Guide to the Eastmoreland Neighborhood in Portland, Oregon

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. Take a drive on SE Reed − it's a boulevard with a median − and soon you'll be looking at the "Houses for Sale in Eastmoreland" ads in the paper.

To get to Eastmoreland from downtown head east and cross over the Willamette River. Take a right on SE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (aka Highway 99). Proceed for four miles and you'll see the Eastmoreland Golf Course. The neighborhood extends north to SE Woodstock Street and then SE Bybee, south to SE Crystal Springs Boulevard, east to SE 39th Avenue, and west to approximately SE 25th Avenue.

The Eastmoreland Golf Course is a public 18-hole course on 140 acres. Chandler Egan, a former national amateur golf champion and leading golf course architect, designed the course, and in 1917, Portland had its first public golf course. Golf Digest ranks it among the nation's top 75 public course.

History of Eastmoreland

Both Westmoreland and Eastmoreland, like the Ladd and Laurelhurst subdivisions, were part of the real estate holdings of the Ladd Estate Company. Ladd had lots to suit most pocketbooks. Over in the southwest part of the greater Portland area were Ladd properties that became part of Dunthorpe, an aristocratic suburb of manor houses and country estates. To the north of Westmoreland and Eastmoreland is another Ladd property, Brooklyn. The center of Brooklyn is the Southern Pacific's railroad yards. When it was first developed and for some years thereafter, Brooklyn was home for hundreds of European immigrants, many of whom worked in the railroad yards.

The only sour note in Eastmoreland peaceful setting was the battle between the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) and the Eastmoreland community. SP owned vacant land alongside its tracks between Eastmoreland and Westmoreland. The SP hoped to use those 15 acres to extend its Brooklyn yards. When that plan was proposed, in the early 1950s, Eastmoreland took the matter to court, claiming that such railroad expansion would cause damage to Eastmoreland property values, In 1956, a federal judge upheld the plaintiffs and enjoined the SP from expanding its yards.

Eastmoreland is the home of Reed College. Reed was founded in 1908, and its first classes were held in 1911. Reed is named for Oregon pioneers Simeon and Amanda Reed. Reed has a full schedule of lectures, concerts, and exhibits that many of the Eastmoreland residents attend.

Origin of the Name Eastmoreland

Eastmoreland got its name from Julius Caesar Moreland, a successful real estate developer and also a prominent county judge. The neighborhood to the west of Eastmoreland is called Westmoreland (part of the Sellwood-Westmoreland neighborhood association.

Eastmoreland Home Styles

Eastmoreland homes show a wide range of architectural styles popular in the 1920's and 1930's, including Tudor, Colonial, English Cottage, and stucco. Today the neighborhood is well established and stable. Of the 1,500 lots in the neighborhood, only a few remain empty.

You could put a manufactured home on a winding street in Eastmoreland with its 200 year-old trees and it would probably look good.

¹Eastmoreland Home Prices

• Number of Homes  Sold in Eastmoreland—►  68 homes sold in 2011 and 16% were distressed sales. 56 homes were sold in 2010 and 4% distressed sales.
• Average Price for Homes Sold in Eastmoreland—►  $482,811 in 2011.
• Median Price for Homes Sold in Eastmoreland—►  $425,000 in 2011, $542,500 in 2010, $435,000 in 2009, $535,000 in 2008, and $592,000 in 2007.
• 1-Year Median Sales Price Change in Eastmoreland—►  2011 the change was -23% and in 2010 the change was 18%.
• 5-Year Median Sales Price Change in Eastmoreland:  2007 to 2011 the change was -29%. 2006 to 2010 the change was 1%.
• Portland Metro Area Median Home Price—►  $221,000 in 2011, $239,900 in 2010, $247,000 in 2009, $278,000 in 2008, and $290,000 in 2007.
• Portland Metro Area Average Home Price—►  $263,300 in 2011, $282,100 in 2010, $289,900 in 2009, $330,300 in 2008, and $342,000 in 2007.

