West Gresham

Celebrate Summer with Us! Zimmerman Heritage Farm Open House 10AM - 3PM

When: Saturday July 18, 2009 10:00AM - 3:00PM
Where: Zimmerman Park
17111 NE Sandy Blvd
Gresham OR
Get Map!

A delightful 1874 Victorian farmhouse

Take a step back into history at the Zimmermann House, a Victorian era farmhouse, built in 1874 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This beautiful farmhouse is a perfect reflection of typical Columbia River dairy farm life in the late 1800s. The Zimmerman Heritage Farm is a unique cultural education and recreational resource that is being created for the benefit of the public on a 5.98-acre historic site in Gresham, Oregon. Open house and tours are available every third Saturday. Don't miss this unique opportunity to step back in time!

Rockwood Fred Meyer (demolished), 185th & SE Stark. Click to enlarge.

Once the 'heart' of a thriving middle-class community, Rockwood continues to remain on life-support

UPDATE: Jan 2013

Ask anyone in East County to describe Rockwood and you're likely to hear them say "slum", "trouble", or simply "stay away".

From everything to nothing
Not long ago -- or so it seems, Rockwood was a vibrant community, serving the regional needs of folks living in unincorporated East Multnomah County between the cities of Portland and Gresham. Whatever your need, Rockwood had it: grocerers, retailers, furniture, fast-food & restaurants, services, medical and more. Rockwood was buzzing with activity.

Those days are gone along with businesses like Fred Meyer, GI Joes, Girrods, Star Furniture, Rockwood Lanes, Fred's Travelrama, the laundromat, the urgent-care, Burger King, KFC, Dairy Queen, Winchell's, Skippers, and countless others.

Ignored for years by local government, Rockwood has been in decline for decades. Crime-infested, and poverty-sticken. Today Rockwood is fighting for its very survival.

Signal upgrades, ramp improvements, and pavement repairs are underway. Much needed traffic changes come to West Gresham.

Ask any rush hour commuter traveling NE 181st Ave in West Gresham and they will tell you, traffic congestion between Interstate 84 and NE Halsey St is miserable. In fact at times, it's downright unbearable.

Frustrated commuters rejoice, change is here!

According to the City of Gresham Project Manager and City Engineers the long awaited NE 181st Ave Corridor Signal Improvements project has begun.

Linda Kidby, City of Gresham spokesperson says "signal upgrades, ramp improvements, and pavements repairs are underway right now and should be completed soon" to relieve traffic congestion through this busy area.

Expect delays and weekend closures

Construction workers are currently making improvements to all of the handicap accessible sidewalk ramps at the intersection of NE San Rafael St at NE 181st Ave.

Due to the nature of the asphalt repairs and the high traffic volume along NE 181st Ave city workers will need to close several intersections in the

Hollydale Elementary students, teachers, and parents remove invasives from Nadaka Nature Park

Preserving urban habitat Great things are happening at Nadaka Nature Park

Nadaka Nature Park is a lovely 10 acre natural area of second generation Douglas Fir forest with an under-story of native plants in the Wilkes East Neighborhood. Nadaka offers a quiet, woodsy escape with it's .46 mile walking trail loop and an open meadow on the south. The Wilkes East Neighborhood Association (WENA) is actively working to restore this natural area by removing invasive blackberry, ivy, and holly with volunteer work parties. Entrance to the park is near NE 175th & NE Pacific St.

Recent events at Nadaka So far in 2009, the Friends of Nadaka group has organized over 10 invasive removal cleanups at the park including 75-90 Hollydale Elementary students, teachers & parents; and a SOLV Earth Day event April 18th with more than 30 volunteers.

SOLV Earth Day 2009 volunteers help restore Nadaka Nature Park's urban habitat

May 28th the Audubon Society of Portland organized a morning stroll to explore the natural and human history of this unique neighborhood nature park and to begin documenting the bird species inhabiting Nadaka.

Grant monies for Nadaka

WENA and Friends of Nadaka recently received a Metro 'Nature in Neighborhood' matching grant totaling $24,000 for improvements at Nadaka.

Hello Summer, Come enjoy the flowers! Zimmerman Heritage Farm Open House 10AM - 3PM

When: Saturday June 20, 2009 10:00AM - 3:00PM
Where: Zimmerman Park
17111 NE Sandy Blvd
Gresham OR
Get Map!

A delightful 1874 Victorian farmhouse

Take a step back into history at the Zimmermann House, a Victorian era farmhouse, built in 1874 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This beautiful farmhouse is a perfect reflection of typical Columbia River dairy farm life in the late 1800s. The Zimmerman Heritage Farm is a unique cultural education and recreational resource that is being created for the benefit of the public on a 5.98-acre historic site in Gresham, Oregon. Open house and tours are available every third Saturday. Don't miss this unique opportunity to step back in time!

Get ready for increased air traffic as PDX extends their runways

North Runway Extension project underway

Wilkes East residents may notice a change in aircraft flight activity as Portland International Airport begins major runway improvements starting May 1st through October 31st 2009.

During the six-month closure of the north parallel runway jet aircraft will use the south runway and will follow noise abatement procedures that direct them over the Columbia River corridor to minimize overflights of residential areas.

The south runway’s east takeoff and approach path will increase air traffic directly over the Wilkes East neighborhood -- particularly in the Sandstone area.

The debacle continues. Budget overruns, poor leadership, and tough economy plague chronically delayed project in Rockwood.

Source: The Oregonian, Tuesday May 12, 2009
by Nikole Hannah-Jones

Stalled for decades, project now lacks support

Multnomah County Commissioner Diane McKeel told a crowd gathered to fight for a East County justice center in Rockwood that there's not enough board support to build the long-delayed courthouse project anywhere in Gresham because of the economy. The community should stop fighting for location and push commissioners to support building it at all, she said. Editor: Contact the commissioners here.

McKeel, County Chairman Ted Wheeler, Sheriff Bob Skipper, Gresham Mayor Shane Bemis and District Attorney Mike Schrunk sat with a panel of other government officials at a forum Tuesday night where community members were to urge the county board to reconsider building the beleagured project in Rockwood.

Original plans called for a justice center to be built in Rockwood, which has been plagued by crime and disinvestment. But Wheeler proposed the project, which has been stalled for decades, be moved to downtown Gresham because it would save about $7 million.

Come and see Nadaka Nature Park's improvements Learn about non-native invasives

When: Friday Apr 17, 2009 9:00AM - 1:00PM
Where: Nadaka Park
NE 176th Ave and NE Pacific St
(Click here for a map)
Gresham, OR

Event Info

Join us Friday, April 17th from 9AM to 1PM as Hollydale Elementary students teachers and parents, the City of Gresham Parks & Recreation and Friends of Nadaka to kick-off Earth Day 2009 at Nadaka Park. Students will help mulch the new plantings and learn about and remove non-native invasives such as ivy and Herb Robert.

If you haven't seen Nadaka Park this year you owe it to yourself to see the many improvements and new plantings!

About Nadaka Park

Nadaka Park is a lovely 10-acre parcel of "natural area" that includes a walking trail loop, tall trees, native plants, and a beautiful grassy meadow. Nadaka is located in the Wilkes East Neighborhood just north of NE Glisan St. The only public entrance to the park is on NE Pacific St at NE 176th Ave. Directions: from either NE 172nd Ave, or NE 181st Ave, take NE Pacific St to NE 176th Ave. Parking is curbside. Enter through the main gate.