Steve the Amateur Historian
Steve the Amateur Historian
MY INSTAGRAM (pdxfilmexplorer): instagram.com/pdxfilmexplorer/MY PATREON PAGE: www.patreon.com/exploreoregon
MY FACEBOOK: facebook.com/exploringportland
My name is Steve and I love history… that’s the long and the short of it. On this channel I produce a variety of different historical documentaries and on site videos covering a multitude of different subjects from true crime/mystery to natural disasters to architecture to abandoned places and so on. There’s something for just about anyone on here.
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Someone in the comments eluded to this but when they mentioned there used to be a water tank, they are referencing a huge above ground green water reservoir that would have been hundreds of thousands gallons or more. It was on the west side. It was probably some 30-40 ft tall. My older brother would climb up the side of the reservoir to get to the ladder which the ladder was about 14 ft off the ground at it's lowest point. He fell off once and sprained his leg. But the diameter of the tank had to of been at least 100+ ft. So yeah, theres even more history of this crazy place. Maybe you can dig some more up on that to add to and include in this already very informative and interesting video. Either way, I learned quite a bit in watching your production. Well done
I have literally climbed those stairs myself when I was attending PSU many years ago. At that time one could park a small car up on those streets & then walk down the stairs to class. Free parking in those days & nobody would bother you as long as you had a small car & did not block access to peoples homes. Of course I would not want to climb those stairs now at almost 69! It would take awhile. Great views up there! Notice how there is so much more traffic noise now then in the mid-70`s when I was at PSU.
Joe would've been thrilled about this video 👍🏼
Thanks for the 82nd ave history.
They did a fabulous job restoring the old house! Even updated it with a heat pump for cooling comfort in summer hot spells. We did the same with our 61 old year old farmhouse located just outside of Dayton, Oregon. Really like watching your videos of Portland, many times where we used to live or work many years ago.
Gret job on the old drive- in theaters, i lived by the 104th and the powell drive-in in the mid 60's. My first job as a kid was cleaning up the lot the next day of a movie. Thanks again for the memories.
You're about 1/4 mile away. To get to where the McNary farm was you have to go all the way to the top of the hill. Continue East to Norma Rd. and turn left (North). You're now on the front perimeter of the farm. It filled the space between McNary and Viewcrest running North to South and from Norma Rd. to Wallace Rd. running East to West. I grew up at the top of Jennings Avenue and used to walk that same trail to and from Putnam every day some 30 years ago. Hager is the proper spelling of the name and it's pronounced "Hay-gur". That family is still around Oak Grove and I went to school with one of them. Roethe is pronounced "Roth-ee". The area is neither Oregon City, nor Gladstone, nor Milwaukie- it's Jennings Lodge.
THE OLD HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1891, IN THOSE OLD PICTURES, AND IS IN ITS ORIGINAL LOCATION AND IS CALLED THE ALICE DRUHOT HOUSE!!!!
“sorry I just got nostalgic for something I haven’t personally experienced” I totally feel that as a history major and is why I love studying it
Rahway. Damn. I grew up an hour from there.
53:56 #PNWR These engines are historically correct for the 60s shots, when this was still southern pacific. A lot of SP engines got sold to smaller railroads and are still in use. I think this train continued past Holgate yard (you were near it at 15th & Holgate) and branches off the UP mainline in Milwaukie to go across the river at Lake Oswego. They have trackage rights on UP here and I bet this is a transfer from BNSF's Lake Yard north of Portland. Note that the Ford building is up against the railroad, and has now-sealed loading areas for a now-gone siding where parts (and maybe cars?) could be loaded and unload to rail. Buildings with loading docks near Holgate Yard and inner Water district (near OMSI, like city liquidators) are set up for boxcars, even though a lot of the street tracks have been removed.
I think the building at 15th & holgate might have been a local telephone exchange at one point? I know there was was near that area in the past.
Yeah you got it. I looked it up and an inventory document shows it was originally run by the Pacific States Telephone Co.
putting up new signs is difficult permit-wise, but existing ones can be re-used. demolitions will raze buildings but the signs stay.
There’s nothing amateur about it! You’re a great historian. Thanks for spotlighting the city. Idea for a series: historic apartment buildings in Portland
I actually have had in the works something about old apartments in the works. It’s very early stages, just a working idea that I hope goes somewhere.
Good one! You walked right by my Dad's house!
23:01 It was JC Penney or might have been Sears
Graduated from Benson HS in 98 and this makes me so sad. I understand why it's happening, but the mall experience will be missed. Weirdly enough by where I live now, Washington Square is still a viable mall and is always busy
It was a fan that stayed on the billboard until the lockout ended not a broadcaster. I remember he got a vacation to Hawaii or something out of it haha. Z100 was all over that story is why I remember that so well
This is breaking news to me who moved out to Beaverton. They got rid of La Carreta??? Although extremely hot, their burritos were so good and I have so many memories there. Damn that sucks
Really well done Steve. As always
PDX has the world's smallest park and one of the largest, namely Forest Park. Bigger than Central Park in NYC!
