Guide to the Arlington Heights Neighborhood in Portland, Oregon

Arlington Heights, one of Portland's most scenic neighborhoods, is near city center, giving residents easy access to the spectacular Portland International Rose Test Gardens and all of Washington Park attractions. Arlington Heights is a veritable museum of architectural styles. Ranging from Victorian cottage to the latest contemporary dwellings, these homes are graced by lovely gardens and spectacular views. This is an old neighborhood with 60 percent of the homes built before 1939.

Arlington Heights is a large area (579 acres) with about 700 residents. The reason for the large acreage is because Washington Park (410 acres) lies within its boundaries. Many of the streets offer a convenient access to the ten miles of trails in the 183 acre Hoyt Arboretum. Walk to the Japanese Gardens as well as to the Oregon Zoo. Arlington Heights residents can walk to work (all downhill) and take the bus home. Some even ride their bike to work. If you're up for it, you can hike down to one of the many restaurants on Northwest 21st and 23rd Avenue and enjoy an evening meal. You just have to remember the uphill walk home.

History of Arlington Heights: A Neighborhood in the Park

Arlington Heights is situated on the Tualatin mountain range. It was once part of a conifer forest, mainly composed of Western hemlock. The presence of broad-leafed deciduous trees, not to mention roads and houses, is evidence that the area has been disturbed within the last hundred years. The landscape is hilly, dissected, and fairly steep, yet not quite steep enough to be regarded as a mountain.

What was true of the hill on which Portland Heights is now located, as described by pioneer John Talbot's daughter in a 1914 The Oregonian interview, almost certainly was true of Arlington Heights just to the north. When Portland became a city in 1851, the hill was "forest land, with cougar and panther waiting to drop down out of the dark firs." By 1890, due to the "great wind of 1880 and the labors of Chinese logging gangs," it was no longer a forest. Arlington Heights was logged of its conifers in the late 1890s and into the early 1900s.

Jane Hofmann, a resident of Arlington Heights for many years, wrote the history of the neighborhood in the late 70s. Click here to download the document.

Origin of the Name Arlington Heights

The derivation of the name Arlington Heights is not known for certain but we can speculate. Arlington had previously been applied to an 1889 plat of a tract that's now the site of the Westgate Office Complex at Sylvan. In 1905, that Arlington Heights was renamed Concord Heights. The Arlington Club's present building in Goose Hollow was completed in 1910. In 1910, Dorr Keasey and his wife, Evalyn, purchased a large tract of land in present day Arlington Heights and they may have wished to avail themselves of the prestige that Arlington conveyed. A third possibility is that Keasey wanted to honor his wife's Virginia family roots where a community by the name of Arlington is located just across the Potomac River from Washington DC .

The community was originally called Melina Heights. In about 1888 the King Real Estate Association platted an area from SW Tichner Drive to the tennis courts by the Rose Garden and from SW Wright Avenue to SW Champlain Drive. They named it Melinda Heights as Amos King's wife was named Melina. Amos was the founder of the King Real Estate Association.

Reservoirs 3 and 4 are in a Historic District

Washington Park's two reservoirs and its gatehouse were built in the late 1800s as major facilities of the water system that first provided Portland drinking water from the Bull Run Watershed. The structures were designated as a historic district in 2004. Mount Tabor Park also has reservoirs to supply the eastside neighborhoods with water and Reservoirs 1, 5 and 6 are in a separate historic district. The Washington Park 95 acre historic district has five buildings, four structures, and the two reservoirs which are known as Reservoir 3 and 4. The style of the structures is Romanesque.

Approaching the neighborhood by foot or from a motor vehicle from the east (SW Park Place), Reservoir 3 can be seen from the road or paths. The reservoir makes a striking impression as seen in the photo. There are stairs leading down to the reservoir and walkers are allowed to hike around the reservoir which is about a quarter-mile in length. A wrought iron fence was installed in 2008 which adds to the beauty of the reservoir.

All of the Portland reservoirs are open. After 9-11, the federal government wanted all open water sources to be covered or buried. Portland city officials went along with the proposal but the citizens of Portland mobilized and fought the idea − they wanted to keep the reservoirs open. Today the reservoirs still remain open and undergo a constant, 24/7 surveillance by armed guards. But the struggle goes on as the city and federal government are convinced that open reservoirs are unsafe.

For more information about the reservoirs, visit the Friends of the Reservoirs Web site.

