In 1852 William Watts (Grandfather to James Grant Watts) and

his family arrived in Scappoose.  William traveled across the

Oregon Trail with his wife and children to reach his promise

land.  Successful in their arrival, William and his eldest son, 
Benjamin, partook in the Land Grant Claim Act.  William was 

granted 640 acres while Benjamin received 320 acres.
 
In 1853 the first organized school came in. An actual school

house was built in 1854 which was a four room wooden

structure.
 
1856 saw the first post office built at Brown's Landing on the 

Multnomah Channel.
 
During 1863 the Homestead Act, more settlers came to the

valleys and canyons west of Scappoose.  These settlers arrived

by stern wheelers, trains, oxen carts and established trails and roads.  Traveling was difficult on the roads as they were muddy and wet a good portion of the year. The settlers built their lives and businesses which comprised of dairy, cattle, poultry farms, lumbering and horticultural ventures.  Mercantiles, banks, restaurants and boarding houses as well as other enterprises became a part of the town.
 
1869 brought the completion of the Transcontinental railroad.

 

In 1870 Congress passed an Act where land owners were to donate some of their land for the completion of the railroad and telegraph line between Portland and Astoria. William West donated six acres to the railroad to build a depot and switching yards if they would call it Scappoose Depot.

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Scappoose 1830-1852 |  Scappoose 1852-1870 |  Scappoose 1884-Present

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