Author Swannee Rivers Learns Father's Vanport, OR. History Connection

Summer time is at full blast when the food, beverages, and smooth jazz music is flowing at the Vanport Jazz Festival in Vanport, Oregon. During a visit to the area with family, l learned a major history lesson. Catastrophic flooding had taken place on the grounds of what is now known as Colwood Golf Course. A place where I had watched entertainers, and enjoyed life with friends over the past couple of years. But, little did I know, it was also a place that nearly claimed the life of my father, Zackery Bouey.

As a young boy ( 13 years age) Zackery, his family and approximately 40,000 other residents called this area (nation's second largest housing project,) home. An area where families were friendly, but many struggled to make ends meet. The community was quickly developed to accommodate the growing population of Portland residents, and those coming to the area to work at the shipyard. What many lacked for here financially, they made up for with the established friendships and love for their neighbors.

In 1948, this was seen in full force during a particularly wet season. The levee system failed from powerful pressure from the Columbia River, sending water rushing in to the city. As my father retells the events of that early May evening he heard sirens, and neighbors screaming- telling families to "get out, run, and it looks like you have just minutes." My father learned real fear on this day. It was the first time I understood why he didn't like to be in boats or surrounded by too much water. While it could be beautiful, he also understood its ability to destroy and take that which you hold dear.

Listening to his tale of preparing to run I wondered what he would try to grab to toss in to the car. There must have been something that meant alot to him. "What did you choose to take with you?" I asked. Looking serious, he informed me the family did not own a vehicle. I was stunned. This gave new meaning to everything that was happening. Soon groups of people were seen filling the streets, word of mouth informed them where they could go for buses that would take them to downtown Portland. They needed to reach higher ground, to stand a better chance of survival.

Finally making it to the pickup destination, they glanced around for others they knew. Some friends were determined to stay with their homes until the last minute believing they could sit on their roofs and remain safe. Little did they know the water would surpass 20 feet high that day, and an entire city would vanish. My father and his family trudged on until they were able to board a bus filled to the max. On route to a downtown Portland hotel, Zackery looked downward from a bridge overpass to what was once his home. Water was beginning to come in, and things that you didn't realize could be destroyed were disappearing. However, moving forward the family had each other and with the help of the Salvation Army and other local businesses they never returned to that home. It meant the family had to start over and build everything from scratch. Still, they had survived. Others were not so lucky.

The summer of 2022 I wiggled my toes in grass on the Colwood Golf Course, and my eyes graced the grounds knowing some of what had once happened in the space. Having seen many pictures of the water depth, and desperation on the faces of others-I felt shaken. When the MC of the jazz festival asked if there were any descendants of Vanport survivors in attendance, I stood proudly with the others. Knowing that my father was still a survivor, and had left me with several important lessons I will never forget.

People are what matter, not the material things.

You can always start over.

Keep your Faith.

We fail to realize how little we really need to survive.

His words hit home. Surviving this major life obstacle gave him a new appreciation for how he lived, and viewed life. In the process he made me understand the value in appreciating the smallest things.