Northwest District, Portland, Oregon

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Northwest District
Neighborhood
NW 23rd at Irving.jpeg
NW 23rd Ave at Irving Street in the Northwest District
Northwest District, Portland, Oregon
Location in Portland
Coordinates: 45°31′58″N122°41′55″W / 45.53264°N 122.69872°W / 45.53264; -122.69872 PDF map
Country United States
State Oregon
City Portland
Government
  Association Northwest District Association
  Coalition Neighbors West/Northwest
Area
  Total1.33 sq mi (3.44 km2)
Population
 (2000) [1]
  Total11,455
  Density8,600/sq mi (3,300/km2)
Housing
[1]
  No. of households7,567
  Occupancy rate94% occupied
  Owner-occupied1,137 households (15%)
  Renting6,430 households (85%)
  Avg. household size1.51 persons

The Northwest District is a densely populated retail and residential neighborhood in the northwest section of Portland, Oregon, United States. Craftsman-style and Old Portland-style houses are packed tightly together with old apartment buildings and new condominiums, within walking distance of restaurants, bars, and shops. The Portland Streetcar's first line (the NS Line) terminates there, connecting the district to the Pearl District, Downtown Portland and points south to the South Waterfront, and several TriMet bus lines also serve the district.

Contents

The district stretches west to east from the base of the West Hills (Tualatin Mountains) to I-405 (between NW 15th and 16th avenues), and north to south from NW Nicolai Street and the Willamette River to W Burnside St. It borders the neighborhoods of Forest Park and Hillside on the west, Northwest Industrial on the north, the Pearl District on the east, and Goose Hollow on the south.

This part of Portland is known more by names for various streets and areas within it than by its official name. These include:

The Alphabet Historic District, a portion of the larger Alphabet District area zoned for historic preservation, extending roughly between NW 17th and 24th Avenues, and between W Burnside and NW Marshall Streets, is listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places. [6] [7]

Beyond NW 21st and 23rd are residential districts and recreational areas, such as the forested Macleay Park (acquired 1897, in the Forest Park neighborhood). Parks within the Northwest District include Couch Park (1977) and Wallace Park (1920). Northwest District public schools include Chapman Elementary School and the Metropolitan Learning Center. Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital and Medical Center and Linfield University-Portland Campus are located between NW 23rd and NW 22nd avenues.

Several characters in Portland native Matt Groening's television show The Simpsons have names based on the alphabetically named streets in the Northwest District, e.g. Reverend Lovejoy, Mayor Quimby and the bully Kearney. [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Couch Park</span> Public park in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Providence Park station</span> Light rail station in Portland, Oregon

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Portland, Oregon gas explosion</span> Gas explosion

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Northwest Portland is one of the sextants of Portland, Oregon, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portland New Chinatown/Japantown Historic District</span> Historic district in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

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References

  1. 1 2 Demographics (2000)
  2. "Portland's NW 23rd Avenue". www.viamagazine.com. Archived from the original on October 28, 2004.
  3. "NW Portland explosion: What you need to know". The Oregonian (OregonLive.com). October 21, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
  4. "Historic Alphabet District: Community Design Guidelines Addendum". PortlandOregon.gov. Bureau Of Planning Portland, Oregon. September 5, 2000. Archived from the original on August 24, 2016. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  5. "Alphabet District Street Names".
  6. City of Portland, PortlandMaps , retrieved May 18, 2014.
  7. "Oregon National Register List" (PDF). Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. June 6, 2011. p. 29. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 9, 2011. Retrieved June 20, 2011.
  8. Carroll, Larry (July 26, 2007). "'Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers". MTV. Archived from the original on December 18, 2007. Retrieved August 17, 2007.