Snapshots of the Past

Portland, Oregon - the metropolis of the Pacific Northwest / C.L. Smith. – Vintage Wall Art

Portland, Oregon - the metropolis of the Pacific Northwest / C.L. Smith., c1888 May 17. — historic image
Portland, Oregon - the metropolis of the Pacific Northwest / C.L. Smith., c1888 May 17.. Historic image from the Oregon collection.

(Originally scanned by the Library of Congress. Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)

Description

This historic image of Portland, Oregon - the metropolis of the Pacific Northwest / C.L. Smith. brings a moment of history to your wall. The original is held by the Library of Congress, so what you hang is a true record of its time.

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Portland, Oregon - the metropolis of the Pacific Northwest / C.L. Smith.

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Its title, "the metropolis of the Pacific Northwest," is a boast typical of the booster publications of the late 1880s, when Portland's leaders promoted the city as the region's commercial center. The city's growth accelerated after the Northern Pacific Railroad reached it in 1883, linking the Willamette River port to rail routes across the country. Views like this one, usually made by commercial artists and printed for merchants and newcomers, were meant to show a busy riverfront and a city that looked ready to keep growing. Reading the claim alongside the scene shows how the city wanted to be seen at that moment.

Created / publishedc1888 May 17.
SourceLibrary of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Original scan9,438 × 3,411 px · prints to 31 × 11 in at 300 dpi
Reference1

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