Kerns, Portland, Oregon facts for kids

Kerns is a lively neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. It's located in the inner Northeast and Southeast parts of the city. Kerns shares its borders with several other neighborhoods. To the north, you'll find the Lloyd District and Sullivan's Gulch. Laurelhurst is to the east, while Buckman and Sunnyside are to the south. Across the Willamette River to the west is Old Town Chinatown.

History of Kerns

The Kerns neighborhood has a long history, going back to the 1850s. The first settler in this area was William Kerns. He used axes and saws to clear his large 320-acre land claim. William Kerns made a living by creating and selling wood shingles and shakes.

By 1855, Kerns was chosen by the local school district to be a school director. He helped lead the effort to buy land for what would become Washington High School.

What Makes Kerns Special?

Kerns is a mix of different types of buildings. You can find commercial businesses, apartment buildings (condos and rentals), and single-family homes. The streets in Kerns are known for having many trees and comfortable sidewalks.

Sandy Boulevard is a major road in the neighborhood. This path was once used by Native Americans to travel between the Willamette River and the Sandy River. Getting around Kerns is easy, whether you walk, bike, take the bus, or drive.

Green Spaces and Trees

Kerns is a very green neighborhood! A survey in 2014 found that Kerns has 3,140 trees. These trees represent 91 different types of trees.

The neighborhood also has several parks and community gardens. These include Everett Community Garden, which opened in 1988, Buckman Field, established in 1920, and Oregon Park, which opened in 1940. These spots offer great places to relax and play outdoors.

Schools in Kerns

Kerns is home to several schools. Portland Public Schools in the area include Benson Polytechnic High School. This school focuses on technical and vocational education. Also, da Vinci Arts Middle School is located here, offering a special focus on arts education. Another school in the neighborhood is Pacific Crest Community School.

Food and Fun

Kerns is well-known for its exciting food scene. 28th Avenue is especially popular for its many restaurants. Places like Paadee, Pambiche, and Navarre are just a few of the famous restaurants on this street.

Another popular spot is Screen Door. This restaurant has even been featured on the Food Channel! It's located nearby on East Burnside.

Arts and Culture

The neighborhood also offers fun entertainment and cultural spots. You can visit the Art-Deco Laurelhurst Theater to watch movies. For music lovers, Bond Organ Builders creates and fixes real pipe organs. If you enjoy live performances, the Oregon Children's Theatre is also in Kerns.

Local Businesses

Kerns has been home to several important businesses over the years.

Sunshine Dairy

For many years, Sunshine Dairy operated in Kerns. Their main location was on NE 21st Avenue and Oregon Streets. The company even used the historic Fire Alarm Dispatch (FAD) building for its sales and marketing. This building was built in 1928 as a communications center. Sunshine Dairy closed its doors in 2018 after 83 years of making dairy products.

Fire Alarm Telegraph building in the Kerns neighborhood of Portland

Beverage Companies

Starting in the 1960s, Pepsi Beverages Company had a large bottling and distribution center in Kerns. This facility was located on Northeast Pacific Street. It closed in the mid-2010s. Today, Coca-Cola also has a bottling and distribution center in the neighborhood. It's located on NE Davis Street in what used to be a school building.