Storied and Scandalous Portland, Oregon: A History of Gambling, Vice, Wits, and Wagers

When vice and scandal are all fun and games.

Portland, Oregon began as a town of itinerant young men who had no shortage of diversions at the end of the workday. This city grew up with lots of revelry and little regulation. After the last tree fell in logging season and after the workday ended on the docks, those young men broke out the cards. Saloon culture quickly took hold in Portland, offering alcohol, sex, gambling, and other diversions. This book traces the storied and scandalous history of Portland, from the underground and elite saloons and gambling rings to the vice, scandal, and fun they brought. Readers will meet the impresarios, gangsters, and racketeers who colored Portland’s history.

"Not your father's history book...Don't let Streckert's enthusiastic and breezy tone fool you. Storied and Scandalous Portland, Oregon is a deep dive into Portland's oft untold history...If you want an unflinching look at darker aspects of Portland's history, look no further." Jamie Jeffers, The British History Podcast

"Storied and Scandalous rides the fine line between detailed and entertaining to create an extremely readable and thoroughly informative look at old Portland. Joe Streckert's affection for Portland is evident, but it never clouds his commitment to thoughtfulness, consideration, and accuracy when it comes to relaying intriguing and provocative tales from the past." Jim Gibbons, Dark Horse Presents, editor

"Storied and Scandalous Portland, Oregon is a whirlwind tour of the "sporting" side of Stumptown. It's a fantastic collection of wonderful stories, briefly and evocatively told, tracking the changes in Portland's gambling scene from the crooked Faro banks of the 1860s to the pinball rackets of the 1950s and beyond." Finn J. D. John, Author of "Wicked Portland: The Wild and Lusty Underworld of a Frontier Seaport Town" (2012, The History Press)

Joe Streckert is an independent journalist from Portland, Oregon. His work has been published by McSweeney's, Nerve.com, Not For Tourists, Comic Book Resources, and The Daily Journal of Commerce. Joe is a founding member of Stumptown Stories and the host of The Weird History Podcast.