MILWAUKIE 101 (continued)

A Town is Born (continued)
The community eventually grew around the Whitcomb and Company Enterprises leading to the area being platted in 1849 and named Milwaukie. By the fall of 1850 Milwaukie boasted two hotels, a sheet iron and copper plate works, a shoe store, several general stores, saloons, a school, and church services were held in private residences. Property rights in Milwaukie, as far as whites were concerned, began on December 2, 1850 when the Clackamas tribe ceded all land claimed by them to the United States.

First Local Newspaper 

Lot Whitcomb convinced two Vermont natives to come to Milwaukie and begin a local newspaper called the "Western Star." The first issue came out on November 21, 1850 with the financial aid and guidance of Whitcomb, who was nominal owner. Eventually Whitcomb had to sell the paper to its publishers who moved it to Portland in 1851 and began to call it the "Oregon Weekly Times." Thereafter Milwaukie had no newspaper for over fifty years.

Transportation and the 'Lot Whitcomb' of Oregon

For many years after arriving in Milwaukie Lot Whitcomb planned to build a steamer. He eventually  partnered with two others and obtained the machinery needed to build one. Many financial  syndicate was formed, which induced George Abernathy, an Oregon City merchant, to head a stock subscription list to help fund the steamer. The 'Lot Whitcomb's first trip was on January 25, 1851. Regular voyages from Milwaukie to Astoria and to Oregon City followed. The launching of the 'Lot Whitcomb' stimulated growth of Milwaukie, construction of other vessels and the improvement of loading and unloading facilities on the Willamette River. In April of 1851 Milwaukie became a Port of Delivery by Congressional Appointment. The first stern wheel steamer in Oregon was built in Milwaukie, but eventually shipbuilding took a back seat to Oregon City, Canemah, and Portland because Milwaukie's bay was not deep enough. In the early years railroads were thought of as a way to supplement water transportation. It was not until the middle of November 1869 that the rails of the eastside railroad reached Milwaukie on their way south and not until 1893 did the first electric line arrive, which had a tremendous impact on the area. Families could ship goods to Portland markets, children could attend high school in Portland, shopping trips to Milwaukie or Portland were a regular occurrence, and more people were able to live in Milwaukie in newly developed subdivisions. Various roads were built to accommodate wagons including a macadamized highway along the Willamette River from Portland to Milwaukie. 

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Last updated: 09/29/2008