August 15-16, Plymouth UCC will join Congregational Church on Mercer Island and Museum Without Walls for a powerful journey to Portland to uncover the rise and sudden disappearance of Vanport, once Oregon’s second-largest city. Named for its location between Vancouver and Portland, Vanport was a wartime housing project that became home to a diverse and thriving community. By 1948, it was still home to 18,500 residents, including many African Americans. However, in less than two hours on Memorial Day 1948, a devastating flood wiped out the town, leaving a displaced community and raising many lingering questions.
We’ll visit the former site, hear firsthand accounts from survivors, and reflect on the enduring lessons of race, housing, and resilience in America.