“North” Portland, c1882

Circa 1882 Portland was only on the west side of the river as Albina and East Portland had not yet been annexed. To call this North Portland, as the label states, makes sense but it’s most definitely Southwest Portland now. The view is similar to this earlier VP entry where we look north on the block between SW 11th and 12th; The Old Church is nearing completion in the center. There are some handsome mansions fronting the South Park Blocks on the right; the side-by-side white Italianate homes belonged to brothers Ralph and Isaac Jacobs.

(City of Portland Archives)

Northeast Portland Aerial, 1938

Some pretty nice detail on this 1938 aerial image of inner Northeast Portland. Burnside, NE 9th, the site of the future Lloyd Center and NE 20th to the east frame the pre-freeway Sullivan’s Gulch in the middle.

(City of Portland Archives)

E Burnside & 12th, 1937

This 1937 photo is a little different perspective on the E. Burnside, NE Sandy and 12th intersection seen on this site a number of times. Today we’re looking northwest from just east of 13th Avenue on Burnside with NE Sandy Blvd. cutting between the Standard and Richfield service stations. Cars are lined up for the light at 12th. You can see an aerial view of the same intersection here with the Standard station in the upper left.

(City of Portland Archives)

SW 12th & Morrison, 1910

A large crowd gathers to see the Portland Fire Bureau responding to a call at SW 12th & Morrison in 1910. That’s quite a well-dressed crowd; could this be Easter Sunday? The First Presbyterian Church can be seen in the background at right.

(City of Portland Archives)

E Burnside & Sandy, 1958

This photo is labeled “the #1 Accident Intersection” for good reason. With 12th Avenue thrown into the mix, it took patience and all your wits about you to get through unscathed. The fondly remembered but long-gone Tik-Tok Drive-in is at left. This view is to the southwest down SE Sandy. Here’s a different view of the same intersection almost 20 years earlier.

(City of Portland Archives)

First Presbyterian Church, 1967

The First Presbyterian Church has been on the southwest corner of SW 12th and Alder since 1887. Its south side, hidden for many years by the Danmoore Hotel (at left), is now completely exposed since the hotel was demolished in 2005. We gained a view on the south but street-side trees maturing since this 1967 photo tend to obscure the magnificent east and north facades.

(University of Oregon Libraries)

SE 12th & Division, 1937

You could stand on SE 12th Avenue near Division Street today, squint, and just about imagine this scene. That 76 station no longer pumps gas but the building is still there. In 1937 Elliot Avenue met this intersection directly from the northeast; now it jogs slightly to the west joining 12th a bit to the north of Division.  See another angle on that gas station here.

(City of Portland Archives)