Author: rechieaed3b889ea

Have you ever walked through downtown Portland and tried to imagine what the city looked like a century ago?

Portland Then and Now pairs historic photographs with specially commissioned views of the same scenes as they look today. The book traces the evolution of Portland from the early years of photography to the present, showing how it became Oregon’s largest and most vibrant city.

Set against the backdrop of snow-capped Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens, Portland’s skyline is a mixture of ultra-modern skyscrapers and elaborate Victorian structures that reveal a rich architectural heritage. Originally no more than a cluster of log structures and wood-frame buildings carved out of the dense forest, “Stumptown” soon became the Pacific Northwest’s premier freshwater port, filled with supply ships bound for the gold fields of California, but also intent on becoming a cultural center.

This fascinating book traces the evolution of this popular tourist destination from a small town long dominated by cast-iron, terracotta and brick buildings to a city with ornate mansions, carefully designed neighborhoods, and a downtown that bespeaks pride in good city planning.

Ready to explore Portland’s past for yourself? You can find Portland Then and Now at: https://amzn.to/4dOklCN

Or visit our Bookstore here:
https://vanportoregon.com/amazon-bookstore/

Thanks for stopping by the blog — and happy reading!

When you think of Portland, Oregon, what comes to mind? Craft beer, indie bookstores, food trucks, and bike lanes? Think again.

In Portland Confidential: Sex, Crime, and Corruption in the Rose City, author Phil Stanford rewinds the clock to the 1940s and ’50s—a time when the City of Roses was less about hipster charm and more about mob money, political payoffs, and an open secret of vice that kept the city humming.

This isn’t just a book—it’s a time machine into Portland’s forgotten past. Through punchy prose, rare archival photos, and a storyteller’s eye for the scandalous, Stanford exposes a city controlled not by the people, but by an underworld of gamblers, madams, crooked cops, and power-hungry politicians. It’s noir nonfiction at its best—fast-paced, gritty, and almost too outrageous to be true.

What makes Portland Confidential stand out isn’t just its exposé of crime and corruption. It’s how it forces us to rethink the myth of the “good old days.” Portland may seem squeaky clean today, but its past is anything but. And understanding that past gives us a deeper, more honest look at the city we thought we knew.

So if you love true crime, hidden history, or just a good scandal told right, grab a copy of Portland Confidential. Trust us—this is one secret you’ll want to be in on.

Get the book here: https://amzn.to/4jxBGRV