Part of North Portland
Albina Location Portland, Oregon North end North Winchell Street Length 5,311 m Namesake George Henry Williams | Maintained by City of Portland Postal code 97211, 97217, 97227 South end North Winning Way Width 12 m | |
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North Williams Avenue is a north-south street located in Portland, Oregon, United States, and it defines the eastern boundary of North Portland. North Williams Avenue stretches from its southern terminus at Northeast Winning Way, near the Moda Center, to its northern terminus at North Winchell Street, a distance of 3.3 miles (5.3 km). It is a street common to the Portland neighborhoods Eliot, Boise, Humboldt, and Piedmont.
Contents
Map of N Williams Ave, Portland, OR, USA
History
The town of Albina, Oregon was platted in 1872 by Edwin Russell, William Page, and George Williams, and streets were named for each of the founders. Albina expanded northward in successive plats, resulting in slight misalignments of Williams Avenue at Alberta Street and Dekum Street. In 1891 Albina was annexed into Portland.
In the early 20th century, property owners and politicians sought to restrict access to nonwhites in most residential areas in Portland. In 1919 the Portland Realty Board declared that selling property in a white neighborhood to Negro or Chinese people was unethical, and by 1940, half of Portland's Black community lived in the North Williams Avenue area. The street became known as the central hub of African American Portland.
A redevelopment plan in the late 1980s caused a gradual shift in demographics along North Williams Avenue and the surrounding area. One stretch of the avenue began to carry 3,000 bicycle commuters per day, making the street a vital artery for non-motorized traffic, but changes along North Williams Avenue were not always well received.
Public transportation
North Williams Avenue is served by TriMet lines 4 and 44.