Vanport: Portland's Lost City
Explore the site of Vanport, a wartime housing city of 40,000 people that was completely destroyed by the 1948 Columbia River flood in just 35 minutes. Today the site is Delta Park and Portland International Raceway, but interpretive markers and the Vanport Mosaic memorial tell the story of the city that vanished — one of the most significant events in Portland's history.
Map & Directions
The Itinerary
Vanport Mosaic Memorial
A community-created memorial with interpretive panels telling the story of Vanport through photographs, oral histories, and artifacts.
Delta Park
The vast sports complex and green space that now covers most of what was Vanport. Look for the subtle contours and open space that once held 10,000 housing units.
Portland International Raceway
Built on the Vanport site in the 1960s. The raceway's access road follows the route of one of Vanport's main streets.
Smith & Bybee Wetlands Natural Area
A 2,000-acre protected wetland on the edge of the Vanport floodplain. Part of the same Columbia River ecosystem that overflowed in 1948. Excellent birdwatching and a boardwalk trail.
Kenton Main Street & Paul Bunyan
Just south of the Vanport site, the historic Kenton main street offers cafes, breweries, and the iconic 31-foot Paul Bunyan statue — a good place to reflect on the visit over a meal.
Tips
- The Vanport Mosaic memorial is located on N Denver Ave near Delta Park
- Visit the Oregon Historical Society or Portland State University library for exhibits and archives
- The Portland International Raceway and Delta Park sports fields now occupy the land
- Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area, part of the original Vanport floodplain, is nearby
- The 1948 flood changed Portland's racial demographics forever — thousands of displaced Black residents moved to Albina and NE Portland
- Pair this with a visit to the nearby Kenton neighborhood and Paul Bunyan statue
Best For
History buffs, photographers, anyone curious about Portland's hidden past