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Hayden Island, downstream tip.
Downstream tip of Hayden Island, Oregon, as seen from Kelley Point, Oregon.
Image taken September 13, 2003.
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Hayden Island ...
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Hayden Island is a long narrow island, approximately 4 miles long, which lies along the Oregon shore of the Columbia River. The downstream tip begins at Columbia River Mile (RM) 102.5, just upstream of the mouth of the
Willamette River, and Hayden Island's upstream end merges with Tomahawk Island at RM 107. Government Island lies another 3 miles upstream.
Directly across from Hayden Island is Vancouver, Washington. The Interstate 5 bridge connects Vancouver with Hayden Island and provides the main route into Portland, Oregon, located 10 miles up the Willamette River.
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Lewis and Clark and "Image Canoe Island" ...
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Lewis and Clark passed Hayden Island in November 1805, and then camped within sight of Hayden Island on their return in 1806. They called the island "Image Canoe Island", after the highly decorated canoes the local Indians had. On their journey past this area Lewis and Clark had views of
Mount Hood and
Mount St. Helens. Their campsite of
March 30, 1806, was just downstream of
Ryan Point, Washington, and
across from the center of the Hayden Island of their time. This area would later be called "Jolie Prairie". From there they saw and named Mount Jefferson.
On April 2, 1806, Captain Clark passed Hayden Island as he explored six miles up the Willamette River to the location of today's Cathedral Park and St. Johns Bridge and Portland's Terminal 4.
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Gay Hayden ...
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"Hayden Island" was named after Gay Hayden, an early Oregon pioneer who emigrated to the Oregon Territory in 1850. When the Donation Land Claim became law, Gay and his wife Mary claimed 640 acres. They lived on the island for 5 years before moving across the river to Vancouver.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management's General Land Office Records (GLO) database (2015) shows Gay and Mary Jane Hayden being granted title to 644.4 acres of T2N R1E, parts of sections 28, 29, 32, 33, and 34, on March 8, 1866 (1850 Oregon-Donation Act).
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Many Names ...
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Hayden Island has carried many names throughout the past 200 years, including
"Menzies Island", "Image Canoe Island", "McTavish, Joe, and Barclay's Islands",
"Shaw Island", "Shaws Island", "Vancouver Island", Haydens Island", and "Hayden Island".
1792, "Menzies Island":
In 1792 Hayden Island was originally called "Menzies Island", named by
Lieutenant Broughton, on his exploration of the Columbia River as part of the George Vancouver expedition. Archibald Menzies was the botanist on that expedition.
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"... From Belle Vue Point they proceeded in the above direction, passing a small wooded island, about three miles in extent, situated in the middle of the stream. Their route was between this island and the southern shore, which is low; the soundings between its northwest point and the main land were three fathoms, increasing to four, five and six off its southeast point; from whence the river took its course S 75 E. This obtained the name of Menzies' Island, near the east end of which is small sandy, woody island that was covered with wild geese.
..."
[Broughton/Vancouver, October 29, 1792]
1805, "Image Canoe Island":
In 1805 Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery called today's Hayden Island "Image Canoe Island", after the highly decorated canoes they observed in the area.
The island is named on their route map [Moulton, vol.1, map#79] but is not named on the draft map [map#88].
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"... met a large & a Small Canoe from below, with 12 men the large Canoe was ornimented with Images carved in wood the figures of <man &> a Bear in front & a man in Stern, Painted & fixed verry netely on the <bow & Stern> of the Canoe, rising to near the hight of a man.
two Indians verry finely Dressed & with hats on was in this canoe
passed the lower point of the Island which is nine miles in length haveing passed 2 Islands on the Stard Side of this large Island, three Small Islands at its lower point. the Indians make Signs that a village is Situated back of those Islands on the Lard. Side and I believe that a Chanel is Still on the Lrd. Side
..."
[Clark, November 4, 1805]
Early 1800s, "Vancouver Island":
In the early 1800s, the Hudson's Bay Company called the island "Vancouver Island", honoring British Captain George Vancouver, whose exploration of the Columbia River in 1792 traveled 100 miles up the Columbia to an area upstream of today's Hayden Island.
1825, "Menzies Isle":
The 1825 Hudson's Bay Company map of the Columbia River has the island named "Menzies Isle".
1841, "McTavish, Joe, and Barclay's Islands":
In 1841, Wilkes, of the U.S. Exploring Expedition found a grouping of three islands in the area of today's Hayden Island.
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"... the river takes a bend to the southeast, increasing in width:
McTavish, Joe, and Barclay's Islands lie on its south shore. There is a channel
on the south side of these islands, but it is very shallow. ..."
[Wilkes, Chapter VII]
1860, 1863, 1888, "Vancouver Island":
The 1860, 1863, and 1888 cadastral survey maps (tax surveys) for T1N R1E have Hayden Island labeled as "Vancouver Island".
1888, "Shaw's Island":
An 1888 plat map of "Clarke County" has Hayden Island named "Shaw's Island" after Col. W. Shaw who had property on the island. The name "Shaw's Island" persisted throughout the end of the 1800s into the early 1900s.
1888, "Haydens Island" and "Oregon Slough":
The 1888 U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey's Chart "Columbia River, Sheet No.6, Fales Landing to Portland" has Hayden Island labeled as "Haydens Island" after settler Gay Hayden who had a Donation Land Claim on the island. The channel between Hayden Island and the Oregon shore labeled as "Oregon Slough" (today's North Portland Harbor).
