Central Eastside
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Subdistrict
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  Central Eastside
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| Coordinates: 45°30′54″N 122°39′39″W / 45.515097°N 122.660782°W / 45.515097; -122.660782PDF map | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| City | Portland |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.11 sq mi (2.9 km2) |
The Central Eastside is a subdistrictofPortland, Oregon, United States, situated in Southeast Portland along the east bank of the Willamette River. It makes up a part of Portland's Central City district.
In 1845, Oregon Trail pioneer James B. Stephens laid claim to 640 acres (260 ha) across the Willamette River from the then-newly established Portland townsite.[2] The land had been controlled by John McLoughlin of the Hudson's Bay Company,[3][4]: 2 and its location along the east bank of the river—with its marshes, creeks, and sloughs—made development challenging.[5]: 3 Stephens established the Stark Street Ferry, whose paddle wheel was powered by a mule on a treadmill, to link the east and west sides of the river in 1848.[6] On April 16, 1868, the Oregon Central Railroad broke ground at the settlement, which by then was being referred to as East Portland.[7] Its railroad extended to Salem the following year and helped to start the development of an economy based on the shipment of agricultural products across the Willamette Valley.[8] The railroad led Stephens to incorporate the City of East Portland in 1870 with its population of 8,293.[4]: 6 [9]