Arlington Heights Home Styles

You will find Cottage, English, Tudors, and a few ranch homes that were built in the 50s and 60s. Stilt homes have been built on steep hills in the last 20-30 years. The neighborhood has a number of homes on the National Register of Historic Places. This is the list as of 2009:

• A.H. Maegly House at 226 SW Kingston Street. This is a Prairie style home.
• Abraham Tichner House at 114 SW Kingston Avenue. The architectural style of this home is Classical Revival.
• 2910 SW Canterbury Lane: Canterbury Castle (also known as the Arlington Castle) J.O. Frye was the architect of this home as well as the J.O. Frye House. The Castle was demolished in 2009 due to structural damages.
• 2959 SW Bennington Drive: Digman-Zidell House. The architectural style of this home is Mission/Spanish Revival.
• 2997 SW Fairview Boulevard: J.O. Frye House (also known as the Fariss House as well as the “Spider House” because of the leaded windows resembling a spider web).
• 337 SW Kingston Avenue: Matthew and Florence Lynch House and Garden. The architectural style is Colonial Revival.

From 1911-1919, only nineteen houses were built in the neighborhood. During the post-war boom years, 1920-1929, one hundred houses were built. The Depression caused a big drop in construction: only twenty-three houses were built from 1930-1939. Even today, new homes are being constructed on hillsides that in years past would have been too steep to build on but modern technology allows for construction.

¹Arlington Heights Home Prices

• Number of Homes Sold in Arlington Heights—►  13 homes sold in 2011 and 8% were distressed sales. 19 homes sold in 2010 and 11% were distressed properties sales.
• Average Price for Homes Sold in Arlington Heights—►  $637,192 in 2011.
• Median Price for Homes Sold in Arlington Heights—►  $650,000 in 2011, $630,000 in 2010, $655,000 in 2009, $694,900 in 2008, and $750,000 in 2007.
• 1-Year Median Sales Price Change—►  2010 to 2011 the sales price change was 2%. 2009 to 2010 the sales price change was -4%.
• 5-Year Median Sales Price Change in Arlington Heights—►  2007 to 2011 the sales price change was -15%. 2006 to 2010 the sales price change was -9%.
• 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 Arlington Heights homes currently for sale click here.

Parks and Gardens in the Neighborhood

Located just minutes west of downtown, Washington Park (130 acres) is one of the most used parks in Portland. The city purchased the original 40.78 acres in 1871 from Amos N. King for $32,624. Many people questioned the purchase given that the population of Portland at the time was only 8,000 and the site was thick with brush and timber, and cougars roamed the hills. The site was inaccessible until years later when logging and the installation of a cable car made the park accessible. Early in the 1900s, sentiment began to change and Portland's forefathers were heralded for their long-range vision.

A bronze statue of Sacajawea holding her son Jean-Baptiste is located near the east entrance to the park. In commemoration of the heroic Shoshone Indian woman who helped lead the Lewis and Clark explorers through the mountains of the west, the statue was unveiled on July 7, 1905 at the Lewis and Clark Centennial. Among those present at the event were Susan B. Anthony, Abigail Scott Duniway, and Eva Emery Dye. Hidden among the trees, the Coming of the White Man statue was completed in 1904. The bronze statue, sculpted by Hermon A. MacNeil and cast by Bureau Brothers Foundry in Los Angeles, features two Native Americans standing on a block of rough-hewn native stone. Facing eastward, they look down upon the route that ox teams trudged bringing settlers to this part of the country.

Entering the park's east entrance via SW Park Place/SW Lewis Clark Way are these two attractions:

• Reservoirs There are stairs leading down to Reservoir3 and walkers are allowed to hike around the reservoir which is about a quarter-mile in length. The reservoirs are a historic district.
• Holocaust Memorial The memorial is the park newest attraction and it was dedicated on August 29, 2004. The memorial features a stone bench adorned with wrought-iron gating, screened from the street by rhododendron bushes. The bench sits behind a circular, cobblestoned area simulating a town square.

These are the attractions all within the area of the International Rose Garden:

• International Rose Garden With over 8,000 rose plantings, the garden attracts about 750,000 visitors annually. Many come to the Rose Garden to marry and to have their wedding pictures taken. The Rose Garden offers a magnificent view point overlooking the city and Cascade Range.
• Rose Garden Store Portland's very own rose-themed specialty shop. In order to qualify to be in the shop, each piece of merchandise must "look like a rose, smell like a rose, taste like a rose, have a rose on it, hold a rose in it, or be for or about growing roses."
• Children Playground The popular, accessible play area (sand boxes, swings, jungle jims, etc.) was built in 1995 by the Portland Rotary Club. It is located just around the corner from the International Rose Garden and on the original site of the Oregon Zoo.
• Train to the Zoo The Washington Park Run goes through the forests of Washington Park to a station above the International Rose Test Garden and back to the zoo. In the early 50s, hundreds of volunteers built five miles of track and kids bought zoo-railway shares for a dollar each and copies of the book, Clickety Clack and the Bandits. Watch a video of the train ride.
• Japanese Garden At the heart of a Japanese garden is harmony with nature. These peaceful spots in the Garden lend themselves to meditation and contemplation. The 5.5 acre Japanese Garden is composed of five distinct garden styles. View a video of the garden by clicking here.

