Albina Neighborhood – 1968-1969

Cat Winterfox [best name ever?] from Spooky Moon Books graciously sent me a couple of Portland-related books a couple months ago. I’d like to publicly thank her. Thanks Cat!

One of the books really caught my eye: a bound copy of the Albina Neighborhood Improvement Committee newsletter called Aniic Dope. The book is a compilation of the monthly bulletins published by the committee “illustrating the activities of the Portland Development Commission and the Alberta Neighborhood Improvement Committee.”

According to the committee, the project is “a prime example of how citizens of a neighborhood united in response to the challenge of physical and social decay.”

Of course it’s chock full of photos, some of which I scanned.

The book is a real time-machine of a neighborhood struggling to renew itself, stories about the people who lived in the neighborhood and a definite late 60s vibe.

Much of the book focuses on the new jewel of the hood: Unthank Park. Following are photos of the park being built.

A quick news search reveals there’s been lots of crime in the park since its inception. One of the most recent articles was from 2001 – then again, that’s a lifetime ago for that neighborhood.

Part two of the post will look at some of the folks that lived in the neighborhood and some more rebuilding photos.

If you live in the Alberta neighborhood [defined in the book as North Vancouver on the East; North Fremont on the south and North Albina on the west] shoot me your address and I’ll see if your home is included – there are tons of shots of homes being remodeled.