Discover inner Southeast Portland. Home to some of Portland’s most beautiful and sought-after neighborhoods.
A few blocks away from renowned Reed College is Eastmoreland, where home prices start in the mid $500,000s and quickly go up from there. You’ll see a mix of different architecture here, from Victorian-style to Craftsman. Like Laurelhurst, Eastmoreland has an equal old-time charm and character. The streets are full of old-growth trees along the sidewalk. Its elegance is unmistakable. There used to be (and still are) many Reed College professors who like to live in this neighborhood due to its proximity.
Two comfortable Portland neighborhoods near each other in southeast Portland are Westmoreland (part of the Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood) and Eastmoreland. If you like wide tree-lined streets (lots of elms), quiet neighbors, and a variety of house styles, move to Eastmoreland.
Eastmoreland offers homebuyers cozy Bungalows and lavish estates in a range of architectural styles popular in the 1920s and 1930s. Impressive Tudors and Colonials overlook Johnson Creek and the Eastmoreland Golf Course, with the look of yesteryear and most interiors have been renovated.
Eastmoreland is the home of Reed College, a well-regarded liberal arts college founded in 1908.
Eastmoreland is probably the only Portland neighborhood with an operating nuclear reactor. It’s located on the campus of Reed College. Reed is the only liberal arts college in the world with a nuclear reactor. Since the reactor only produces 250 kilowatts of heat (about 10 times as much as a home heating furnace), a meltdown or other serious event is not likely since the reactor doesn’t produce enough heat to melt down.
Right across the Eastmoreland Golf Course towards the Willamette River, you’ll arrive at Sellwood. Sellwood is a small neighborhood famous for its antique shops, funky shops, and restaurants. Homes were built primarily in the 1920s to 1940s. Few new homes were constructed in recent years. However, newcomers have been buying some of these older homes in this charming neighborhood and remodeled them with modern facilities. Typically, you’ll find smaller homes here — between a few hundred square feet to just under 2,000 square feet (including basement). Prices also range from $200K to $400K. Great shopping can be found at the New Seasons Market on the corner of 13th & Tacoma.
Laurelhurst is a close-in residential area of 427 acres contained in its 1,817 households a total of 4,549 people (2000 census). 86% of the Laurelhurst residents live in their own homes. It’s about a 7-10 minute drive to downtown Portland once you turn onto East Burnside.
The elegant Laurelhurst area is a great place to dog walk, people watch, check out some awesome old homes, and generally relax. Most of the homes here are between 80 to 100 years old. They are gorgeous, charming, and full of character. However, do watch out for these older homes, particularly when they have not been remodeled recently. There could be plumbing, electrical wiring, and oil tank issues that you’ll need to deal with when buying properties in this area. So, make sure you hire a great inspector before you seal the deal. A lot of times, you’ll need a geo-engineer to check out.
In 1909, the land that is now Laurelhurst Park was purchased from the estate of William S. Ladd, who developed Ladd’s addition and twice was mayor of Portland. Ladd named his land “Hazelfern,” the name of one of the streets in the area. Here, Ladd developed one of the most prestigious stock farms in the West. His purebred Jersey cattle probably laid the foundation for Oregon’s future livestock industry.
You know that Laurelhurst residents care about their community when you see the committees for the Neighborhood Association: Land Use, Transportation, Traffic, Trees, Safety, Garage Sale, Friends of the Laurelhurst Park, Bike, Clean-up, Environment, and Community Safety.
Laurelhurst Park contains a spring-fed pond that has always been a favorite watering hole for cattle, as well as a favorite swimming hole for both children and adults. In 1911, seeing the potential for a park as part of Olmsted’s plan, the City of Portland bought 31 acres, including the pond. Workers were hired to deepen the pond into a 3-acre lake. Also developed was a “play park” between Oak and Stark Streets. The boys were to play on the south side, the girls were to play on the north side, and general games were to be held in the eastern block.
Hawthorne Boulevard ends at the base of Mount Tabor, an extinct volcano and one of the city’s most used parks. The Mount Tabor reservoir area is a favorite for area runners as the perfect spot to follow the trails and bike paths. It’s also a great place to catch the summer sun setting on downtown and the West Hills from the park.
Houses along the one-block street in Southeast Portland’s Sunnyside neighborhood are decked out in lights and other decorations every evening during the winter holiday season. The Peacock Lane tradition goes back more than 90 years to 1929 when residents of the block bounded by Southeast Stark and Belmont streets decided to decorate houses as a show of civic pride.