Mock's Bottom

Reclaimed wetland in Portland, Oregon, U.S.
45°34′13″N 122°42′18″W / 45.5703952°N 122.7050973°W / 45.5703952; -122.7050973LocationPortland, Oregon, U.S.Elevation13 m (43 ft)
[1]

Mock's Bottom (also Mocks Bottom)[1] is a lowland northeast of Swan Island in Portland, Oregon, United States. It acquired its name from Henry Mock, who settled a donation land claim in the area with his family in 1852. Mock's Crest (45°34′30″N 122°42′40″W / 45.5751173°N 122.7112086°W / 45.5751173; -122.7112086), named for Henry Mock's son John Mock, is a bluff that overlooks the lowland.[2]

Mock's Bottom existed as a wetland under natural conditions.[3][4] In 1920, a committee appointed by Portland mayor George L. Baker recommended that Mock's Bottom be filled for future industrial development. At the time, a large portion of Mock's Bottom was owned by private interests, and was considered to be one of the best duck hunting areas in Portland.[5]

The Port of Portland purchased Mock's Bottom from Multnomah County in 1958.[6] In 1980, the Port reached an agreement with the City of Portland whereby 177 acres (72 ha) of Mock's Bottom would be developed into industrial land.[7] Port officials designated the project the "Mocks Landing Industrial Park", as they felt "bottom" was not dignified.[2][8] The first land sale at the industrial park was completed in May 1981,[9] and dredging was nearly completed by January 1982.[6]

See also

  • John Mock House, located on Mock's Crest

References

  1. ^ a b "Mocks Bottom". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Lewis A. McArthur; Lewis L. McArthur (2003). Oregon Geographic Names (7th ed.). Portland: Oregon Historical Society Press. p. 653. ISBN 0-87595-278-X.
  3. ^ Jim Speirs (February 28, 2014). "Mock's Bottom Adventures" (PDF). St. Johns Review. Portland, Ore. p. 1+. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-04-19.
  4. ^ Jim Speirs (April 22, 2016). "The Cut: Part III" (PDF). St. Johns Review. p. 4, col. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-03-13.
  5. ^ E. Kimbark MacColl (1979). The Growth of a City: Power and Politics in Portland, Oregon, 1915 to 1950. Portland, Ore.: The Georgian Press. p. 229. ISBN 0-9603408-1-5.
  6. ^ a b "Business notes: Dredging nearly finished". The Oregonian. January 28, 1982. p. A19.
  7. ^ Steve Jenning (March 8, 1980). "Mocks Bottom plan unveiled". The Oregonian. p. A10.
  8. ^ Rod Patterson (September 21, 1980). "In one ear: Mocks Bottom offends Port marketing staff". The Sunday Oregonian. Sec. 2, p. 2.
  9. ^ Bob Olmos (May 14, 1981). "Mocks Landing site sold to equipment firm". The Oregonian. p. C7.
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  • 1939 photograph of Swan Island and Mock's Bottom at Vintage Portland
  • 1949 photograph of Mock's Bottom at Vintage Portland
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