Ted Harris · Portland Real Estate

North Portland includes the neighborhoods of St. Johns, Cathedral Park, University Park, Overlook, Portsmouth, Kenton, Arbor Lodge, Bridgeton, Hayden Island, Piedmont, Humboldt, Eliot, Jantzen Beach and Boise.

The St. John's neighborhood is named for the St. John's Bridge. This gothic style bridge was built by Dr. D.B. Steinman in the early 1930's, who claimed "It is the ethical duty of the builders to make bridges beautiful as well as useful". The Overlook neighborhood is so named for the bluff overlooking the Willamette River. This area of grand homes is where the University of Portland is located. On the banks of the Columbia River, the Jantzen Beach neighborhood includes Delta Park, Portland International Raceway, and Jantzen Beach SuperCenter.

During World War II, a planned development named Vanport was constructed to the north of this section between the city limits and the Columbia River. It grew to be the second largest city in Oregon, but was wiped out by a disastrous flood in 1948. Columbia Villa, another wartime housing project in the Portsmouth Neighborhood, is being rebuilt; the new $150 million community will be known as New Columbia and will offer public housing, rental housing, and single family home ownership units. In 2004, a new light rail line opened along Interstate Ave., parallel to I-5

For More Information on North Portland
try the North Portland Online Website

Boise

In the mid 1980's this neighborhood was deteriorating fast, but In 1999 the city of Portland created the Mississippi Historic District Target Area to improve public safety, upgrade housing and attract businesses. The area is very diversely populated and most residents are under the age of 35. The new MAX line is three blocks away and successful businesses and restaurants are adding to the improvement in the neighborhood.

North Mississippi Avenue was populated in the 1800s by ship workers of European descent. In the 50s and 60s, Interstate 5 and Memorial Coliseum were constructed.

The North is a great area to commute from, being only 3 miles north of downtown on I-5. Less than half of the residents are homeowners. Public transportation is convenient and affordable.

Boise Boundaries

West - Interstate 5
East - N. Rodney Ave./ N. Mallory Ave./N. MLK
North - N. Skidmore Street
South - N. Freemont Street/Underpass of I-405

It's a neighborhood in transition, with new affordable-home developments being built, older houses being remodeled, and the new Interstate MAX light-rail line under construction just a few blocks west. It is about 4.5 miles North of downtown, just to the East of I-5.

Peninsula Park is a historical park in the neighborhood and The Villa St. Rose convent, built in 1916 is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The population of Piedmont is very diverse and about 67% are home owners.

Piedmont Boundaries

West - Interstate 5
East - Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
North - Columbia Boulevard
South - Ainsworth Street.

University Park

Founded by Methodists who chose enduring street names. Nineteen of those street names are compliments to American colleges and universities (Amherst, Berkeley, Harvard, Oberlin, Stanford, Yale, etc.). Another 18 streets were named to honor educators, theologians, and authors who were prominent in the nineteenth century (Dana, Hurst, Kimball, Olin, Wayland, Winchell, etc.). Fourteen names commemorate Methodist bishops, ministers, prominent laymen, and places important in Methodist history. The 51 streets are within about half a mile of the University of Portland. The neighborhood is five miles NorthWest of downtown, on a bluff along the Willamette River. It overlooks Swan Island.

When the Methodists accumulated 600 acres around the present-day University of Portland in early 1891, the trustees set aside 71 acres for the university campus. The rest of the tract - about 500 city blocks - was platted into residential building lots. It was in making the plat maps for these subdivisions that the Methodists had the pleasure of selecting the street names listed above. An interesting feature in part of the development was this: The streets were laid out running northeast-to-southwest and northwest-to-southeast, so that, if a house were placed squarely on its lot, every side of the house would, at some time during the day, have the sun upon it.

Residents include professionals, students, and industrial workers who live close to the industrial areas of North Portland. About 75 percent own their home.

One of the crown jewels of the Portland Park system is the 33.31 acre Columbia Park located in the University Park - Portsmouth Neighborhood.

Go to the University Park Web Site

For More Information, Beautiful Pictures and Community Events