Fruit Valley Neighbors

Fruit Valley Neighbors

Neighborhood History

Fruit Valley has a colorful past tied together by actions of neighbors working together to achieve goals. Once called "New Dakota" due to the influx of residents from North and South Dakota, Fruit Valley has weathered many changes. According to The Columbian, of the neighborhood associations in Vancouver, Rosemere is the most populated, while Fruit Valley is the largest in area. However, this sparsity in population doesn't deter this from being a tight-knit community.
Through the inception of the Fruit Valley Homeowners Association in 1949, neighbors have worked together to build a dike to protect low-lying area from further water damage during the Vanport flood of 1948, rallied against an oil refinery scheduled
to be sited in the area, were outraged about the idea to close Fruit Valley Elementary School in 1978, and united to renovate an abandoned fire station into a community center in the early 1980s.
The name Fruit Valley once required no explanation. One glimpse of the surrounding landscape would yield a breathtaking view of vast walnut, prune and peach orchards. However, houses encroached rapidly upon these orchards during World War
II when the government built them for workers at the shipyards. Industry also took its toll on the surrounding orchards. This has resulted in a sparse dotting of orchards sharing the landscape with industry and residential area. This residential area has become an island surrounded by business and industry.
The Fruit Valley Homes were built in response to need created from World War II. Along with Fruit Valley, neighborhoods were created called "Burton Homes", "Bagley Downs", "Fourth Plain Village", and "McLoughlin Heights" all on the east side of town except Fruit Valley. The distinguishing characteristic of homes built in Fruit Valley, is they were built to be permanent and were better structures.

Fruit Valley Park

Fruit Valley Park is located off Northwest Fruit Valley Road. The park features a dense canopy of old growth fir covering a lush expanse of rich green grass. Concrete paths
meander throughout the park.