Please be aware that the above figures are subject to error and are intended as guidelines only. To view Eastmoreland homes currently for sale click here.

Parks in Eastmoreland

Eastmoreland has three parks. The Crystal Springs Rhododendron Gardens (9.49 acres) are botanical gardens located on SE 28 Avenue between the Eastmoreland Golf Course and Reed College. It is affectionately known as the "Rhody Gardens." The development of a display and test garden was initiated in 1950 by the Portland Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society. Referred to as Shakespeare Island by Reed College students because of the Shakespearean plays that had been performed there, it was abandoned and overgrown with brush and blackberries. Through the efforts of chapter members and other volunteers, and with the support of Park Superintendent C.P. Keyser, the garden flourished. The Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden is is available for weddings, memorials, anniversaries, and other special events. Other parks:

• Eastmoreland Playground Park is a small park catering to children located at SE 30th Avenue and Crystal Springs Boulevard.
• Berkeley Park (6.45 acres) includes a baseball field, softball field, soccer field, park play area, walking paths, picnic tables, playground, tennis court, and an outdoor wading pool.
• At the south end of the neighborhood, lies part of the Springwater Corridor. This corridor is the major southeast segment of the 40-Mile Loop which was inspired by the 1903 Olmsted plan of a parkway and boulevard loop to connect park sites. The trail is over 21 miles long.

Eastmoreland has 90 acres of park land and open spaces according to Metro and the Portland Department of Parks and Recreation.

Reed College

Eastmoreland is the home of Reed College, a well-regarded liberal arts college founded in 1908. Reed College ranks in the top four of all U.S. colleges and universities for the percentage of graduates who earn Ph.D.s in all fields. It has produced 31 Rhodes scholars, second only to one other liberal arts college.

Reed is the only liberal arts college in the world with an operating nuclear reactor on its campus. 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.

Walking in Eastmoreland

Eastmoreland has a variety of walking tours to include a tour of historical homes, two tree walks, a garden walk, and a walk along the creek and bridges of the Springwater Corridor.

• Historical Homes Timber Press has published a walking tour of historical homes in the Eastmoreland and Sellwood neighborhoods. The tour guide provides a map, brief description of each home, and the address of each home. Click here to download the guide.
• Eastmoreland Tree Walks  The Eastmoreland Neighborhood Association has two tree walks. You can download the guides at tree walks.
• Westmoreland to Crystal Springs  Discover Crystal Springs Rhododendron Gardens in this four mile walk. Click here to download the guide.
• Southeast Portland Creeks and Bridges  In 2006, three bridges opened on the Springwater Corridor Trail, closing a large gap in the 40-Mile Loop trail and reconnecting the communities. Click here to download the guide.

Walk Score helps you find a walkable place to live. Walk Score is a number between 0 and 100 that measures the walkability of any address. Portland is the 12th most walkable city in the U.S. with a Walk Score of 66 and 57% of the residents have a Walk Score of 70 or above.

The Eastmoreland neighborhood ranks 68 out of 89 Portland neighborhoods. Below is a Walk Score for an address in the center of the neighborhood.

