[2] In the spring of 1847, Lawrence Hall filed the first land claim, comprising 640 acres (2.6 km2), at Beaver Dam (later Beaverton) and constructed the first grist mill in the valley.

In 1849 Thomas Hicklin Denney and his wife Berrilla built the first sawmill in the Beaverton area, leading to a later boom in the timber industry.

The lack of roads connecting the upper valley to the Willamette River quickly became a hindrance to early settlers.

[3] In the second half of the 20th century the valley became increasingly suburbanized and now forms a distinct cultural area that rivals Portland itself in political and economic influence.

The communities along the Tualatin Valley Highway (the descendant of the old plank road), form a suburban corridor stretching west of Beaverton.

Established in 1970 in Tualatin Valley, Ponzi Vineyards was among the first Oregon wineries to produce estate-grown Pinot Noir.

As of June 3, 2020, Ponzi Vineyards is located within the Laurelwood District AVA which was approved by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).