Woodstock

Woodstock is an excellent community for students, young couples, active senior citizens and those that enjoy the arts with an overall eclectic, college, neighborhood feel. Woodstock reminds one of those long ago neighborhoods where it was common that not only everyone knew your name, but they knew your business. Today, this spirit lives on. Chances are, if you needed something, there would be a neighbor at your doorstep as soon as they heard the news.

Located in SE Portland, you will find delightful stores, coffee shops, library and restaurants where the locals often convene and check out the visitors. Reed College is located down the hill and you would have a hard time finding a prettier campus. There are many older homes here and styles include Craftsman, Tudor and Victorian, all common to Portland’s architecture. Students or others those not wanting the commitment of owning a home, can live in the condos and townhouses that have been built in the past few decades.

Woodstock Park is a beautiful, large area, which has lots of sports fields, a horseshoe pit, playgrounds and more. The best part is that during the summer, don’t be surprised if you encounter a musician or small band playing for your entertainment. Another top feature is the well-loved Woodstock Library. Here you will find a great selection of books, movies and the like. This library is particularly popular with senior citizens.

For me, Woodstock is one of the little communities that make Portland a desirable place to live.

Southeast Portland's Woodstock neighborhood is, as the name implies, a liberal and somewhat 'hippie' part of the city. It's known best as the home of Reed, a private liberal arts college, though the college campus is actually in neighboring Eastmoreland. Many of Woodstock's residents are students or professors there. The typical Woodstock resident is a college-educated professional.

One of the city's older neighborhoods, many of the homes date to the 1880s, particularly in the northern part of Woodstock. The southern area has some newer homes, mostly build in the 1950s, along with a few newer developments. Several beautiful, older homes in the neighborhood have historic landmark status, while others are more modest. This feels like a comfortable older neighborhood, with a family-friendly feel. Woodstock's residential streets feel peaceful and quiet, even though they are close to everything urban Portland has to offer.

Most of the businesses in Woodstock are located in the Woodstock Village Center, which is on Woodstock Boulevard between 39th and 52nd. There, you'll find a community center, library, churches, restaurants, stores, and services, in addition to some condos and apartment buildings. All of the businesses here are locally owned; you won't find a McDonalds or Starbucks anywhere.

The Woodstock neighborhood is quite expansive and borders Reed College to the East and then continues south. It also runs parallel to Eastmoreland. Woodstock is a low-key family friendly area. It isn't quite as funky and quirky as some of the other SE Portland neighborhoods. It has some very nice restaurants, friendly neighbors and lots of coffeeshops. Most of the businesses are located between SE 39th and SE 52nd Avenues. Most stores are independently owned, so you won't see any Bed Bath and Beyond and Burger Kings littering the streets. This commerce-filled area is walking distance for most people who live in Woodstock.

As far as the homes go, you will find some beautiful old homes along treelined streets in Woodstock. There are also some more modern style homes mixed in. There are some different parks in the area including Woodstock Park, which has tennis courts, picnic tables and a nice playground. You can also find the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, which has a low price admission and tons of beautiful plants.

There is a nice community vibe going on in Woodstock. You get the feeling people know one another and genuinely like one another. One central stopping point is Woodstock Community Center, which offers a variety of classes to the residents.