Page 11 - Copyright 2013 - Pamplin Media Group
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FACT BOOK 2013-14
11
Connecting Our Communities
Tigard community
has rich history
By MIKEL KELLY
Pamplin Media Group
W
ilson and Polly Ti-
gard were the
early pioneers for
whom the city of
Tigard is named, according to
the book, “Tigardville —Ti-
gard,” by Mary Payne. They ar-
rived in Milwaukie in December
1852 after traveling more than
six months fromArkansas. Wil-
son Tigard then scouted the Tu-
alatin Plains to find a site to set-
tle and join other residents, in-
cluding George Richardson,
Solomon Richardson, David
Graham, William Graham and
John Hicklin.
The Tigards settled on their
320-acre donation land claim
near Bull Mountain, finding
game in abundance, a great
wealth of timber, very produc-
tive soil with good drainage and
a healthy climate free of fevers
and ague. Within a year of ar-
riving fromArkansas, and with
the help of their neighbors, the
Tigards created a log school-
house on their land. Later, Wil-
son Tigard helped build the ar-
ea’s first general store.
The one-room Butte School
served the needs of 83 to 85 chil-
dren from all ages. Locals called
the area Butte until about 1900.
About that time, folks started
referring to the area as Tigard-
ville, later shortening to Tigard
so railroad passengers would
not confuse the small town with
nearby Wilsonville.
The city of Tigard was incor-
porated in 1961. Nowadays, it
typifies the explosive growth in
the suburban Portland region,
with a most recent population
report of 49,774.
While upscale housing con-
tinues to develop on Bull Moun-
tain, Tigard’s highest point,
commercial growth is in evi-
dence in the area known as the
Tigard Triangle, bordered by
Interstate 5, Pacific Highway
and Highway 217. This growing
area, along with nearby Wash-
ington Square, has made Tigard
into a popular hub of com-
merce.
Connecting that hub, begin-
ning in late 2008, is the 14.7-mile
commuter rail that links Wil-
sonville, Tualatin, Tigard and
Beaverton, with a stop in down-
town Tigard.
Tigard is home to the Broad-
way Rose Theatre Company,
the Tigard Festival of Balloons,
held each summer in Cook
Park, and the busy Tigard Area
Farmers Market, which oper-
ates every Sunday from June
through October at the city’s
public works building, 8777 S.W.
Burnham St. A newmarket, the
Tigard Bull Mountain Farmers
Market, opened this year and
operates at the same time at
14389 S.W. Pacific Highway.
Tigard websites you should
know:
■
City of Tigard (tigard-or.gov)
■
Tigard-Tualatin School District
(ttsdschools.org)
■
Tigard Area Chamber of
Commerce (tigardchamber.org)
City has grown into a
commercial hub
TIMES FILE PHOTO
Stretches of the Fanno Creek Trail
provide a safe path for
pedestrians and bicyclists to
travel through town.
450677.102413 FB
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