These are found all within a few blocks of each other and located at the far west side of Washington Park:

• Oregon Zoo The Zoo celebrated its 100th birthday in 1987. Packy put Portland on the map in 1962 when he made international news for being the first elephant born in the Western Hemisphere in over 44 years.
• Portland Children Museum The mission of Portland Children's Museum is to inspire imagination, creativity and the wonder of learning in children and adults by inviting moments of shared discovery. The Museum is now the sixth oldest children’s museum in the country, and each year the Museum welcomes more than 245,000 children from birth to age ten and their caregivers.
• Forestry Discovery Center Founded in 1964, the World Forestry Center's mission is to educate and inform people about the world's forests and trees, and their importance to all life, in order to promote a balanced and sustainable future.
• Vietnam Memorial The curved black granite wall lists the names of all Oregon residents who died in Vietnam or who are missing in action. The wall also chronicles three years of the conflict and concurrent local events, providing a poignant contrast.

Hoyt Arboretum lies on the west side of the Arlington Heights neighborhood. The 232 acre wooded site possesses the largest group of distinct species of any arboretum in the U.S. Its plant collection contains 10,000 individual trees and shrubs, representing nearly 1,000 different species from around the world. The arboretum is a favorite place for hikers and runners with its 10 miles of trails. The Wildwood Trail is part of the 40-Mile Loop and passes through Hoyt Arboretum. The Wildwood leads into Forest Park on the north side and into the Council Crest Trail by the Oregon Zoo. Go to Forest Park Conservancy for Forest Park trail information.

The park also includes an archery range, soccer field, amphitheater, tennis courts, picnic sites, and restrooms. During the summer months, TriMet, the regional public transportation organization, operates a shuttle bus that circles through the park. Click here to view a map of the park.

Arlington Heights has 323 acres of park land and open spaces according to Metro and the Portland Department of Parks and Recreation.

Zoobombers and Skate Boarders

On children's bikes that have been customized − banana seats, swooping handle bars, mini-wheels − "Zoobombers" whoosh down SW Fairview Boulevard from the Oregon Zoo and into the Arlington Heights neighborhood. The skate boarders often take side streets off of SW Fairview Boulevard for a more thrilling ride. After passing through the neighborhood, they enter the Goose Hollow neighborhood where they catch a ride on the MAX Light Rail line back to the zoo and repeat their performance. It's downhill all the way from the Zoo to the Goose Hollow MAX stop − a drop of about 500 feet or so in a two mile run. They

The Zoobombers' make their most frequent appearance on Sunday evenings − skate boarders are out at all times of the day and evening. Arlington Heights residents are divided about the disturbance and safety issues along with the entertainment that the Zoobombers and boarders create; many are disturbed by the noise (skates making contact with the road and Zoobombers shouting out their rallying cry, "zoobomb") especially those that live along the route the bombers and boarders use. Whether it's working with TriMet to extend their Washington Park MAX stop hours, or sitting down with the Police to share concerns and work through issues, Zoobomb has worked hard to become a recognized and respected Portland tradition and most concerns with the Zoobombers appear to have been resolved. It's a different story with the skate boarders. You can catch a video of the bombers and of the skate boarders.

The Arlington Heights Neighborhood Association in late 2011 tackled the skate boarding problem by arranging meetings with the police, reps from the boarders, and board members to resolve the issue. One of the main concerns for Arlington Heights residents is the safety issue as boarders often appear out of' 'no where' when the residents are driving in the neighborhood.

Here are some of the regulations:  Skateboarders younger than 16 are required to wear helmets, everyone must use lights at night, and being caught blowing a stop sign costs $260 in 2012.

