The Vanport School building at the time of its opening, near Portland. Construction debris is in front of the building, with workers on a utility pole and on the ground. Piles of pipe and wood can be seen (negative 3 of 7).

The principal of Vanport School, standing out side an office. The woman is on a wooden porch with one hand on a door, next to which is window sign reading “Principal, Mrs. Skeen” (negative 4 of 7).

People in an office at Vanport School, standing next to the desk of school principal Mrs. Skeen. The principal is also standing and facing towards the visitors, with one arm extended and holding a pencil (negative 6 of 7).

People on a sidewalk outside of a school in Vanport. A man and woman stand next to a sign that reads “No Parking” while a school bus can be seen parked along the curb in the distance. On the left side of the street is a “Shopping Center” building (negative 2 of 11).

People stand outside a corner building in Vanport. On the corner is a sign that reads “Baseball Tonite, 6:30” and an “Administration” building can be seen across the street (negative 3 of 11).

A building lined street in Vanport. Identical two-story buildings can be seen extending into the distance, and people can be seen walking along both sides of the street (negative 7 of 11).

People sit on covered benches (at a bus stop?) in Vanport. In the distance is a street lined with people and buildings, including one with a sign reading “administration” (negative 9 of 11).

Five women gathered around a table at Vanport City. On the table are boxes and a vase holding what appear to be cut plants (negative 4 of 4).

Students seated at a table in a cafeteria at Vanport School, with one adult. Many of the girls are looking towards the camera and smiling. A photograph from this series was published on page 54 of the Oregon Journal on Sunday, December 10, 1944 (negative 1 of 3).

Students line up at a window at the Vanport School cafeteria. Plates of food and glass milk bottles are on a counter at the window, which can also be seen on a table at the center of the frame. This photograph was published on page 54 of the Oregon Journal on Sunday, December 10, 1944 (negative 3 of 3).

Delores Skovgaard sorting through personal items after residents were allowed back into Vanport, Oregon following the Vanport flood. The caption on the photograph reads, “My sister Dee helping.”

A view of damaged apartment buildings in Vanport, Oregon after the water receded from the Vanport flood. The caption on the photograph reads, “Slough in background. No more bridge from Victory Avenue across Bayou Slough to Island Avenue.”

Unidentified people climbing over piles of debris left behind after the flood waters retreated during the Vanport flood. Several apartment buildings lifted from their foundations by the flood waters are visible in the wreckage.

A photograph of several unidentified people climbing through debris left by the Vanport flood. In the distance, people are visible standing on the roofs of flooded apartment buildings lifted from their foundations by the water. Vanport City, once the second largest city in Oregon, was destroyed by a flood on May 30, 1948 when water breached a nearby section of the dike along the Columbia River. This photograph was part of a series of selected snapshots of "Vanport City, Ore. Destroyed by the Mighty Columbia River," sold as a set after the flood.

A photograph of an unidentified woman sitting on the rooftop of a flooded apartment building during the Vanport flood. The back of the image is stamped with, "Camera Art Studio 4706 N. E. Glisan VE, 3866 Portland, 13, Oregon. 3810 8."

A photograph of an unidentified group of police officers and Vanport residents Walking across a broken bridge and searching through debris left by the Vanport flood.

A photograph of an unidentified group of police officers and Vanport residents standing near debris left by the Vanport flood.

A photograph of the field of debris left after the Vanport flood.

A photograph of a large crowd of people shoveling sand into sandbags during the Vanport flood.

A photograph of several apartments in high flood waters during the Vanport flood. Several rowboats are tied at the edge of the water.

A photograph of three unidentified men in a rowboat among the flooded apartment buildings during the Vanport flood.

A photograph of unidentified people walking through debris left behind after the Vanport flood. The back of the image is stamped with, "Camera Art Studio 4706 N. E. Glisan VE, 3866 Portland, 13, Oregon. 3810 10."

A photograph of unidentified people viewing the damage caused by the Vanport flood. Several people are visible standing on the rooftops of flooded buildings and three unidentified men are attempting to navigate a rowboat through the debris. The back of the image is stamped with, "Camera Art Studio 4706 N. E. Glisan VE, 3866 Portland, 13, Oregon. 3810 21."

A photograph of an unidentified woman sitting on the rooftop of a flooded apartment building during the Vanport flood. Three unidentified people look on in the foreground. The back of the image is stamped with, "Camera Art Studio 4706 N. E. Glisan VE, 3866 Portland, 13, Oregon. 3810 22."