St. Johns, Portland, Oregon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Neighborhood representation | |
Association | St. Johns Neighborhood Association |
Coalition | North Portland Neighborhood Services |
Neighborhood geography | |
Area | 28.55 km² (PDF map) |
Location | Interactive map |
Demographics (2000) | |
Population | 11346 (density 397/km²) |
Households | 4148 (93% occupied) |
Owned | 2333 (56%) |
Rented | 1815 (44%) |
Size | 2.74 persons (average) |
St. Johns is a neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, United States. It is located in North Portland on the tip of the peninsula formed by the confluence of the Willamette River and the Columbia River.
St. Johns is named in honor of settler James John, who laid out the original eight block town site in 1865. He reportedly was a recluse, which inspired the population to address him as "Saint" John. (An alternate version of the story says that he never visited the local brothel, and that's why he was called "Saint" John.) The site eventually became a rival to other Willamette River townsites vying to become the Head of Navigation on the upper Willamette. St. Johns was originally a separate incorporated city, annexed by Portland in 1915.
St. Johns is bordered by the Columbia River (separating it from Hayden Island) to the northeast, the Willamette River (separating it from Sauvie Island and Linnton) to the northwest, the North Portland railroad cut (separating it from the University Park, Portsmouth, and Kenton neighborhoods) to the southeast, and the Cathedral Park neighborhood to the southwest. The main business district of St. Johns (referred to as "Downtown St. Johns") is around the intersection of Lombard and Philadelphia Streets.
The St. Johns Bridge is named after the neighborhood, though it actually connects neighboring Cathedral Park and not the St. Johns neighborhood itself.
There are numerous parks and natural areas located in St. Johns, including Kelley Point Park (1984), Pier Park (1959), and the Smith and Bybee Lakes wildlife sanctuary (1961).
The northern portion of the neighborhood is a vast industrial landscape of huge warehouses, parking lots, and cargo facilities, including the 11 km² Rivergate Industrial District of the Port of Portland.
[edit] External links
- St. Johns Neighborhood Guide (PortlandNeighborhood.com)
- North Portland Walking Map