I found a geocache at that park a few years ago. :)
Portland has been weird from day one. Your stories prove it! I kinda wish that big market building was still here. It could be a really cool indoor street market we could use year-round.
Another great video! There's also a Mills Park Annex on 97th & Harold.
That’s so cool, I didn’t know that but checked out what it looked like.
Another excellent installment in videos..thanks Steve
I do happen to live near Portland, maybe soon i will take my wife and 3 kids there for a picnic and toss a football or frisbee around for an hour or two!! 🤣🤣
By the way, no one called Fagan conceited, in this case “conceit” refers to the “catching a leprechaun” story being made up, but does not imply being stuck up :)
82nd Avenue looks like it hasn't been improved or maintained since the mid 1970s either, and that seems to include most of the businesses!
Yo is the sign technically outside of the park
That’s a good question. Now I’m visualizing two high school debate teams just at each others throats fighting over this question.
@StevetheAmateurHistorian yeah I could see that. I'm definitely in the camp that it is outside of the park hah.
@@StevetheAmateurHistorian mostly due to it like doubling the parks size
I think there needs to be a Dick Fagan statue erected in the park. I'll start a GoFundMe..... Great video Steve!
I’m kinda shocked that hasn’t happened… unless it has and someone removed it. I had an idea about putting a small box together and making it look like a public restroom and putting it there, at least for the video but I didn’t have the chance to get back out there.
I’m grateful I’ve found your channel ❤️ it’s been a lot of fun watching Portland history. Thank you
Thanks for sharing. Enjoyed your work.
Good job Steve. Keep em coming.
I noticed the small bike noticed it was painted white that is a ghost bike meaning that a child rode that bike and most likely died if it is one of those that white paint it would also be very reflective so at night it would light up I can see that's not a good spot and a child probably died there that might have to do with some of the extra stuff there because you need something to chain the ghost bike too
That is not what white bikes mean homie. I can't remember exactly what it means but I was drunk and had a conversation with the dude that puts them out in portland while he was locking one to a location
Ghost bikes are tributes to cyclists who were killed in traffic. Any cyclist, not just children.
@randallalton6310 you are wrong. So wrong. But so am I. Haha And we are both right. Lol They are also peace bikes, mistaken for ghost bikes according to the google. I met the artist dude placing a bike while he was doing it here in portland when I was out drinking like I said. They both use white bikes. I geuss they were most likely ghost bikes in that photo due to age. The peace bike thing started in like 2023 apparently. I knew I wasn't crazy for saying that.
@@randallalton6310 oops ment to write that response to other guy
You’re video stories are fantastic. Love watching them with the kids as they learn so much about their city’s history.❤
loved the vhs vids, this one is going to be great!
I remember going out to go berry picking in the late 1950's. i It was all farms past 82nd.
Born and raised here. Love your work Steve. Keep it up and hope the ankle heals soon. Some cool stuff out here in Canby if you ever hear out past Oregon City.
Great documentary. One of the most in-depth crime docs that I have seen. I have subscribed.
if you draw a line west from Willamette stone you see it lines up with Baseline road in Hillsboro and also Main st in Cornelius forest grove and Baseline rd in Tillamook. the surveyors did pretty accurate work!
this was cool, thanks for your hard work!
When I worked for the city, they had me take a Cat Dozer up there and push fill dirt over the wall, sealing up the entrance to the bunker, we also sealed the ventilation shafts.
Wow excellent video steve.
Please come visit Oregon, just don't move here.
Lived in OG on Courtney for years in the 80's. OG Rocks.
82nd has some of the best Asian food in Portland. Would love to meet up with you for lunch and sushi one day! Big fan of your videos.
So the Powell St I can tell you a few things ..I used to work there back around 83 to 85. It's location was 112th and Powell I think there is like a chiropractor school where the drive in was. .. down Powell a few blocks more was the 104th st drive in and that is now a storage lot for carnival equipment. Or so it was last time I was in that area ... Btw I'm loving your videos ..awesome job .. I was born 63 and have lived all my life between Welches and Portland ... So I remember some things .. places ect ... Once again awesome work on all fronts
The entery to the Powell was like a couple blocks down 112th
Too cool! Really enjoy your videos. I live very close to the house you featured in the end of your content & know its residents. Thanks for sharing your knowledge & through research. 😊
You'll get more experience.
Hope you’re ankle gets better. I’ve always been a walker, have bad ankle also. CG