Multco Archives

For Women’s History month, a spotlight on the women of the Multnomah County Health Department who have worked to provide healthcare and information countywide for decades. Your work is vital to improve health equity and we thank you for your service.

Historic photographs are from the Director's Office (DOH) Department of Health records, multco047 (Box 6)

The winter of 1949-50 brought a total of 44.5 inches of snow to Portland with January of 1950 seeing over 41.5 inches of snow. In this photo from the Dept. of Community Services. Land Use and Transportation (Road Services records multco007) we see NE 116th Avenue between Shaver and Fremont where onlookers are watching a snow plow at work.

Today we honor Indigenous Peoples Day by reflecting on a milestone in Multnomah County’s relationship with Native American communities. Recognizing the unique political status tribal governments hold as sovereign nations within the United States, a Bridge Renaming Council was established. After the County reached out to multiple tribes, three tribes with historical ties to the island offered their expertise on the Council. The Council was made up of appointed culture-keepers, elders, tribal electeds and tribal staff. This was the County’s first formal consultation process with tribal governments.

Last November, the Board of Commissioners voted to unanimously accept a new name for the bridge that connects the community to Sauvie Island. The bridge is now named Wapato Bridge, honoring a First Food for Native American communities in the region. Wapato is an edible type of tuber or potato-like plant. Historically, Sauvie Island was a very large gathering spot for agriculture and trade. The original inhabitants of the island were the Multnomah tribe and there were about 2,000 islanders who lived in cedar log-style houses.

This photo of the bridge is from the Public Affairs records, multco057.

Have you considered that the digital records we create today will someday be part of the archives? October 10th is Electronic Records Day, and just like handwritten letters, maps, and photographs on paper, the emails, texts, and photos taken on our phones tell our stories and document life in our times. Our digital imprints are just as important as the records our parents and grandparents produced in their lifetimes. Here’s a throwback to early 1980s computing and electronic records creation at Multnomah County.

You're in the home stretch now! See more of east county.

Sight #8 Larch Mountain Despite the name, there are no Larch trees on this mountain, only noble firs.