Pre-1800
This promontory of 40 feet of basalt was a forested area with wetlands. Nearby, Native Americans lived in lodges along the Clackamas River. Pre-history indicated wide-spread burning of the Willamette Valley underbrush from lightening, or human activity, which resulted in the White Oak Savannah habitat. White Oak survived because they are fire-resistant and the habitat promotes its own unique features and species. Oregon White Oaks dominate Gladstone and our Nature Park today.

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1843
James Robb, an emigrant mission employee, purchased Klackamus Farm, which included the Nature Park property, but was larger. The following year, he sold the tract to the Fendel Cason family. The Casons cleared the land of trees and drained it for farming, but the land was not suited for crops.

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Early 1900s
The Oberson family acquires the Nature Park portion, built a house and grazed horses. A barn stood near the current Nature Trail and chinchilla are raised where the Baptist Church sits. The farm included all of the church property, as well as the acreage where the 120 Webster Ridge Apartments stand today. (The original Oberson house was leveled recently to build the apartments.)

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1999
Descendants of the Oberson family listed the property for sale. Developers plan a low-income housing project. Public outcry and city leaders reject the plan and the land is quickly rezoned C3 Community Commercial.

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2008
Another developer, Ken Leahy, purchases the property to build an Albertsons grocery store and strip mall. The project requires logging all the trees, blasting 30 feet of rock down to street level, and crushing the rock into gravel over a three-year period. Most concerning is the 700,000 dump truck loads that would remove the gravel. Amid public outcry, the city rejects the proposal, but Clackamas County issues the permit anyway. After a court battle, the city acquires the land and pays the developer $3.1 million.

City Resolution 934 designates the land for use as a park, open space, and new library site.

City Resolution 971 adds the park to the City Master Plan. Gladstone received a Metro Nature in Neighborhoods Grant for a paved trail and trail easements in the park.

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2014
The Gladstone Nature Park is again at risk. It is brought up to the Library Advisory Committee as a “source of revenue” for the new library and other undisclosed projects.

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2015
Measure 3-471 passes, stipulating that "certain surplus properties" be sold off to fund a new police station and city hall. This vague language puts all Gladstone parks at risk. At a town hall meeting, the mayor and council discuss extracting gravel from the Gladstone Nature Park to fund city projects.

A citizen committee, Friends of Gladstone Nature Park (FOGNAP), is formed to protect the parks.

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2016
Measures 3-505 and 3-506 were approved by Gladstone voters, with more than 83 and 86 percent respectively in favor, that will require public votes if the city ever intends to sell a public park for private development.
        3-505 : Charter Amendment Requiring Approval for Park Sale or Lease
        3-506 : Charter Amendment Requiring Voter Approval to Change Designation of Parks

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April 30, 2016
The first Gladstone Arbor Day Celebration is held in Gladstone Nature Park! It is now an annual event.

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Spring 2019
A grant for $11,600 to build a butterfly/pollinator hill is approved by Metro. FOGNAP will use volunteers and students to add native plants to the hill that will attract and support birds, butterflies and bees to the park.

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Today
Gladstone Nature Park is a secret jewel in our community. The Park has soft trails where people and dogs can walk and enjoy nature. Many volunteers work each month to remove invasive plants and reveal striking features, such as the large basalt outcroppings. The Nature Park confirms the high value that the Gladstone citizens have for nature and open space, and it is dedicated to Gladstone’s future generations of nature lovers.