Hosford Abernethy Neighborhood in SE Portland, Oregon
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There is something very charming about this southeast Portland neighborhood that makes me want to pack up my bags and move in. It may be the friendly employees of local businesses, or the constant wave of air that I get as commuters pass me on their bicycles. Not only are these small details reasons why I have grown to love this neighborhood so quickly, but also the fact that it is purely local and on the brink of tourist attraction while being hidden securely beneath endless Norway Maples and American Elms (that just about touch the sky). Thankfully, for these Portland residents, it’s mostly only the locals that know about the neighborhood’s quirky shops, cafes, and safe atmosphere. And they like it that way.
Perfect Location
Hosford Abernethy is located between SE Hawthorne Boulevard to the north, SE Powell Boulevard to the south, SE 30th Avenue to the east and the Willamette River to the west. The surrounding neighborhoods are Brooklyn, Crestin Kenilworth, Richmond, Buckman and Sunnyside. Hosford Abernethy is comprised of several smaller neighborhoods such as Clinton and Ladd’s Addition.
“Its Own Little City”
Bordering the rim of Ladd’s Addition is a great little place to read, study, relax and breathe called Palio Dessert and Espresso House. I found it on a trip by foot around the Hosford Abernethy neighborhood, within the Ladd’s Addition district, and it serves a great Americano and atmosphere with funky lamps on top of stacked encyclopedias, large windows that look out onto Ladd’s Addition and nothing but green. I talked to one of the employees at Palio about the neighborhood, and she gave some advice to potential residents of Hosford Abernethy in a video interview.
Hosford Abernethy Vibe
There is definitely a unique flavor to this neighborhood, that tastes unlike anywhere I’ve ventured to before. With a mix of different Portland neighborhoods in Hosford Abernethy, all of them come together to create this great little area that is set apart from the hustle and bustle of Hawthorne, but has a liveliness of its own. Every local that I talked to mentioned how family friendly the neighborhood is. I talked to a local named Hillary at Piccolo Park, who was with her young daughter and is getting ready to have another child. Hillary likes the neighborhood for the places to shop for children on SE Clinton, for the spa that specializes in care for pregnant women along with postpartum classes and opportunities, and finally for the New Seasons Market which is very neighborhood friendly and locally aware with what they sell. Hillary says that the neighborhood is very family friendly, and being a mother, she says that having that in a neighborhood is very important to her. Knowing this, there are a lot of mothers and fathers with their children taking walks and bike rides through the neighborhood. There are also many other bikers that come through this area of town because of the bike route to downtown that runs straight through SE Clinton as well as Ladd’s Addition. It’s another aspect that gives the neighborhood its own vibe, because most of the bikers are just passing through and stopping at coffee shops in the neighborhood on their way to downtown, instead of staying for good.
Locals
The overall personality that has been communicated to me verbally through individual locals and through nonverbal communication along sidewalks and in coffee shops is a complete sense of friendliness and camaraderie that holds the neighborhood together. There is a diverse age group of people, from infants in strollers to elderly men and women watering gardens and reading classic novels on their porches. I talked to Alison who has been working at the Clinton Street Coffeehouse for about a year. Although she lives in NE, she has gotten a good feel for what the people are like in Hosford Abernethy. “Mostly young families and all locals” she says come into the shop. Alison says that the neighborhood is very low-key and friendly, and she gives advice to anyone looking to move to Portland saying to come for the food. I agree, Alison.
Homes
A lot of the homes in the area have been recently renovated, as they’ve been built decades ago and exemplify the attributes of old Portland architecture. The styles of architecture in the neighborhood are that of classic Victorian, Craftsman bungalow and Arts and Crafts homes. I love that no two houses look alike, and that they are constantly shaded by the overarching trees. It was difficult to take a picture in this neighborhood without it being shadowed by the massive trees. With the pillars, porches and open doors and windows, the homes in this neighborhood are great for families and couples who can see themselves growing old here. Another great quality to this neighborhood is the sporadic chalk art that is scattered along the sidewalks. I would say there are some emerging artists to come out of this neighborhood who will flourish in the lemonade stand sign making industry.
Photos of Hosford-Abernethy
Schools in the Neighborhood
Abernethy Elementary is the neighborhood’s elementary school that receives tons of support from the community and its families. The school’s Garden of Wonders is its own student planted garden that is used for the cooking of meals at the school, and provides an opportunity for students to learn about locally grown foods. Through the garden, teachers have created a curriculum that integrates nutrition, food, health and the environment. Abernethy has received the highest rating that Oregon offers.
Hosford Middle is the local middle school. The school draws students from homes that speak over 20 different languages, therefore the school is diverse to say the least. Receiving strong grades from the State of Oregon, Hosford is a great middle school with plenty of after school programs to create an overall well-rounded education.
Cleveland High School is known for being holistically advanced in its academic standards and areas of education. Cleveland is the only high school in the area to offer a special-focus business program, and only one of two high schools in the area to host the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program.
Quirky Aspects to Hosford Abernethy
Ladd’s Addition redefined the typical layout of a neighborhood. In 1891, Portland mayor William Ladd designed a diagonal street system that surrounds a central park and extends out to triangular pieces of property that create squares and triangles, leading to rose gardens on the sides of this grid system, being essential to the neighborhood’s quirkiness.
Parks & Recreation
Ladd’s Circles and Squares has great rose gardens with benches and areas to sit or layout on the grass and relax in this quiet neighborhood.
Piccolo Park is a small well-kept park with a few play structures and a large area of grass beneath the shade of over covering trees. This is a great place to hang out with kids, or just relax and lay in the shade on a hot Portland day.
OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) provides world class science education in its amazing museum that hosts incredible exhibits, a planetarium and the omnimax theater. OMSI is located towards the west border of Hosford Abernethy along the waterfront. It has a great view across the Willamette River that overlooks downtown, which is just a short trip away from the neighborhood.
An Essential Puzzle Piece to Portland
The Hosford Abernethy Neighborhood is a unique aspect to Portland that makes it that much more unique. In the mosaic of this city, the neighborhood has its place as being one of the best places to live in Portland with its distinct setting, vibe, locals and businesses. Walking around this neighborhood, it is hard not to fall in love with the trees, homes and the people. And did I mention the great coffee?
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This post was written by...
Scott Krager – who has written 11 posts on Portlanders.
Scott Krager is the founder of portlanders.com. He lives in Portland, Oregon, spending most of his time writing, coding, and avoiding the rain. Scott doesn't like to run but forces himself at least once a week. Google+ | Twitter | Quora | LinkedIn
