Portland's Sellwood-Moreland Neighborhood Information & Real Estate Listings - Paris Group Realty, LLC Portland OR

Sellwood-Moreland Neighborhood

QUAINT RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY

Nestled along the Willamette River in the heart of Portland, Oregon, Sellwood-Moreland is a thriving neighborhood that effortlessly blends community charm with urban amenities. Its tree-lined streets are dotted with an array of local businesses, charming boutiques, and delectable dining options. The neighborhood’s lush parks offer picturesque settings for outdoor enthusiasts, while top-rated schools provide excellent educational opportunities for families. Explore the charming antique shops, savor a cup of artisan coffee, or enjoy a leisurely stroll along the riverfront. With a diverse range of housing options, from historic craftsman homes to modern apartments, Sellwood-Moreland has something for everyone. Discover the essence of Portland living right here in this dynamic neighborhood.

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Sellwood-Moreland Real Estate & Walkability Score

Somewhat Walkable

Sellwood-Moreland’s real estate market embodies the allure of urban living with a touch of suburban tranquility. This sought-after neighborhood in Portland, Oregon, boasts a diverse mix of housing styles, from charming bungalows to modern condos, catering to various preferences and budgets. What truly sets it apart is its exceptional walkability score. With a pedestrian-friendly layout, residents can easily access local boutiques, eateries, and parks, making it a haven for those who crave convenience and community. Whether you’re seeking a family-friendly atmosphere or a lively urban experience, Sellwood-Moreland’s real estate offerings and high walkability score make it an enticing destination for discerning homebuyers.

Sellwood-Moreland Neighborhood

DATE NIGHT: EAT & DRINK

Indulge in culinary delights and romantic ambience with our Date Night Eat & Drink section. Discover the perfect spots for an unforgettable evening of dining and cocktails.

Schools

Sellwood-Moreland boasts top-tier schools, offering a seamless educational journey. From nurturing beginnings in elementary school to thriving at the middle school level, students excel toward a promising future.

Elementary Schools:
Llewellyn Elementary School | 6301 SE 14th Ave, Portland, OR 97202 | 503-916-6216 | Website
Duniway Elementary School | 7700 SE Reed College Pl #5, Portland, OR 97202 | 503-916-6343 | Website

Middle Schools:
Sellwood Middle School |  8300 SE 15th Ave, Portland, OR 97202 | 503-916-5656 | Website

High School:
Sellwood-Moreland does not have its own dedicated high school. Instead, high school students in the Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood typically attend high schools in the surrounding areas of Portland, Oregon, depending on their residential location. Some nearby high schools that serve the area include:

Cleveland High School | 3400 SE 26th Ave, Portland, OR 97202 | 503-916-5120 | Website
Franklin High School | 5405 SE Woodward St, Portland, OR 97206 | 503-916-5140 | Website
Grant High School | 2245 NE 36th Ave, Portland, OR 97212 | 503-916-5160 | Website

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SELLWOOD-MORELAND COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Discover Sellwood-Moreland’s vibrant community resources, a hub of support and enrichment. From parks to local organizations, find everything you need to thrive in this welcoming neighborhood.

Sellwood Community House – non-profit neighborhood-operated community center.
Moreland Farmer’s Market – don’t miss it.
The Sellwood Moreland Business Alliance – eat, shop & enjoy.
Oaks Amusement Park – one of the oldest amusement parks in the country.
Sellwood-Moreland Library – a branch of the Multnomah County Library, in the Sellwood neighborhood.
Sellwood Moreland Improvement League (SMILE) – one of 94 neighborhood associations recognized by the City of Portland.
Southeast Uplift Neighborhood Program – supports community organizations with a variety of resources to build movements.
Sellwood Community Center – strives to be a warm, welcoming, accessible place for people of all ages, abilities, and identities · to learn, play, gather, and connect

SELLWOOD-MORELAND STATS

County: Multnomah
Incorporated: February 25, 1889. (Sellwood)
2020 Census: Population of 10,475
Zip Code: 97202
Area Codes: 971
Website

Together with its community partners, SMILE sponsors or supports several popular events each year:

SPRING
Egg Hunt
Neighborhood Clean-up Day

SUMMER
SMILE Summer Music
Sundae in the Park

FALL/WINTER
Holiday Tree Lighting

Sellwood-Moreland Neighborhood

SHOPS & BUSINESSES

Explore the eclectic charm of Sellwood-Moreland’s shops and businesses. From boutique shops to local treasures, this neighborhood offers a unique and diverse shopping experience.

PARKS & GREEN SPACES

Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge -SE 7th Avenue and Sellwood Blvd
Sellwood Park -SE 7th Avenue and Miller Street
Sellwood Pool – 7951 SE 7th Ave, Portland, OR 97202
Sellwood Community Garden – 2033 SE Harney St, Portland, OR 97202
Sellwood Riverfront Park – 1221 SE Oaks Park Way, Portland, OR 97202
Westmoreland Park – 7530 SE 22nd Ave, Portland, OR 97202
Eastmoreland Playground – SE 30th Avenue and Crystal Springs Blvd, Portland, OR 97202
Eastmoreland Golf Course – 2425 SE Bybee Blvd, Portland, OR 97202
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden – 5801 SE 28th Ave, Portland, OR 97202
Oaks Pioneer Church Park – 455 SE Spokane St, Portland, OR 97202

Sellwood-Moreland Neighborhood

THINGS TO DO & SEE

Immerse yourself in Sellwood-Moreland’s lively tapestry of attractions. From scenic parks to charming shops, there’s a wealth of things to do and see in this inviting neighborhood.

