11.07.2023

Today’s Forecast

56º | Early rain showers, some sunshine later in the day | 36% chance of rain | Sunrise 6:58 a.m. | Sunset 4:49 p.m.

Don’t take this Park for Grant-ed

Neighborhood Guide: Grant Park

Grant Park is named after Ulysses S. Grant, who visited Portland three times after being stationed at Fort Vancouver. | Photo by Visitor7

Nestled in Northeast Portland, away from the downtown hubbub but within walking distance of a myriad of activities, is a tranquil little neighborhood full of stately trees, well-kept gardens, and early 20th-century homes. Welcome to an idyllic pocket of Portland known as the Grant Park neighborhood.

Need to know

As you may have guessed, the Grant Park neighborhood is named after a central park — and Grant Park (the park) takes its name from former President Ulysses S. Grant, who visited our neck of the woods more than once during the mid-to-late-1800s.

City Auditor - Archives & Records Management - Auditor s Historical Records - A2004-002.11391 Aerial view of Grant High School and surrounding neighborhood.JPG — An aerial view of Grant High School and the surrounding neighborhood, circa Dec. 31, 1928.
|
Photo via Portland City Archives

The early days

Grant Park’s origins date back to the 1850s and a donation land claim called the Bowering Tract, a narrow, 160-acre length of land that changed ownership among developers until being sold in 1887 to real estate mogul Charles Cardinell. His daughter, Eliza Dolph, would later plat Dolph Park — a 10-block, demarcated subset of Grant Park — but that’s a story for another time.

Can’t miss

Running low on time? A trip to this neighborhood wouldn’t be complete without a stop at the Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden, a tribute to the beloved children’s author who grew up in Portland. Head to the west side of the neighborhood’s namesake park. You’ll find a splash pad surrounded by three bronze figures — two people and a dog — from Cleary’s books.

grant park portland outdoor pool.png — Grant Outdoor Pool was renovated to include many ADA improvements, including two pool lifts with straps.
|
Photo by Portland Parks & Recreation

Outdoors

Grant Park excels at hosting evening walks (or walks any time of the day, to be honest). But if you’re looking to get some fresh air and work up a sweat, the 20-acre park at the center of the neighborhood offers much more than just footpaths.

Cool off on a hot summer day at Grant Outdoor Pool, a seasonal public pool offering swimming lessons.
Challenge a buddy to a game of tennis or basketball at the public courts.
Look at a community garden founded by students at Grant Park High School that produces food served in the school cafeteria.

Shop, eat + real estate

Asked

Would you ever consider changing neighborhoods?

A. No way, I love it here
B. Yes, I’m looking to move to a new ‘hood soon
C. Maybe, if I saw a good deal

Grant us your answer

Events

Tuesday, Nov. 7

World Vegan Month | Tuesday, Nov. 7-Thursday, Nov. 30 | Times vary | Locations vary, Portland | Price of purchase | Sip and savor food and drink specials at 20+ vegan restaurants and carts and stamp your dining passport for a chance to win gift cards — all while supporting a variety of nonprofits.

Wednesday, Nov. 8

Stimson Lumber Tree Arrival | Wednesday, Nov. 8 | 10-11 a.m. | Pioneer Courthouse Square, 701 SW Sixth Ave., Portland | Free | Ready or not, here come the holidays — and a 75-ft-tall Douglas fir — to Portland’s Living Room.
Heather Shaw | Wednesday, Nov. 8 | 8 p.m. | Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE Ninth Ave., Portland | $22-$30 | Take a break from scrolling and see the social media sensation for yourself in real life — and find out if she really is a Jim Carrey lookalike as the internet would have you believe.

Thursday, Nov. 9

Disney on Ice | Thursday, Nov. 9-Sunday, Nov. 12 | Times vary | Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 300 N. Ramsay Way, Portland | $25-$107 | Dazzling ice skaters will bring “Frozen” and “Encanto” to life like never before, complete with sing-along music and everyone’s favorite mouse hosts.

Friday, Nov. 10

Holiday Food & Gift Festival | Friday, Nov. 10-Sunday, Nov. 12 | Times vary | Westside Commons at Wingspan Event & Conference Center, 801 NE 34th Ave., Hillsboro | $8 | Get a jump on your holiday shopping by browsing hundreds of exhibitors offering one-of-a-kind gifts, from art and specialty foods to toys and decor.

Saturday, Nov. 11

Portland Veterans Day Parade | Saturday, Nov. 11 | 10 a.m. | Northeast Portland, Portland | Free | Honor past and present service members at Portland’s only Veterans Day parade, which starts at Northeast Beech Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and includes a vendor and resource fair.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Community

How you can support PDXtoday’s 2024 vision

City Editor Ben’s 3 favorite Portland news stories from 2023

PDXtoday city editor Ben McBee poses outside of Providence Park before a Thorns playoff match.

Becoming a member is a powerful way to support our local news team. | Photo by PDXtoday

It’s hard to believe it’s almost a wrap on 2023 — and what a year it’s been. We’ve been privileged enough to bring you incredible Portland news stories straight to your inbox.

Check out some of City Editor Ben’s favorites:

We’re asking for your support to bring you even more stories like these next year.

We’re passionate about our approach to local news. In 2024, you can depend on us for newsletters free of divisive political content. Instead, we’ll deepen your Portland roots, celebrate our city, and tell you ways to get involved with our community.

Joining our membership club is a powerful way to support our mission and keep our free newsletters hitting your inbox. Join and support us today.

Learn about member benefits

News Notes

Traffic

This winter, more than ever, ODOT wants drivers to be prepared. That’s because the transportation agency said crews won’t be doing as much maintenance work this winter as in past years due to falling revenues and rising costs. Don’t leave your driveway without being ready for whatever the journey might bring. (KOIN)

Closing

Popular downtown Portland food truck Tokyo Sando will soon pack up and put the city in its rearview mirror. The business, which opened in 2020 at 321 SW Second Ave., announced its last day will be Sunday, Dec. 17. Pro tip: Try the Miso Pork Katsu Sando before it’s gone.

Film

Transport yourself to Nevada’s Black Rock Desert (sans the sand and wind) from the comfort of OMSI’s Empirical Theatre on Saturday, Nov. 18. Portland filmmaker Joanna Priestley will share visuals collected over 20 years at Burning Man in a live digital image show, short film, and animated short. (Willamette Week)

Opening

Backwoods Brewing has tapped into its second Oregon location. This week, the Carson, Washington-based brewery opened a new taproom within Main Street Commons — a multilevel food and drink hub with a rooftop bar and European-style plaza in downtown Hillsboro. Expect a similar menu as the Pearl District location. (New School Beer + Cider)

Art

A new mural is taking shape on the walls of the Artists Repertory Theatre in Northwest Portland. The work, titled “Sky Fox,” is based on an origin story about the moon and stars written by artist and Yakama tribe member Toma Villa. It should be completed within a few weeks. (KGW)

Biz

Nike unveiled six new shoe designs for its 19th annual Doernbecher Freestyle partnership. Six patients ages 8 to 15 worked with Nike designers on the shoes, which will be available on eBay in December. All sales go to OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital to help families in need and fund research. (Portland Business Journal)

Health

Discover unparalleled speech clarity with this advanced, state-of-the-art hearing aid. With crystal-clear sound and a sleek, discreet German design, those experiencing hearing impairment can enjoy clear speech with minimum background distractions, even in the noisiest environments. Try the 45-day, no-risk trial.*

Environment

🌬️ Cleaner air on the wind of change

Gresham’s Rockwood neighborhood to breathe cleaner air with the help of nearly $1 million from EPA

rockwood neighborhood gresham portland pdx.png

The Rockwood neighborhood is listed as a disadvantaged community on the White House Council on Environmental Quality’s Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool. | Photo via city of Gresham

Multnomah County just got nearly $1 million to help boost climate resilience in Gresham’s Rockwood neighborhood.

The money ($999,587) is from the US Environmental Protection Agency. The Multnomah County Public Health Division is tasked with using it over the next three years to reduce air pollution and carbon emissions in the historically underserved community.

The county will work with the city of Gresham, Friends of Trees, and other local organizations on a four-pronged approach that involves:

Training community health workers on environmental justice and climate resilience to help raise awareness neighborhood-wide.
Planting trees to combat heat islands, or pockets within a community that experience higher temperatures due to a lack of tree canopy combined with a lot of pavement.
Replacing old heating and cooling systems with energy-efficient heat pumps.
Green jobs training for youth focused on air monitoring technology.

The Buy

The Buy 11.07.23 (Affiliate + Six & Main)

The Stanley perfect brew pour-over and camp mug. It’s non-breakable, doesn’t require paper filters, and all of Stanley’s stainless steel products use 23% recycled materials.

Share PDXtoday

Share the good news. Get rewarded.

Have someone who needs to stay in the know? Get amazing rewards for every new subscriber you bring by sharing your unique referral link (below).

Facebook

Twitter

{{profile.vars.rh_totref_20}} friends are looped into all things local because of you.

Claim your rewards

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Cambrie

From the editor

Last Friday, I finally got to see the Portland Japanese Garden in all its fall splendor. I don’t know why it took me so long, but it’s definitely going to be an annual tradition moving forward. It’s not too late to see the autumn colors there for yourself, but they won’t last much longer.

A Japanese garden with a large pond and arched bridge during autumn. — The Portland Japanese Garden was born out of commitments to peace and healing post-World War II relations between the US and Japan.
|
Photo by Cambrie Juarez, PDXtoday

Missed our previous newsletter?

›

Send Us A Scoop, Question, or Feedback

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY