Sellwood Bridge Area, 1981

View from the Sellwood Bridge, looking North. Nov. 1981

View from eastbank of Willamette River looking South at Sellwood Bridge, Nov. 1981

View from eastbank of Willamette River looking North at Sellwood Bridge, Nov. 1981

View from eastbank of Willamette River looking North at Sellwood Bridge, Fall. 1981

I sort of miss the death-defying adventure that was the old Sellwood Bridge. Lanes so narrow a RV wont fit and unsound structure so weak busses weren’t allowed. Even riding a bike across it was a minor adventure.

Oh well… I guess this one won’t fall down in the next quake.

 

 

Downtown St. Johns, 1975

Downtown St. Johns appears relatively healthy and vibrant at least by measure of traffic and blade signs in these summer shots from 1975. Perhaps it’s an artifact of telephoto lens, but there even appears some “bustle” in these compressed street views, most likely taken in preparation for the redesign of that area a few years later.

Lombard @ Philadelphia, St. Johns looking Northwest, 1975

Lombard @ Philadelphia, St. Johns 1975

Lombard @ Philadelphia, St. Johns looking East, 1975

Lombard @ Philadelphia, St. Johns looking East, 1975

Before & After: St. Johns 1977: N. Edison at Burlington Ave

N. Edison and Burlington, St. Johns, 1977

N. Edison and Burlington, St. Johns, 2016

Before & After: N. Ivanhoe, 1975

 

St. Johns. N. Ivanhoe at John Street. Looking west. 1975

St. Johns. N. Ivanhoe at John Street. Looking west. 2016

We return to the wasteland of St. Johns in 1975, here at  the corner of N. Ivanhoe and  John St. Today a USPS office and safeway occupy the vacant lot.

Mystery Location

 

1st & Gibbs?

Mystery Guy

This is a little confusing. I have this as SW 1st and Gibbs, 1977. But when I look around there for an ‘after’ shot I get nothing. Maybe this was mislabeled or simply doesn’t exist?

If you can ID the house, I will put that up!

Update: House is located at 3333 SW 1st Ave. Thanks for solving this one guys!

Before & After: Vermont @ 30th 1975

This picture reminds me how few I have of SW. A real shame as we can see here, the changes are more subtle but still interesting.

Some things I noticed: the old bus stop signs and shelter. Passing was allowed in strange places in 1975. This intersection was signalized and curbed probably shortly after. The fire hydrant is unchanged. The powerlines are more annoying now.

Before & After: Lombard @ Baltimore: 1975

Lombard at Baltimore. Portland, OR. 1975

Lombard at Baltimore. Portland, OR. Photo: Google, 2016

Downtown St. Johns looking pretty down-to-earth back in summer of 1975. Sad that these baby trees have been prevented from growing into mighty ones by the overhead lines. A common scenario throughout Portland.

Above Hollywood: 1977

Hollywood District, Portland, OR, 1977

Hollywood District, Portland, OR, 1977

Hollywood District, Portland, OR, 1977

Hollywood District, Portland, OR, 1977

Hollywood District, Portland, OR, 1977

Hollywood District, Portland, OR, 1977

Continuing our Hollywood theme, here are some fantastic aerials of the business district and neighborhood from 1977.

Downtown Portland Aerial: 1964

Willamette River, downtown Portland, July 1964.

Share of households by income range. Chart: New York Times

 

Downtown Portland July 1964: tar roofs bake in the sun, work continues on the Eastbank and Minnesota freeways, the Beach Boys “I Get Around” tops the charts, and LBJ signs the Civil Rights Act & Voting Rights Act into law.

Mystery Location: Solved!

Old house. Portland, OR. 1973

Address

Mystery Guy

This mystery location is a real doozy. I have not a clue as to its whereabouts. Though the lack of a hillside in the distance may indicate it being on the westside of the river. Photo is from 1973. Enlarged for your convenience is the address number.