Sauvie Island - History

History

• 1792 - British Lieutenant William Broughton in George Vancouver's expedition explores the island and names the northern tip "Warrior Point" after being greeted offshore by 23 canoes of armed Multnomah Indians.
• October 29 - Mount Hood was named on October 29, 1792, as Lt. Broughton observed its peak from Belle Vue Point at the southern tip of Sauvie Island during his travels up the Columbia River, writing A very high, snowy mountain now appeared rising beautifully conspicuous in the midst of an extensive tract of low or moderately elevated land (location of today's Vancouver, Washington) lying S 67 E., and seemed to announce a termination to the river. Lt. Broughton named the mountain after British admiral Samuel Hood.
• November 4, 1805 - The Lewis and Clark expedition lands, names it "Wapato Island" after the abundance of Broadleaf arrowhead plants, which are also known as "Indian potato" and were a major foodstuff for indigenous peoples in the Pacific Northwest.
• 1832 - Much of the native population dies in an epidemic; Hudson's Bay Company at Fort Vancouver removes survivors and burns settlements.
• 1834 - American Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth builds and occupies Fort William, a small trading post, to compete with the British; abandoned 1836.
• c. 1836 - Hudson's Bay Company establishes dairies on the island, managed by French-Canadian employee Laurent Sauvé (after whom the island is now named).
• 1851 - Mouth of Willamette post office is established; renamed Souvies Island the following year.
• 1858 - James Bybee builds Bybee–Howell House. The structure was added to the NRHP in 1974, and is part of Howell Territorial Park.

• 1889 - Warrior Rock Lighthouse established at Warrior Point.
• 1930s - The Army Corps of Engineers builds flood-control dikes.
• 1940s - Sauvie Island Wildlife Area acquired by the state of Oregon.
• November 29, 1943 - Sauvie Island Conservation District is formed by unanimous vote.
• December 30, 1950 - Sauvie Island Bridge opens; Sauvie Island Ferry closes.
• 2006 - Multnomah County begins construction of new Sauvie Island Bridge.
• 2009 - New Sauvie Island Bridge opens with a parade and a performance by the Oregon Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps.