Portland Neighborhood Guide: Piedmont

Piedmont, originally billed as “The Emerald”, is a historic neighborhood of North Portland boasting easy commutes across the city by light rail, bus, or car. Piedmont proper is primarily residential, located just north of Mississippi and west of Alberta; but make no mistake, it has tons of character all its own with Peninsula Park as the community maintained centerpiece. Piedmont is also renowned as a biker’s paradise, with an incredible BikeScore of ~90 throughout. Combined with a 25-minute ride to Downtown Portland, it’s one of the premier neighborhoods for alternative commuting.

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See all Piedmont homes for sale.

History:

(from the Piedmont Neighborhood Association)

On October 15, 1889, Piedmont was officially platted by Edward Quackenbush, with deed restrictions and conditions of sales recorded for those desiring to settle in what was likely Portland’s first planned community. The residents were primarily upper-middle class professionals who owned their own homes. Most of the workers commuted into Portland, but a few were employed by the Swift Meat Packing Company and the Monarch Lumber Mill, both located in the Kenton neighborhood along the Columbia Slough.

Today, most of the original large, single family dwellings remain in good condition. There has been very little incompatible mall development in the heart of the Piedmont Subdivision; less than ten structures.

Home styles / Architecture:

Piedmont contains the classic mix of Portland architecture ranging from Craftsman and Four Squares to Bungalows and Cape Cods. Being among the first suburbs east of the Willamette, century-old trees can be found on nearly every street.

The Gainsborough Subdivision (eight blocks bound by Rosa Parks, Albina, Ainsworth, and Minnesota) featured exclusively English Cottage and Norman Farmhouse styles in its architectural profile. Remnants can be still be seen in the area, despite many homes being displaced by the construction of the I-5 freeway in the 1960’s.

Schools:

PCC – Cascade Campus is located on the border of Piedmont and Humboldt neighborhoods.

Go to the full Portland neighborhood directory.

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Food and Entertainment:

Piedmont is a walkable residential core surrounded on all sides by vibrant shopping and nightlife. Just a few blocks south, a host of ethnically diverse groceries, pubs, and eateries have taken up residence on North Killingsworth in neighboring Humboldt. Local favorites include Javier’s Tacos (an infamous 24/7 spot), Saraveza Bottle Shop, and E’njoni Ethiopian Cafe. Both Mississippi St. and Alberta Arts District are also very close-by and accessible shopping destinations. Just east over the border of Woodlawn is the Oregon Public House. Just three blocks away, this pub has a tasty selection of food and craft beers while also giving back to the community. This pub is a non-profit run by volunteers, with profits going to rotating charities from the Portland area.

Parks:

(from the City of Portland Parks and Recreation)

Peninsula Park is a formally designed neighborhood park, typical of the early 1900s. It includes the city’s first public rose garden (contributing heavily towards Portland’s eventual moniker) and first community center, a historically designated bandstand, and Portland’s second oldest playground. Planned by renowned Oregon architects Ellis Lawrence and Ormond R. Bean, the park was a result of Portland’s 1912 ‘City Beautiful’ movement. Completed in 1913, much remains of the original features, including the lantern-style streetlights, the stone pillars, vast brickwork, and the 100-year-old fountain in the center of the rose garden.

Farragut Park is a smaller park on the northern edge of Piedmont. Though smaller than Peninsula it includes accessible play areas, restroom, basketball court, paths – paved, picnic tables, playground, and splash pad.

Transit Scores:
(from walkscore.com)