Happy Valley, Oregon

A small town no more. Happy Valley's transformation from an isolated, rural farming community to one of the most popular places to live in the Portland metro area didn't happen all at once. With its fertile volcanic soil, it was once the ideal place to settle for many families coming to the Oregon Territory, including the Deardorffs and the Talberts. As the town slowly grew, residents like James Robnett, the first mayor and Ed Rebstock, known as "Mr. Happy Valley," left their marks on the locals and the land. When the town's population exploded in the 1990s, newcomers brought prosperity and growing pains as they sought a balance between green spaces and urban amenities. Join author Mark W. Hurlburt as he traces the origins of Happy Valley.