LIFE ON THE RIVER: The History of Scowtown

PATREON: www.patreon.com/exploreoregon Once upon a time the Willamette River in the middle of Portland, Oregon was full, in multiple places, of scow homes; the most run down of houseboats to be found in the city. Their history covers several decades, dating back at least as far as the 1870s and maintaining a steady history through the 1920s. During this time many people of different backgrounds and economic situations chose life on the river because they desired it or because they had no other choice (living on the river was extremely cheap because you didn't have to pay rent or property taxes). In this film I look back at this mostly forgotten piece of Portland history which changed over time. I look at the people who lived under these circumstances, how they were seen by the rest of the city, and how they were gradually run out of town. 0:00 Introduction 2:40 Blending in with the Abandoned 18:26 Migrating South 26:14 Early Relocation 32:17 The Great Resistance 40:12 Joseph Simon's Great Crusade 46:43 Decline and Vilification 52:34 The Last Great Crime Wave 58:19 The End of an Era