Taking a look at Portland snowstorms from the past

By Kristyna Wentz-Graff (OPB)
Feb. 24, 2023 4:12 p.m.

Road crew with shovels stand on foster road after clearing snow off street during 1916 winter snowfall, Foster Road in SE Portland, Jan. 21. 1916.

Snow removal vehicle at SW Tichner Dr., near Council Crest in Portland, circa 1956.

Snow scene on SE 20th Ave looking north towards SE Belmont Ave, 1922.

Snow storm damage at NE 19th & Weidler, 1917.

Snow covering shipyards at Swan Island, Portland, 1945.

Clearing the Track of the O.R. & N.R.R., from Rooster Rock to Oneonta Falls, circa 1884-85.

Man driving a wood and coal delivery buggy in the snow, 1910.

Crew busy at snow removal on SW 12th Ave between Main and Jefferson St., Feb. 2, 1950.

Clearing the Track of the O.R. & N.R.R., from Rooster Rock to Oneonta Falls, circa 1885-85.

Howard and Myrtle Burnham playing in the snow in a clearing in a forested area at Mountain, Ore., circa 1908.

Machinery and men doing snow removal on SW Broadway and Yamhill, Jan. 25, 1943.

Peninsula Park after a snow storm, 1913.

People dig out a street car after a heavy snow fall, on East Glisan near East 39th Avenue, circa 1916.

Feb 1., 1937 saw 12.8 inches of snow in downtown Portland. Here is an image from Feb 2 as crews try to dig out.

316 SE Madison (between SE 3rd Ave and SE Union Ave), 1929.

Women and Girls in the snow in the South West Park Blocks in Portland, Ore., Dec. 31, 1890.

Dewayne Deveny and sister near NE 80th and Glisan over snow storm, Portland, Ore., 1918. The house on the left was built in 1902 and still stands to this day. The building on the corner just past the house was the home to a grocers when it was first built in 1911 and now is the home to East Glisan, a pizza lounge.

A woman sits on fallen utility poll at NE 19th & Weidler after a snow storm, Dec. 31, 1917.

Lorraine Carter and Peggy Hawver laugh as they ice-skate home from store streets turned to ice rink, Portland, Ore., January 11, 1942

Bulldozer, driven by Henry Wilmes, clears snow off street car tracks on Broadway so they can make their 1st run of the day, NW Portland, 1943.

Crew by trucks and scoopmobile for snow removal on SW 12th Ave between Main and Jefferson Streets, SW Portland, Feb. 2, 1950. The First Baptist Church can be seen on the right side in the distance.

Snow removal operations at SW 6th Ave and Morrison St looking north, Portland, Ore., Jan. 4 1950. Not seen are the Pioneer Courthouse on the right and Pioneer Square on the left. The clock on the building on the left still stands.

Snow removal operations at SW 6th Ave and Washington St looking north, Portland, Ore., Jan. 4, 1952.

This week’s snow accumulation in Portland surprised many. A total of 10.8 inches of snow was recorded at Portland International Airport, where official records have been kept since 1939. A massive snowstorm dropped about 16 inches of snow in 1937, which pre-dates the official snowfall totals recorded at the airport. Take a look at how Oregonians handled extreme weather in the past.

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