Brooklyn Neighborhood

Brooklyn Neighborhood

Brooklyn Neighborhood Past

Portland, Oregon's historic Brooklyn neighborhood is built on Giddeon Tibbets 1851 Donation Land Claim. Tibbets built both a family home and a grist mill on this parcel of land that he referred to as Brookland due to the river, creeks, and lakes that adorned his property.
Seventeen years after staking his land claim, Tibbets began taking steps that dramatically altered the face of Brookland. In 1868 he allowed The Oregon Central Railroad to build on his land and he began dividing his property into small lots. The railroad line made the Brookland area, now known as Brooklyn, a popular place to live and work. Eventually the Brooklyn area became so large that a town square was built at the intersection of Powell Boulevard and Milwaukie Avenue.
Beginning in the 1920's, projects designed to enhance the livability of the city were started. These projects dramatically modified the Brooklyn Neighborhood. Some of these changes included: the construction of the Ross Island Bridge that forced the removal of Brooklyn's town square, the in-filling of the lakes and streams in the neighborhood, the construction of Highway 99E (McLoughlin Boulevard) that separated the Brooklyn neighborhood from its beloved Willamette river front, and the creation of the 17th Street overpass that divided the neighborhood into a West and East section.
In 1964 the community founded Portland's first neighborhood association, the Brooklyn Action Corps. The BAC crafted a neighborhood plan and has worked diligently to preserve the history, property, and community of the Brooklyn Neighborhood. The hard work of the BAC and the community at large has paid off. Many of the wrongs of the past have been righted and the Brooklyn Neighborhood is growing once again into a vital, charming, and neighbor oriented community.
The above information is courtesy of Kathy T. Orton.

Brooklyn Present

Today, the Brooklyn neighborhood is uniquely situated to enjoy the wonderful city of Portland. Brooklyn is still a quiet, quaint, and safe place to live, but it remains in close proximity to all that the Portland metro region has to offer.

Email us
brooknews@brooklyn-neighborhood.org

About our association

Brooklyn Action Corps (BAC)

The Brooklyn Action Corps is a neighborhood organization whose purpose is to better the community by working together toward the solution of its social, physical, and economic problems. The Board is active in all that affects the greater good of the Neighborhood.

The BAC is responsible for two types of meetings: Board Meetings and General Membership Meetings. Board Meetings are held every month; General Meetings are scheduled six times a year.

All members of the community are invited to join the BAC and serve as a volunteer board member. Board membership requires a commitment of 2 to 3 hours per month.

Contact the Brooklyn Neighborhood through their HELP LINE:
Brooklyn Helpline: (503) 241-4540

Meeting Information

Board Meetings are held at 3911 SE Milwaukie Ave -Sacred Heart Villa Community Room (The Loaves and Fishes Center) 6:30 PM every 2nd Wednesday, monthly.

General Meetings are held on the 4th Wednesday on odd-numbered months at Sacred Heart Villa Community Room (3911 SE Milwaukie Ave) starting at 7:00 PM.