Vanport
“Vanport” by Zita Podany, published by Arcadia Publishing in May 2016, offers a detailed exploration of a unique housing project established during World War II. This 130-page book delves into the history of Vanport, a city built to accommodate shipyard workers in the floodplain between North Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington. The narrative captures the urgency of the wartime demand for ships and the subsequent influx of workers, highlighting the challenges they faced due to a severe housing shortage.
Readers will find a rich historical account that emphasizes the significance of Vanport as a vibrant community that once housed over 40,000 residents. The book presents a blend of history and photography, illustrating the city’s rapid rise and its abrupt disappearance on May 30, 1948. Through its focus on the lives touched by this fleeting city, “Vanport” sheds light on themes of community and resilience in the Pacific Northwest during a pivotal time in American history.
Official synopsis Publisher
Nestled in the floodplain between North Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington, a housing project was built to help house World War II shipyard workers. Its very name, Vanport, is derived from Vancouver and Portland. When the United States entered the war, the demand for ships and for workers to build those ships became a huge priority. Workers were recruited from all corners of the United States. Portland had a serious lodging shortage, so much so that these workers lived in cars, tents, parks, and whatever shelter could be found. Vanport, built in a little over a year to house them, was a city that did not sleep. In its heyday, Vanport was the second-largest city in Oregon with a population of over 40,000 residents. It was a city with many firsts. It was a city that touched many lives in a very short period of time. And on May 30, 1948, it was a city that disappeared just as quickly as it came into existence, leaving a legacy that will not soon be forgotten.
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