Hmmm, winding streets, bikes left (unlocked) on the porch, simple but efficient homes – this looks “nasty” – ?? I wish we had places like this NOW, instead of tents on the sidewalk!
If you look at a map of St. Johns Woods housing complex ( available via Efiles Portland) and look at Johnswood drive and then look at the shape of N Upland drive which is what is there now it appears to be the same street. Just renamed.
I agree with Debby. What is nasty about a well cared for group of homes?
This photo of this development is much more appealing than another that was posted some weeks ago. The homes are huddled closer together in this shot, giving it a “community” feel; this area has a much better feel about it. The second house in from the left has what may be a 1939 Pontiac Chieftain parked in the driveway. The men’s and women’s bikes parked in front of the house on the left are most likely “Schwinn’s” of some kind.
The pedestrians look pretty bundled up as they walk and talk along the roadway, it looks dry but cold out; there’s one of those wooden phone booths coming up to their left.
The car on the right is a tough call but I’ll take a stab at it…my guess would be a 1939 Dodge Deluxe Fastback Sedan.
I would like to see communities like this being built around the country to enable the homeless to transition out of homelessness. I realize this much harder than it sounds because the people living in this community, were working and helping companies generate profits. There is no profit in the homelessness problem and that’s why it just gets worse and worse.
The Portland Housing Authority built more than 19,000 dwellings during WW II to house workers that were moving to Portland by the thousands to work in shipyards and other war related industries. The buildings were built fast to provide safe housing for these workers and their families, instead of leaving them to live on the streets. If I were a worker having a safe dry home for my family in 1944 such as these would not be considered as nasty. Most of the homes were dismantled and removed in the years after the war.
If that’s really N Upland, then the landscape has changed a wee bit in the last 75 years:
Mike looking at old aerial photos of the area where St Johns Woods was located shows that N Upland Dr. was not there in 1970, but by 1981 the street was in place and redevelopment of this area was underway. Johnswoods Dr. from the 40’s would be very close to where N Upland Dr. intersects with Columbia Blvd today. On your map of St. Johns Woods Swift Blvd. was renamed Columbia Blvd. in this area.
The car in driveway of the house by the pole is a 1937 Buick Special sedan.
Thanks for your correction, Merlin.
My Mom and Dad lived there early on in their marriage. I wish I could remember the street name.
I looked on my birth certificate and it lists my parents place of residence in Dec. 1943 as being 10596 Maple Leaf Dr. St . Johns Woods. I looked it up on the map and located the where their house was. really cool..
Vintage Portland 
That’s nasty !
Hmmm, winding streets, bikes left (unlocked) on the porch, simple but efficient homes – this looks “nasty” – ?? I wish we had places like this NOW, instead of tents on the sidewalk!
If you look at a map of St. Johns Woods housing complex ( available via Efiles Portland) and look at Johnswood drive and then look at the shape of N Upland drive which is what is there now it appears to be the same street. Just renamed.
I agree with Debby. What is nasty about a well cared for group of homes?
This photo of this development is much more appealing than another that was posted some weeks ago. The homes are huddled closer together in this shot, giving it a “community” feel; this area has a much better feel about it. The second house in from the left has what may be a 1939 Pontiac Chieftain parked in the driveway. The men’s and women’s bikes parked in front of the house on the left are most likely “Schwinn’s” of some kind.
The pedestrians look pretty bundled up as they walk and talk along the roadway, it looks dry but cold out; there’s one of those wooden phone booths coming up to their left.
The car on the right is a tough call but I’ll take a stab at it…my guess would be a 1939 Dodge Deluxe Fastback Sedan.
I would like to see communities like this being built around the country to enable the homeless to transition out of homelessness. I realize this much harder than it sounds because the people living in this community, were working and helping companies generate profits. There is no profit in the homelessness problem and that’s why it just gets worse and worse.
The Portland Housing Authority built more than 19,000 dwellings during WW II to house workers that were moving to Portland by the thousands to work in shipyards and other war related industries. The buildings were built fast to provide safe housing for these workers and their families, instead of leaving them to live on the streets. If I were a worker having a safe dry home for my family in 1944 such as these would not be considered as nasty. Most of the homes were dismantled and removed in the years after the war.
If that’s really N Upland, then the landscape has changed a wee bit in the last 75 years:
Mike looking at old aerial photos of the area where St Johns Woods was located shows that N Upland Dr. was not there in 1970, but by 1981 the street was in place and redevelopment of this area was underway. Johnswoods Dr. from the 40’s would be very close to where N Upland Dr. intersects with Columbia Blvd today. On your map of St. Johns Woods Swift Blvd. was renamed Columbia Blvd. in this area.
The car in driveway of the house by the pole is a 1937 Buick Special sedan.
Thanks for your correction, Merlin.
My Mom and Dad lived there early on in their marriage. I wish I could remember the street name.
I looked on my birth certificate and it lists my parents place of residence in Dec. 1943 as being 10596 Maple Leaf Dr. St . Johns Woods. I looked it up on the map and located the where their house was. really cool..