1895, "Haydens Island" and "Haydens Slough":
An 1895 Corps of Engineers map calls the island "Haydens Island" and the channel between Hayden Island and the Oregon shore "Haydens Slough".
1905, "Hayden Island":
In 1905 the U.S. Board of Geographic Names made the name "Hayden Island" the official name.
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Early Maps ...
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Detail, 1852 Cadastral Survey map for T1N R1E, showing Hayden Island ("Vancouver Island") and the Columbia Slough ("Columbia Bayou").
Original map courtesy U.S. Bureau of Land Management, 2015.
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Views ...
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North Portland Harbor towards Hayden Island.
Image taken September 14, 2008.
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North Portland Harbor towards Hayden Island.
Image taken September 14, 2008.
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Hayden Island, Oregon, as seen from Vancouver Landing, Washington.
Image taken July 3, 2005.
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- Columbia Point ...
- Jantzen Beach ...
- North Portland Harbor ...
- Tomahawk Island ...
- Views from Hayden Island ...
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Columbia Point ...
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Columbia Point is the name given to a condominium complex located on the Oregon side of the Columbia, just upstream from the Interstate 5 Bridge. Good views can be had of the Columbia, the I-5 Bridge, Vancouver, Washington, and Columbia Shores - the location of Lewis and Clark's campsite of March 30, 1806.
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Jantzen Beach ...
For 42 years the western end of Hayden Island was home to the "Jantzen Beach Amusement Park", also known as
"The Coney Island of the West". The park opened on May 26, 1928, and, at the time, it was the largest amusement park in the United States. Eventually the park covered more than 123 acres and featured a Carousel, fun house, Big Dipper Roller Coaster, Golden-Canopied Ballroom which attracted big-name bands, four swimming pools, natatorium, 25 acres of picnic grounds, and 15 acres of parking. Over 30 million people visited the park throughout its history. Today the carousel resides within the Jantzen Beach Shopping Center and the pumping system from the swimming pools is used to pump drinking water to residents of Hayden Island. The second span of the Interstate 5 Bridge goes through the area which was once the Jantzen Beach Swimming Pool. The Jantzen Beach Amusement Park was named after one of the park's chief investor's, Carl Jantzen, of Jantzen Swimsuits. The name "Jantzen Beach" continues today for the area.
[More Jantzen Beach]
[More carousel]
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Penny Postcard: Jantzen Beach, Portland, Oregon.
Penny Postcard, "Jantzen Beach, On the Columbia River and Pacific Highway".
Reverse side is blank.
Card #23.
In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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Penny Postcard: "Swimming Pools at Jantzen Beach on the Columbia River, near Portland, Oregon"
Photo by A.M. Prentiss.
C.T. American Art Colored.
No.451-29.
Message on back dated June 18, 1929.
In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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Jantzen Beach Carousel, Portland, Oregon.
Image taken July 1, 2006.
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Jantzen Beach Carousel, Portland, Oregon.
Image taken July 1, 2006.
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North Portland Harbor ...
The North Portland Harbor is the official name of the channel which separates Hayden Island and Tomahawk Island from the mainland Oregon. Throughout history it has had other names, including the "Oregon Slough" and "Hayden's Slough". In 1913 the U.S. Board of Geographic Names made "North Portland Harbor" the official name.
[More]
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North Portland Harbor, from Tomahawk Island, Portland, Oregon.
The Interstate 5 is in the background.
Image taken July 1, 2006.
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Tomahawk Island ...
Tomahawk Island lies at the eastern end of Hayden Island. The two islands have almost been consolidated into one by river silting and road construction.
In 1806 Lewis and Clark gave the name "Tomahawk Island" to a small island between "Image Canoe Island" and the prairie on the north shore of the Columbia River, which would become Vancouver, Washington. This island was eventually washed away, as is typical of islands in the Columbia River. In 1927 the United States Board of Geographic Names was petitioned to assign the name to a new island which formed on the east end of Hayden Island.
Tomahawk Island was the home to Columbia Beach and Lotus Isle Amusement Parks.
[More]
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Tomahawk Island.
Tomahawk Island, Oregon as seen from Ryan Point, Washington.
Image taken June 15, 2003.
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Views from Hayden Island ...
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A steaming Mount St. Helens with Vancouver, Washington.
View from Hayden Island, Oregon.
Image taken December 18, 2004.
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Vancouver and the Vancouver to Hayden Island railroad bridge, as seen from Hayden Island, Oregon.
Image taken July 3, 2005.
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Vancouver, Washington, and the Interstate 5 Bridge.
View from Hayden Island.
Image taken May 28, 2007.
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Mount Hood, Oregon, the Empress of the North, and the shoreline of Hayden Island.
View from under the Interstate 5 bridge, Hayden Island side.
Image taken March 29, 2004.
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Mount Hood, Oregon, the Empress of the North, from dock and walkway at Hayden Island.
Image taken March 29, 2004.
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"The Golden Age of Postcards" ...
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The early 1900s was the "Golden Age of Postcards", with the "Penny Postcard" being a popular way to send greetings to family and friends. The postcards now have become a image of history.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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Clark, November 4, 1805 ...
Clark, March 30, 1806 ...
Clark, April 2, 1806 ...
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