Gresham ( GRESH-əm) is a city in the Willamette Valley, Located in Multnomah County in the U.S. state of Oregon, bordered by Portland to the northwest and partially in the southwest. it was first settled in the early 1850s by the Powell brothers. It remained unincorporated until 1905; it was named after Walter Quintin Gresham, an American Civil War general and United States Secretary of State. The early economy of the city was primarily supported by agriculture, and by the mid-20th century, the city saw a population boom, increasing from 4,000 residents to more than 10,000 between 1960 and 1970. The population was 114,247 at the 2020 census, making it the second most populous city in the county and the fourth-most populous city in Oregon. Gresham is an economic center for eastern Multnomah County.