Kenton Commercial Historic District facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kenton Commercial Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
Location in Oregon
Location	Portland, Oregon
NRHP reference No.	01000934
Added to NRHP	September 3, 2001

Map of the district

The Kenton Commercial Historic District is a special area in north Portland, Oregon. It's part of the Kenton neighborhood. This district is important because its buildings tell a story about the past. Because of its history, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as a place worth preserving in the United States.

Exploring the Kenton Historic District

The main part of the Kenton Commercial Historic District is found on North Denver Avenue. It stretches for about four blocks south from North Interstate Avenue. You might even spot the famous Paul Bunyan statue nearby!

Most of the buildings in this district were built between 1910 and 1949. Many of them are unique because they were made using special decorative concrete blocks.

How the District Grew

This area started to grow because of a company called Swift & Company. They decided to build a streetcar line right along North Denver Avenue. This line connected their stockyards to the rest of Portland's streetcar network. This made it easy for people to travel and for businesses to thrive in Kenton.

The district was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. It was recognized for its important role in how the Kenton neighborhood and the city of Portland developed over time.

Buildings with a Story

A "contributing property" is a building that helps make a historic district special. It means the building was built during the district's important time period and still looks much like it did back then. Here are some of the buildings in the Kenton Commercial Historic District: