Old Town Lake Oswego
Old Town in Lake Oswego is the location where the
community was born. It originally was known as
Oswego named after a town in New York State.
The Oregon Iron Company began operation in 1865 until
it failed in 1876. The company employed about 80 men
when the furnace was in full operation.
In 1877 two investors formed the Oswego Iron Company
operating the furnace, which produced a total of 18,500
tons of iron until financial troubles closed it in 1881.
In 1882 the company was reorganized as the Oregon Iron
and Steel Company. The company employed approximately
300 men at one time. Business was great in the 1890's,
but soon declined as ships began dumping imported iron
on the docks in Portland. The iron had served as ballast
and could be sold at a relatively low price. The
depression of 1893 brought about the final closure of
the plant in 1894.
With the decline of the iron industry and the increased
popularity of the lake as a recreation area, the
residential area grew mainly to the west. The
boundaries of the Willamette River, the iron foundry,
and the main road and commercial avenue of Oswego
prevented Old Town from expanding much beyond its
original borders.
Today you will find Lake Oswego one of the most
sought after areas in the state due to its great
schools, downtown shopping, convenient location to I-5,
I-205, and I-217, as well as its citizen oriented
atmosphere and newsletter that keeps you informed.
