“Early Portland: Stumptown Triumphant 1831-1854″ by Eugene E. Snyder

Title/Author: “Early Portland: Stumptown Triumphant 1831-1854″ by Eugene E. Snyder

Genre: Non-fiction – early Portland/Willamette Valley history

Rating: 4 out of 5

WV Reader Review: This history chronicles the development of Portland, OR, as a rival to Milwaukie and St. Helens for the dominant townsite on the Willamette. The book does an excellent job exploring the various factors such as anchorage, sand bars, relations with England, California Gold Rush, etc. all play into the development of the Rose City.

“Vanishing Portland” by Ray and Jeanna Bottenberg

"Vanishing Portland" by Ray and Jeanna Bottenberg

Title/Author: “Vanishing Portland” by Ray and Jeanna Bottenberg

Genre: Non-fiction – Portland Oregon

Rating: 3 out of 5

WV Reader Review: As with most of the “Images of America” series, this collection is long on the pictures and short on the story. Though filled wtih an excellent cross-section of pictures from Portland’s past, the varied subject matter almost covers too wide a scale. Captions provide only a sentence of the many places with decades of story.

“Portland Names and Neighborhoods: Their Historic Origins” by Eugene E. Snyder

Title/Author: “Portland Names and Neighborhoods: Their Historic Origins” by Eugene E. Snyder

Genre: Non-fiction – Portland history and geography

Rating: 4 out of 5

WV Reader Review: Every wonder where the name of your neighborhood or Portland street originated from? This history of the growth of the Rose City traces the incorporation of new neighborhoods. A great read for every Portland resident.