Portland vs. Seattle: A brief history of a centuries-old feud
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Ah, yes. The classic Seattle vs. Portland rivalry — it's one that goes back further than any one of us has been alive (not including the Cullens, though).
The big picture: Tracing it through history can explain why our underlying tensions still boil.
- "Every state has these built-in animosities with their neighbors," Katy Barber, a Pacific Northwest historian, told Axios. "They are light and not really serious until it comes to trying to build a bridge or something."
Flashback: Territorial Washington was created out of Oregon Territory in 1853. Back then, Portland was known for its natural resources and shipping ports, while Seattle, bolstered by railroads, saw a huge influx of population in the 1880s because of it.
- Both cities employed seasonal laborers in agriculture, timber and fisheries. But each would blame the other for sending "tramps" to flood their city during the offseason, Barber said, kicking off the initial finger pointing.
- In 1919, Seattle earned its name as a union town by hosting the first-ever general strike, attracting workers up from Portland, which was known for being more conservative.
- During World War II, the University of Washington received substantial federal funding for military development, giving the state national recognition and solidifying it as an institution for research.
- This put Oregon's reputation as a trailblazer on the backburner, per Barber.
A clear divide — between a 19th century city and a 20th century one — quickly emerged in the decades after.
Case in point: At the Oregon Centennial in 1959, Portland hosted a celebration honoring the pioneers who headed west 100 years earlier. A modest 1.5 million people were in attendance over 100 days and a 30-foot Paul Bunyan was erected to mark the occasion.
- The World's Fair in Seattle in 1962, on the other hand, focused on the future of space exploration. It drew nearly 10 million visitors from around the globe and introduced the iconic 605-foot Space Needle that defines the cityscape.
Yes, but: While Seattleites may tout that they've taken their local appeal and made it international — with household names like Starbucks, Microsoft, Amazon and Boeing — Portland has, in part, stayed true to its anti-establishment ethos.
- Portland is home to a flourishing punk and underground arts scene (sorry, Olympia).
- Plus: Rose City has far better, and farther reaching, biking infrastructure.
- Not to mention it's still a way cheaper place to live.
The bottom line: Seattle and Portland will always be rivals when it comes to economic primacy because both are facing similar modern-day challenges: rapidly aging populations, lack of affordable housing and, yes, notoriously bad traffic.