Laurelhurst Neighborhood Historic District

Portland, Oregon
Listed 2019

Laurelhurst is a 442-acre residential neighborhood in Portland, Oregon, located thirty-two city blocks east of the Willamette River. Most of the neighborhood is in northeast Portland, with only the southernmost quarter, below E Burnside Street, in southeast Portland. César E Chávez Boulevard, originally called NE 39th Street, runs north to south, dividing the neighborhood into two halves. César E Chávez Boulevard intersects with NE Glisan Street at Coe Circle at the center of the neighborhood, forming a large roundabout. Main entrances to Laurelhurst, characterized by their historic sandstone gates, are located in four locations; two on Glisan east of 32nd, two on SE Cesar E Chavez Boulevard north of Stark, two on Burnside east of 32nd, and one at Peerless Place south of Sandy.

The historic district nomination for Laurelhurst is supportable under the “Historic Residential Suburbs in the United States, 1830-1960” Multiple Property Documentation (MPD) Form. PMA recommended that the criteria used to nominate the district include both A, for the district’s significance in the planning and development of Portland and possibly for its influence outside of Portland , and C, for the collection of architectural resources in the district. The district fits within the definition and context of a planned Streetcar Suburb, and illustrates the planning principles of the City Beautiful movement. The Laurelhurst Historic District was listed March 18, 2019, on the National Register of Historic Places.