More About Eastmoreland

• Neighborhood Association Web Site  Eastmoreland Neighborhood Association.
• Location  From downtown cross over the Willamette River on the Burnside Bridge and take a right on SE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (aka Highway 99). Proceed for four miles and when you see the Eastmoreland Golf Course (on your left) you're in Eastmoreland.
• Topography  Flat to very moderate rolling hills. Mature trees on most properties. Parks are wooded.
• Sidewalks and Streets  The street pattern is a pleasing combination of grid and winding. The neighborhood has sidewalks for walking.
• Livability Study  97.7% of Eastmoreland residents rated their neighborhood "good" or "very good." The data for Eastmoreland was combined with their next door neighborhood, Ardenwald. See Livability Study.
• ²Drive Time to Downtown  16-18 minutes.
• Public Transportation  There are seven bus routes in the neighborhood - see bus schedule and routes at the TriMet Web site.  Transit Score provides a 0-100 rating indicating how well an address is served by public transportation. Ratings range from "Rider's Paradises" to areas with limited or no nearby public transportation.
• ³2010 Census Demographics  Population: 5,007. Area: 721 acres. Population density (people per acre): 6. Households: 1,593. Average size of household: 3.14 persons. Median household income: $90,868. Families with children: 26.2%. Homeowners: 92%. Renters: 8%. Diversity: 9.5% non-Caucasian. More census data about Eastmoreland at Portland Online.
• ⁴Crime Stats  Five violent crime in 2011 and total crimes per 1,000 people was 34. Two violent crime in 2010 and total crimes per 1,000 people was 26. For the latest crime statistics for the Eastmoreland neighborhood, click here.
• Sex Offenders Click here for the State of Oregon Sex Offender Inquiry System. After agreeing to the "Conditions of Use Statement" you will be redirected to a "Enter Search Criteria" page. Insert a zip code in the "Zip" field and click on the "Query" button. Eastmoreland zip code: 97202.
• ⁵Shopping and Services  Eastmoreland has a small grocery market at 3616 SE Knapp Street called e.moreland Market & Kitchen. Along the east border of Eastmoreland, SE 39th Avenue has a number of stores like Trader Joe's and neighboring Sellwood-Moreland has a New Seasons Market and a QFC. Also a hardware store along with numerous other retail establishments are located in Sellwood-Moreland.
• Eating Out  No eating places (other than Reed College and the Eastmoreland Club Course) are located in Eastmoreland. But you are close to Sellwood-Moreland, and they have a variety of eating establishments.
• Public Library  The closest branch library of the Multnomah County Library system is the Sellwood-Moreland on SE 13th Avenue.
• Who Lives in Eastmoreland  Doctors, lawyers, merchants, and professors from Reed College. Residents make certain their children receive a good education - the average daily attendance at Duniway Elementary is over 95%. Dr. Warren Bland, the author of Retire in Style: 60 Outstanding Places Across the USA and Canada retired to Eastmoreland in the Spring of 2006. The median age of a resident is 36.4 according to Census 2010.
• Cars in the Neighborhood  If they make it, you'll see it on the streets of Eastmoreland. You would think that a college neighborhood would have all sorts of vehicles driving the neighborhood streets. But Reed is different from most colleges with regards to cars. Most Reed students are too busy to drive.
• ⁶Biking  Quality is fair. Eastmoreland has seven miles of bike lanes. Bicycle Trip Planner will map a route for you and − just provide a starting point address and your destination address.
• Schools  Elementary school: Duniway. Middle school: Sellwood Middle School. High school: Cleveland High School.
• ⁷School Report Card Grades  Elementary schools: O/S. Middle schools: O/S. High school: S. Click here for report card details.

Map of the Eastmoreland Neighborhood

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Fly to the Eastmoreland Neighborhood via Google Earth

Coordinates
45° 47′ 53.67″ N,
122° 38′ 41.64″ W

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¹Real Estate Values  Data on real estate values provided by RMLS^tm. Distressed properties refer to the percentage of total homes sold that were short sales and bank-owned properties.

²Drive Time to Downtown  Estimated commuting time obtained from Yahoo Maps and Google Maps. Drive time was calculated from a central intersection in each neighborhood to Pioneer Courthouse Square during the morning peak commute time.

³Demographics Data   Numbers were obtained from Census 2010 and www.portlandmaps.com.

⁴Crime Statistics  Numbers on crime were obtained from Portland Police Bureau. Violent crimes are defined as murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Crimes per 1,000 are based on reported incidents of violent crime, as well as burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft.

⁵Shopping and Services  Numbers were determined from local directory listings and county/municipal library systems.

⁶Biking  Quality rating based on the 2007 Cycle Zone Analysis conducted by the City of Portland Office of Transportation. The six-tier ratings have been reduced to three levels: High, Fair, and Low.

⁷School Report Card Grades  Schools ratings from the Oregon Department of Education 2009-2010 performance assessment. "O" = Outstanding; "S" = Satisfactory; "I" = In Need of Improvement; NR = Not Rated.