Most people know Portland for the quirky vibe embodied by its unofficial slogan of “Keep Portland Weird.” In the words of “Unipiper” Brian Kidd — the costumed unicycling bagpiper who’s become an icon for the city — “Portland’s weird spirit comes from its culture of freedom and acceptance…really, keeping Portland weird means preserving the things the city built its reputation on in the first place.” When you look at it from that angle, you can see how the Rose City’s less boisterous neighborhoods still reinforce that unique identity. The quiet and historic residential neighborhood of Laurelhurst is a prime example, combining a distinctive history and identity with a small-town feel that belies its proximity to the city center.
Laurelhurst is in the central area of Portland, across the Willamette River and about four miles east of downtown. It shares its western border with Kerns, America’s “coolest neighborhood,” and a great place to check out the local restaurant and café scene. To its east is the Tabor area, home to Mt. Tabor Park, a century-old park perched atop a cinder cone volcano.
Laurelhurst has plenty of green space, too, including Laurelhurst Park, a shining example of the City Beautiful movement from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The rest of the neighborhood has a similarly park-like vibe, with trees lining the curving streets that radiate around Coe Circle. These walkable streets are part of what makes Laurelhurst a dream neighborhood, but the people are a part of it, too, with a close-knit community that makes the area popular with families.
Laurelhurst’s historic charm
Laurelhurst is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Portland, and its historical significance goes deeper than mere age. It was one of the first modern planned neighborhoods built in the United States, developed by the Laurelhurst Company, which got its name from a similar neighborhood outside Seattle, Washington. The prior owner, dairy farmer W.M. Ladd, consulted with famed architect John Charles Olmsted on the land’s residential development. Olmsted’s ideas were retained in the final plan, giving the neighborhood the feel of one of his designs…