Was chosenthis spot as a tort was because there were shelters from the pacific chosen was because there were reports. Inre is a natural harbor portland, the downtown area. The water is naturally deep. There was a Population Center here, which made it a natural port, and all the timber, the fur, and Agricultural Products that were grown in the area, all of that combined made portland what it is today. The first signs of european exploration and settlement came in the late 1700s, captain robert gray was the first explorer to find the mouth of the Columbia River. He sailed into the mouth and discovered this huge, natural waterway. Not long after that, there was the overland exploration, i lewis and clark, by lewis and came out to the part, one of the most Important Reasons they came on the expedition, was to find the northwest passage. They wanted to find a waterway to connect the eastern parts of the United States with the pacific ocean, opening up access to trade and transportation with asia. I think a lot of people really do not understand or remember that that was one of the primary reasons why lewis and clark came west in the early 1800s. The port was officially formed in 1891 by an act passed by the state legislature. Its primary purpose initially was to create and maintain a 25 foot channel. Prior to that, there were parts of the channel that were only around 15 feet to 17 feet deep. As ships got larger and more freight was being brought in and taken out of the portland area, the channel depth was inadequate. At the time, there is nobody responsible for creating and maintaining the channel, so the port was formed to maintain the 25 foot channel from the portland harbor, where we are standing, to the pacific ocean. There was a partnership with army corps of engineers that was formed early on, and that Partnership Continues today. Largely of portland is an export oriented ports, although we have imports. You might be able to see in the distance and auto ship, and they are offloading out toyotas coming from japan. Just this side of that terminal is a facility that exports soda ash, and ironically, it is a nature major commodity used in the manufacture of glass, many of it auto glass, so these Companies Come in with windows made from soda ash that is being exported on the other side of the terminal. When those cars are old and not working anymore, they go right over here to a steel shredding facility, where it is shredded, and sent back to japan or china so remounting remelting, a sustainable operation here. Grain is a major export, wheat, soybeans, corn, a lot of that exported. Some of it coming down the barge. Much of it for writing by train. Railve a tremendous infrastructure here in portland that has been developed, largely because of port operations. Ashould also say canadian is a major export. They have a huge terminal, where is located the largest wood structure west of the mississippi river. And further around on the havebia terminal six, we autos on each end of the terminal. Hyundai fromm, korea downstream, and we also automobiles, customized here on our terminal, or the chinese buyers. Radio, went a sunroof or that is installed here, and dr. Go to china. Off they go to china. On the docks, there is a channel that is 40 feet deep. It needs to be dredged regularly. In the columbia, it is 43 feet. In the port of portland, the contract with the u. S. Army corps of engineers, a federal agency in charge of maintaining navigation channels to the United States, and without that, we would have no maritime commerce. It isnt something most people see or experience or know much. Bout that it is vital rivers like the mississippi and the Columbia River could not function without dredging. That is infrastructure. You are building a navigation channel. We are 107 miles from the pacific ocean. Without that, we would be in big trouble. Rail infrastructure is incredibly important. So many of the commodities we are exporting here could not arrive without rail infrastructure. Railroads themselves make billions of dollars of investments, and they are continuing to do that. There are investments that need to be made it railroad related infrastructure, that are not as much a benefit to the railroads as they are two other forms or modes of transportation, who are presently impeded by rail operations, so overpasses and under crossings and all kinds of related infrastructure, particularly in complex urban areas like this, where the government itself has a real interest in helping the balance of commerce occur, without being impeded by our rail operations. If lewis and clark were here today, i think there would be some surprises. They probably cannot imagine the size of these ships and some of the facilities that have been built along the waterfront. In other ways, they would not be surprised. I think they knew factoring in their expedition about how important waterways are for the development of a country, and economy, and in part, that is why they were here. Togo back and report president jefferson about the opportunities for trade and transportation in this part of the world. I think they would be proud that some of their findings have turned out to be true. Are cities tours have recently traveled to portland, oregon, to learn about its rich history. Learn more about portland and other stops on our tour at www. Cspan. Org citiestour. You are watching American History tv, a weekend, every weekend on cspan3. The seven major buyers struck andfrancisco between 1849 1851. In 1861, make a storms flooded the Sacramento Valley with 30 feet of fodder. Up next, gary noy talks about the devastating fires and floods that were caused that collided with the population. There are 49 tales of seekers, scoundrels, loss and look. He explains as towns and cities were destroyed, citizens quickly rebuilt them. This program is hosted by the California Historical society in san francisco. So, introduction time. Gary noy is a historian. He taught history at the sierra