Sellwood-Moreland Neighborhood

Nearby Neighborhoods

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Lake Oswego

Lake Oswego

Lake Oswego is a thriving community, with a captivating blend of natural beauty and modern amenities. Explore serene lakeside views, top-tier schools, and a vibrant cultural scene in this Pacific Northwest gem.

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Montavilla

Montavilla

This Southeast Portland neighborhood is home to plenty of charm. Montavilla is a close-knit community that values its neighborhood businesses, which include shops and many diverse dining options. Located only six miles from downtown, Montavilla is bordered by I-205 and I-84 for great access to the rest of the city.

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Sunnyside

Sunnyside

A quintessential Southeast Portland neighborhood, Sunnyside boasts charming homes, unique shops, and plenty of restaurants. This lively area, which has a high walkability score, includes the Belmont and Hawthorne Districts.

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History of Sellwood-Moreland

The area began in the mid-1840s when immigrants arrived over the Oregon Trail and established Donation Land Claims. The initial settlers engaged in business in fruit nurseries, logging and general farming. Most trade and socializing was not with Portland, which was quite distant, but with the City of Milwaukie, which was less than a mile south.

Steamboats provided reliable transportation, which began serving river communities in the early 1850s. The other route of transportation was a muddy track through the underbrush, known as Milwaukie Road. This 150-year old arterial, now known as SE Milwaukie Avenue, is one of the neighborhood’s primary routes.

Sellwood

John Sellwood was an Episcopal minister who owned the land claim in what is now the Sellwood area. In May 1882, a real estate company purchased 321 acres from the Rev. John Sellwood and filed a plat for their new development named “Sellwood.” The real estate company provided a free passenger ferry from downtown Portland to Umatilla Street to attract potential buyers.

The year 1887 marked the opening of the first bridge to span the Willamette River in downtown Portland. Sellwood was also incorporated as a city that year. From this period until the 1920s, the expansion of electrically powered streetcars drove the development of neighborhoods on the east side of the Willamette River. By 1887 Sellwood had almost 100 homes, three stores, a church and a school.

By 1890 Sellwood had added two hotels, three shoemakers, two grocers, a blacksmith, bookbinder, bookkeeper, two saloons, a druggist, a dressmaker and a brewery.

In the spring of 1892, transportation again improved after the completion of the new Sellwood streetcar line. Steamboat traffic began to decline as residents boarded the modern streetcars. With improved transportation, building in Sellwood increased as the small town began to become slightly more urban. In 1893 Sellwood officially relinquished its independence to become a part of the City of Portland.

Moreland

In early 1909 the 500-acre Crystal Spring livestock farm was platted into the subdivisions of Eastmoreland and Westmoreland. The developers promoted their developments as modern subdivisions, sold with sidewalks and curbs in place.

They began advertising Eastmoreland as a prestigious subdivision. Its proximity to the newly-established private Reed Institute was comparable to residential areas adjacent to Stanford University in California.

Westmoreland’s target market was the new white-collar professionals who rode the streetcar to jobs in downtown Portland. Residents of both Westmoreland and Eastmoreland were also marketed with the nearby Eastmoreland Golf Course. By implication, Sellwood was an old-fashioned farm town.

Sellwood Moreland

The first quarter of the 20th century was an era of competitive “boosterism” that pitted Portland neighborhoods against each other. Sellwood and Westmoreland were no exception. As homes rose in Westmoreland, the newly established local newspaper, the Sellwood Bee, became alarmed. It warned that a new commercial area might appear that would undermine the businesses in Sellwood.

The first business, a doctor’s office, was constructed at the southwest corner of Bybee and Milwaukie in 1911. As the new business area grew, competition between Sellwood and Westmoreland began and did not end for fifty years.

By the 1920s, what we now know as the Sellwood Moreland neighborhood was composed of more than thirty subdivisions, which explains why streets are not in a tidily connected gird.

In late December 1925, the Sellwood Bridge opened. While Sellwood business owners hoped that this would increase customers, it did not meet expectations. While Sellwood’s original main street, Umatilla, had been superseded by SE 13th when the streetcar arrived, the increasing auto traffic on Tacoma Street did not change it to a commercial strip.

While the population increased somewhat after the opening of the Sellwood Bridge, the arrival of the Great Depression slowed things down. As the Depression gave way to WWII and later post-war recovery, the Sellwood Moreland area fell behind the times. Sellwood became economically depressed. Newlyweds who had grown up in the area often chose other neighborhoods in which to raise their families. Some churches and businesses left Sellwood for Westmoreland. In the 1950s and ’60s, older businesses closed, and empty storefronts lined SE 13th.

Then in the 1960’s a few antique dealers looking for affordable storefront space discovered Sellwood. By the 1970’s Sellwood claimed at least 30 antique shops in the neighborhood. At the same time, new residents began purchasing and rehabilitating older homes in the area.

As Sellwood began to improve, Moreland businesses changed. The 1980s saw the closure of variety, women’s apparel, furniture and drugstores. However, the spaces were soon remodeled and occupied by restaurants, coffee shops and specialty merchandise stores. As the 20th century closed, new retail stores and restaurants replaced many of Sellwood’s antique businesses.

Today

Today, Sellwood Moreland is a thriving neighborhood with many rehabbed homes and high-density housing such as row and townhouses adding new residents. Other businesses have opened along SE 13th in Sellwood with more new customers, while Westmoreland continues to change and improve. Time will tell as the Sellwood Moreland area moves well into its second century as a neighborhood.

Source: https://sellwoodmoreland.com/explore-blog/history