Sauvie Island Fire District

History - One of Oregon's Gems

Sauvie Island, originally Wapato Island, is approximately 10 miles north of Portland, Oregon. It is the largest island in the Columbia River and one of the largest islands in the U.S. Located at the junction of the Columbia River to the east, Willamette River to the south and Multnomah Channel to the west, the island’s northern half is a wildlife refuge and the southern half is predominantly rural farmland with small residential enclaves. Access to the island is by the Sauvie Island Bridge on Highway 30.

The island is approximately 24,000 acres—about 15 miles long and about four miles wide, almost the same size and shape as Manhattan. The northern 12,000 acres are owned by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and managed as the Sauvie Island Wildlife Area. The lakes and natural areas are a major stop on the Pacific Flyway and a bird-watching mecca. The southern half of the island is graced by farmland, including Century Farms (some that still bear the names of the early pioneers), farmers’ markets, an organic CSA (community-supported agriculture) and many U-picks. In 2008, a new bridge was dedicated by Multnomah County, its main span floated downriver in a memorable spectacle. With flat roadways, the island is popular with bicyclists and joggers. Sandy beaches on the Columbia draw warm-weather crowds, and the island is also renowned for hiking, hunting, fishing, and boating. There are not many places on earth where at sunrise you can go on a bald eagle watch and count a dozen bald eagles, paddle midday on a lake whose shores brim with wapato steeped in history, and at sunset travel a half hour into town to an elegant theater and watch Baryshnikov dance. The island’s population: about 445 households and 312 species of wildlife. Sauvie Island is a unique place, indeed.