Northeast 164th Avenue is born at the edge of the Columbia River in the Fisher area and climbs to a gentle plateau as it heads north. This is Mill Plain, the first of a series of plains that rise terrace-like from the Columbia.

The Hudson's Bay Co., which founded Fort Vancouver in 1825, was the first to recognize the potential of Mill Plain. Old records indicate the company had a thousand acres under cultivation early in the 1800's raising wheat that was ground into flour at the grist mill in the Ellsworth area.

While Fort Vancouver was still a trading post, the Hudson's Bay co. operated a store and had stables and barns about where the Mill Plain Elementary School now is located.

The first commercial orchard in Clark county was planted in East Mill Plain in 1855 by Dr. Joe Knight. More than a half-century later, the orchard was still bearing and supported a large fruit-processing company.

Among the earliest permanent settlers were Jacob Duback, Robert McQueen, J.A. Earnst, Henry Hitchcock, C.A. Tiffany, Carl English and Jim Matt and C.S. Blair.

In August 1879, Robert Robb, county superintendent of schools, roamed the county by foot and on horseback and recorded his observations. The "ridge road" (now Mill Plain road) east from Vancouver cut through a forest of thick firs, then suddenly burst out into a fertile plain, he reported. "This is an area of fine houses and barns, thrifty orchards and blooming gardens. This area has been truly blessed by nature."

The first elementary school in East Mill Plain was constructed in 1863, during the Civil War, on property owned by Jacob Duback. The second school, built in 1887, served the community for 55 years. It was sold in 1948 and made into apartment units.

In 1909, residents of the district voted to construct a four-room high school at a cost of $4,000 to $5,000. The Fisher and Harmony districts joined in the effort and the school was opened on Jan. 1, 1910. the final cost was $6,490.

The Union Ridge High school was located on the site of the existing elementary school, at 400 S.E. 164th Avenue. James Blair was the first principal and Nettie Miller the teacher when the high school opened with 50 pupils.

At the time, it was reported the Mill Plain community consisted of two stores, a barbershop, two churches, one shoe shop and two blacksmith shops.

Below is a picture from the 1980's, right before the development began. You can drive up there today and see nothing but stores and complexes. It's hard to imagine this area was once all farm land.