By PSU student Emily McDonald
The Port of Portland owns Swan Island, but during World War I and World War II the government leased the island for war production. Swan Island was a major benefactor of the war years’ development. Industrialist Henry Kaiser owned Swan Island Ship, and employed thousands of men and women. Many of these women worked as electricians, painters, machinists and pipefitters.
After WWII, Swan Island was returned to the Port of Portland. Because of existing residential communities, the Port converted the area to a light commercial and industrial zone.