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The Oregon Steam Navigation Company Dock

By 1864 the Oregon Steam Navigation Company was well on its way to becoming the largest monopoly Oregon would ever see. That year Captain Ainsworth, one of the early river pilots and a founder of the firm, oversaw the building of a huge dock as a fitting portal to this new and booming town. The dock was built between Pine and Ash streets, and was double decked to accommodate the river at various water levels. By the time this photo was taken, sometime in the 1880s the company had been purchased by the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company. The bridge visible behind the masts in the Morrison street bridge.

 

 

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  1. UnknownAugust 20, 2012 at 1:19 PM

    I am transcribing My 3rd great grandfathers memoir and just go to the point where is his describing that he was a messenger for Wells Fargo traveling on the Steam wheel of the Oregon Steam navigation company. That he would travel from Portland to Idaho on the Snake River, about 1868-1871. William Mitchell Ward survived the Ward Massacre in 1854, Middleton ID, served in the Oregon militia in the Yakima Wars, rode pony express, stage guard and messenger for Wells Fargo. Thanks for the photo and info about this company.

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