Beginnings of Downtown Re-Development
Milwaukie was settled by pioneers coming West on the Oregon Trail in the late 1840s and early 1850s. The first settlers established lumber and grist mills and later several families established prosperous fruit orchards. Milwaukie and other Willamette River settlements lost out to Portland in the competition to become the major city on the Willamettte by the early 1860s.
Through most of the 19th century, Milwaukie was a semi-isolated rural enclave. It depended on the ferry or rough wagon trails for connection to Portland and other communities. Milwaukie as a community did not grow until the coming of the electrified interurban in the 1890s.
The early 21st century has brought more residential growth and the beginnings of downtown re-development. The new Orange Max light rail will likely spur more commercial and residential development.
Milwaukie City Hall
10722 SE Main St
Milwaukie, OR 97222
