• portfolio
  • blog
  • about + collaborate
  • contact
Menu

My Radiant City

  • portfolio
  • blog
  • about + collaborate
  • contact
×
Alphabet district scenes_horizontal-1.jpg

Exploring Portland's Alphabet District, part I

Laurie Mitchell August 12, 2018
What vandalism it would represent to dilute this magnificent city presence with the humdrum and the regimented.
-Jane Jacobs, The Death and Life of Great American Cities
 
Alphabet district scenes_vertical-1.jpg

After eight months in Portland, I'm happy to say that the city's northwest quadrant is officially my neighborhood, specifically the Alphabet District.  Because after traveling abroad for so long admiring the ancient treasures of Europe, I forgot how charming and downright delightful North American architecture can be.  This area of the city is bursting with street life and historic buildings, and as an ardent supporter of car-free urban spaces, there are many opportunities for positive, people-oriented growth that I'll touch on in my next post. 

Where is this little slice of heaven, you ask?  This neighborhood that many describe as one of the most vibrant and walkable in Portland, and possibly nation??  The Alphabet District, a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000 and also referred to as West End Historic District or Nob Hill Historic District, is "roughly bounded by NW Lovejoy and Marshall Streets, NW 17th Avenue, W Burnside Street, and NW 24th Avenue" (that's fifty blocks!).  With a period of significance from 1880 to 1940, the district's architectural classification is both late Victorian and late 19th and early 20th century with notable styles being Queen Anne, Italianate, Craftsman, and Colonial Revival.  The name "Alphabet District" references the quadrant's grid-oriented streets running west to east, starting with Burnside Street on the southern edge and going north to Wilson Street.

According to the Alphabet District's National Register nomination form, the district "is unique in Portland for its concentration of early twentieth century multi-family structures -- many of which were designed and constructed by the city's premier architects and developers."  In the 1880s, this area was home to Portland's elite and in 1905, development began focusing more on large apartment buildings and less on single-family houses.  As of 2000, there are 215 primary contributing buildings within the district (including my own apartment building), 263 secondary contributing, and many noncontributing or incompatible buildings, way too many to dive into here but enough to know that a stroll through the neighborhood is a very (very) good idea.

So, let's take a pictorial stroll through the Alphabet District, shall we?

 

Many thanks to Scott Daniels of he Oregon Historical Society and Mary Hansen of the Portland Archives & Records Center for their assistance with historic photos and information on the Alphabet District.

 

 

Scenes

Alphabet district scenes_horizontal-2.jpg
Alphabet district scenes_horizontal-3.jpg
Alphabet district scenes_horizontal-4.jpg
Alphabet district scenes_horizontal-5.jpg
Alphabet district scenes_horizontal-6.jpg
Alphabet district scenes_horizontal-7.jpg

 

 

Buildings & Details

Alphabet district scenes_vertical-2.jpg
Alphabet district scenes_vertical-7.jpg
Alphabet district scenes_vertical-3.jpg
Alphabet district scenes_vertical-5.jpg
Alphabet district scenes_vertical-6.jpg
Alphabet district scenes_vertical-4.jpg
Alphabet district scenes_vertical-8.jpg
Alphabet district scenes_vertical-9.jpg
Alphabet district scenes_vertical-10.jpg
Alphabet district scenes_details-1.jpg
Alphabet district scenes_details-2.jpg
Alphabet district scenes_details-3.jpg
Alphabet district scenes_details-4.jpg
Alphabet district scenes_details-5.jpg
Alphabet district scenes_details-6.jpg
Alphabet district scenes_details-7.jpg
Alphabet district scenes_details-8.jpg

 

 

Notable buildings

Rose Plaza at NW 22nd & Everett
Rose Plaza at NW 22nd & Everett
In 1953
In 1953
Alphabet district scenes_NR-1.jpg
A very "Mad Men"-era building, wonder if smoking is still allowed inside....?
A very "Mad Men"-era building, wonder if smoking is still allowed inside....?
The Irving's exotic and welcoming courtyard
The Irving's exotic and welcoming courtyard
Alphabet district scenes_NR-6.jpg
(A monstrous piece of construction equipment prevented a good photo)
(A monstrous piece of construction equipment prevented a good photo)
Scene from the 1989 film “Drugstore Cowboy” (photo credit: pdxccentric.wordpress.com)
Scene from the 1989 film “Drugstore Cowboy” (photo credit: pdxccentric.wordpress.com)
Temple Beth Israel across from Couch Park
Temple Beth Israel across from Couch Park
Alphabet district scenes_NR-11.jpg
In 1928
In 1928
Alphabet district scenes_NR-10.jpg

 

 

Then & Now Comparisons

Portland, especially NW Portland, boasts an excellent stock of historic housing.  Most of the large apartment buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s remain today in the same impeccable condition as when they were built.

Alexandra Court at 125 NW 20th Place
Alexandra Court at 125 NW 20th Place
In 1942, with a bit of an ivy problem
In 1942, with a bit of an ivy problem
Portland Rose at NW 23rd & Everett
Portland Rose at NW 23rd & Everett
In 1939
In 1939
Embassy Apartments at 2015 NW Flanders
Embassy Apartments at 2015 NW Flanders
In 1924
In 1924
Belle Court Apartments at 120 NW Trinity Place
Belle Court Apartments at 120 NW Trinity Place
Circa 1918
Circa 1918
Trinity Place Apartments at 117 NW Trinity Place
Trinity Place Apartments at 117 NW Trinity Place
Date unknown
Date unknown
Carlotta Court Apartments at 1631 NW Everett
Carlotta Court Apartments at 1631 NW Everett
Circa 1920
Circa 1920
In historic buildings, USA
← Exploring Portland's Alphabet District, part IIOn the importance of nature, trains, and food: A visit with Gigi of The Ramble →

SEARCH POSTS


POSTS BY TOPIC

  • historic buildings 101
  • UNESCO 53
  • urban planning 51
  • Croatia 34
  • Spain 26
  • abandoned 26
  • life 24
  • Germany 19
  • public spaces 19
  • car-free 17
  • food 16
  • dog-friendly 15
  • travel 15
  • Ukraine 14
  • Turkey 13
  • Sweden 12
  • Belgium 11
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina 11
  • The Netherlands 11
  • Czech Republic 8
  • Thailand 8
  • Austria 7
  • Slovenia 7
  • USA 7
  • Cambodia 5
  • Hungary 4
  • The UK 3
  • conversations 2
  • hello baby 2
  • Montenegro 1

Subscribe

Don't miss a post.

Thanks for subscribing, I think we'll get along beautifully.

My Radiant City - blog RSS

FEATURED POSTS

Featured
Rijeka's industrial evolution
Dec 15, 2017
Rijeka's industrial evolution
Dec 15, 2017

industrial architecture that will take your breath away

Dec 15, 2017
5 U.S. cities that should go car-free
Nov 27, 2017
5 U.S. cities that should go car-free
Nov 27, 2017

Seriously, why are there no car-free urban spaces in the U.S.?

Nov 27, 2017
The death and life of Split's Hotel Marjan
Nov 19, 2017
The death and life of Split's Hotel Marjan
Nov 19, 2017

Lost in Transition

Nov 19, 2017
Two days in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, part I
Oct 13, 2017
Two days in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, part I
Oct 13, 2017

hospital + amusement park + kindergarten + apartment building + arts school

Oct 13, 2017