Walking in Arlington Heights

Hoyt Arboretum with 10 miles of walking trails is in the middle of the neighborhood and most residents can be on the trails within 1-3 blocks of their homes. Walkers also find many exciting opportunities to get off the concrete and blacktop and pursue walking on more natural and yielding surfaces, such as sand, grass, gravel, snow, and mud. The Wildwood Trail in Hoyt Arboretum (also in Forest Park) boasts some of the finest mud around for a few months of the year before turning to hard-packed dirt, making for some amazing and ever-changing walking terrain. Click here for a trail map. Other neighborhood walks include:

• Reservoir 3 is nestles in the quiet, scenic hills of Washington Park. Enjoy a quarter-mile walk around this tranquil resource.
• Come early April, you will want to catch the first Magnolias in bloom. Click here to download the guide.
• Laura Foster's Portland Hill Walks book is available from Timber Press here in Portland. The book has a walk through the streets of Arlington Heights.

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 Arlington Heights neighborhood ranks 72 out of 88 Portland neighborhoods. Below is a Walk Score for an address in the center of the Arlington Heights neighborhood.

Rose Garden Summer Concerts

During August the Portland Parks Department presents a series of concerts in the amphitheater at the International Rose Garden. Many of the Arlington Heights residents pack up a picnic dinner and head for the concert. The program runs the gamut from Brazilian, jazz, cowboy, and classical. You'll see kids dancing (many with their older sibling or parents) in front of the performers under the warm August Portland skies. Below is a video of one of the performances, the Portland Festival Orchestra.

More About Arlington Heights

• Neighborhood Association Web Site  Click here to access the Arlington Heights neighborhood Web site. They also have a Yahoo Discussion Group. Join the group by sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
• Location of Neighborhood  West of downtown - it takes about 5-6 minutes to cross I-405 and be downtown. A five minute drive to be in the Northwest shopping area.
• ²Drive Time to Downtown  7-9 minutes. Some residents bike to work downtown and take the bus home to avoid the 500 plus foot climb.
• Topography  Moderate to steep hills and winding streets. Mature trees and woods.
• Street and Sidewalks  All the side streets are narrow and many cars park partially on the sidewalks. Most of the streets have sidewalks although the walks are narrow on the side streets.
• Livability Study  96.4% of Arlington Heights residents rated their neighborhood "good" or "very good." See Livability Study.
• Public Transportation  Bus route 63 connects downtown with Washington Park and Arlington Heights. No MAX light rail or streetcar lines in Arlington Heights. Residents living on the west side of the neighborhood can walk over to the MAX light rail stop at the Oregon Zoo and catch a ride to work. 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.
• ³Census 2010 Demographics  Population: 718. Area in acres: 579. Average population density: 1 persons per acre (includes vacant spaces). Number of households: 307. Average size of household: 2.34. Median household income: $69,461.  Home owners: 95%. Renters: 5%. Diversity: 10.0% non-Caucasian. More census data about Arlington Heights at Portland Online.
• ⁴Crime Stats  No violent crimes in 2011 and total crimes per 1,000 residents was 49. One violent crime in 2010 and total crimes per 1,000 residents was 43. For the latest crime statistics for the Arlington Heights 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. Arlington Heights zip code: 97205.
• ⁵Shopping and Services  The only retail establishments are the Rose Garden gift shop, Hoyt Arboretum gift shop, and the Japanese Garden gift shop. If residents want to shop, it means getting into your car and driving a few minutes to the Northwest District or downtown. Or you can do what 80 plus-year-old Arlington Heights resident Annie does. She walks down to Trader Joe's or Fred Meyer, does her shopping and takes the number 63 bus back home.
• Eating Out  Its means getting into the family car and driving a few minutes to the Northwest District or downtown. If you're a walker, you can make it down to the Northwest District (10-12 restaurants) but it will take much longer to walk back as an elevation gain of 300 - 500 feet.
• Public Library  You have to go downtown to the Multnomah County Central Library or to the Northwest District branch located at 2300 NW Thurman Street. Both are a 8-9 minute drive.
• Who Lives in Arlington Heights  Married couples in their 30s and upward, couples with teen-age children, about 20 percent of the households have children under 18. Median age is 46.
• Cars in the Neighborhood  View homes will have an luxury sedan such as a Audi, BMW, Mercedes, or Volvo. The second car is an SUV. Pickups are rare except for the local Chevy dealer as he has his choice for the "Vehicle of the Day" and one occasion he will take a pickup off the lot and drives it home. I counted nine Toyota hybrids driving through the neighborhood one day.
• ⁶Biking  Quality is rated low. Arlington Heights has eight miles of bike lanes.
• Schools  Elementary school: Ainsworth. Middle school: East-West Sylvan. High school: Lincoln High School.
• ⁷School Report Card Grades  Elementary school: O. Middle school: O. High school: O. Click here for report card details.

Map of the Arlington Heights Neighborhood

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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.