around the world. Railroads soon connected the city to distribution centers outside the Pacific Northwest, while immigrants arrived and settled.
New Transportation Network:
Following a spate of financial troubles, Portland acquired a railroad connection and city residents look forward to an electrified and mobile city.
Electrifying the City:
In the waning years of the nineteenth century, private investment and new technologies altered the way people lived within Portland and connected to its surrounding areas.
Building an Urban Center:
Portland’s urban and cultural center developed in an atmosphere of real estate speculation and political influence.
Portland's Laboring Class:
An ethnically diverse laboring class emerged early in Portland, finding residence along the margins of downtown and social life in the brothels, saloons, and gambling houses along Burnside Avenue.
Organizing Portland's Labor Force:
Craft unions organized among themselves and, by the early twentieth century, were a powerful enough presence to negotiate with city officials on its building projects.
The German Settlement:
German immigrants were Portland’s largest foreign language ethnic group. They established themselves in Portland as laborers, tradesmen, and shop owners and forged a distinct cultural presence in a variety of clubs and organizations.
The German Jewish Community:
The German Jews brought mercantile and craft skills and religious diversity to Portland.
The Chinese Community:
Chinese immigrants arrived in Portland beginning in the 1850s. Primarily laborers, shop keepers, and farmers, they established an ethnic enclave along the streets surrounding Portland’s waterfront.
