Category: Walks

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Alberta Street Fog

I ventured out this morning with plans of doing a longer urban walk and covering several Portland neighborhoods that I thought would be of interest to visitors. I found the fog to be so thick I could not even take a picture across the street without it being hazy. The fog cut my plan short. I did walk up and down NE Alberta Street to reacquaint myself with this neighborhood and try and get some photos. Alberta St.was the last of the larger Portland neighborhoods that became “the next NW 23rd. I think it has been four years since I last walked the whole area. At that time it was still rapidly changing and becoming the next up and coming star. It was sad to see that it has stalled. It was in a mature market phase. Some businesses have closed and the store front are empty. Some of better restaurants were still doing well. It was more the fringe ones that looked like they were having a hard time. There was some new construction going on and that may lead to what has happened to NW 23rd. NW 23rd has moved from Portlandia to Portland. For now there are still many murals on buildings and some of the arts and crafts movement lives on but it look like the place is ready for a new chapter.

One of the things I want to check out was a new place for visitors to stay in tinny houses.
The old school bus at the Cheese Grill is looking faded like the neighborhood.
You can stay in a tinny house while visiting Portland.
A long time fixture on Alberta St.
I found a window broken out on a business. They had unwanted visitors the night before. Increase crime is one of the elements that can doom a neighborhood renewal.
New Construction going up.
A new establishment that all of the neighborhoods have pickup it the Pot house.
Old location take on new color and purpose.
Alberta St. has a number of the old style business building. The business would be a street level and owners would live upstairs.
One of the most highly rated places in Portland to have breakfast in Portland is the Tin Shed
The old drug store is now a coffee cafe.
As artists and crafters got priced out of other neighborhoods Alberta Street became home for a while. I found not many of them left now.
A small food pod on Alberta St.
Some of the blocks are still lined with active businesses.
In-spite of vacant spaces there were still a number of active small businesses.
Something new is this Petite Hotel that just opened. It will be interesting to see how it fairs.
The Alberta Rose and it’s live entertainment has been an anchor to bring people to Alberta St.
Overall Alberta St. had more vacant store fronts then I have seen else where in Portland.
Alberta Street is full of surprising public art.
This alley way is very colorful but I am not sure if was a mural project or street graffiti.
Mural on Alberta St.
One of the Murals you can find on Alberta St.
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Vancouver Walk Route

I got out for a Sunday morning walk to work out my final route for my Fort Vancouver – Vancouver walk. I did a track on my Garmin GPS and had the route come in around 5.5 miles. There is so much to see on this route it could be a whole day event but done on the quick could be done in 3 to 4 hours. This time out I got more photos of the Ester Shore Park and made sure Firehouse Glass Studio would welcome visitors. I also found that the whole length of the new Water Front Park was open. Now I need to get the route mapped and up on the website.

The Walk begins at the Fort Vancouver Visitor Center.
Looking down the path at Officer Row.
The only house open for the public to visit.
About midway down Officer Row is the Grant house. It is now used as a restaurant.
Just off of Officer Row and leading to the Barracks is the O.O. Howard House.
Former Red Cross building and the Artillery units Barracks.
The Bastion was build late in HBC Fort Vancouver’s history to protect it from the American settlers.
These two replica HBC houses show what the Village was like.
As part of the land bride are plantings of native plant use by the Indians.
The land bridge has two viewing areas with interpretive signs. This one looks to the river when the view is not blocked by a train.
The path from the land bridge heads down to the river.
Fort Vancouver was always linked the Columbia River. With this park and Land Bridge it is once again.
The early Fort Vancouver Village was a company town. When they started to form the town of Vancouver it’s layout began from a tree that stood here.
It looks like the ribs of a wreck sailing ship that has been beached but is suppose to be monument to early explorers.
The plaza is to remember the service of veterans but the murals have made it more.
A concrete retaining wall has been covered with murals in remembrance of veterans service.
Starting down the path at the new Waterfront Park.
Viewing Platform
Looks like the new viewing deck is the new place to get married.
The Columbia River remain important for river commerce.
A smaller viewing platform is at the far end of the park.
A second section of the Waterfront park has opened. There is still an interactive water plaza to come.
Firehouse Glass is a share space for glass blowers working in soft glass.
I stopped in and was invite in to watch some glass object being made. After pulling glass from the glory hole it is work and shaped into a piece of art.
Shared studio space allows for collaboration of artist.
Still in the progress of being formed. You can watch glass blowers at work through the windows.
There are windows looking from the gallery into the hot shop.
Firehouse Glass has a small gallery where some of the work is shown.
This part of downtown was once fill with card rooms and Pawn shops. There are still a few pawn shops left.
The Academy is a piece of Vancouver history.
The Freeway has split downtown Vancouver. This bridge leads back to Fort Vancouver.
This monument is in honor to the many firsts that happened at Fort Vancouver.
This replica cannon site by the main entrance to the fort.
Central to the Vancouver Barracks it the parade field.
A row of barracks by the parade field. At one time there were more.
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Vancouver Walk Exploration

This past Sunday we had some great weather so I thought it would be a good time to do some exploring. I was trying to find the best and most interesting walk to tie in with visiting Fort Vancouver. I also had a few more photos of Fort Vancouver I need and a lot more video. I GPS tracked the whole route. The route I did ended being 8.5 miles. To long for a someone just visiting but I figured some of the route did not off that much bang for the effort and I think I have my recommend end route just about right.

The surprise on my walks was getting into the new waterfront development the city of Vancouver is doing. It is not open yet but someone left the gate open so I did a little sneak preview. This is going to be a game changer and I think in the future a must see for anyone coming to Vancouver. It will tie in nicely with walking from Fort Vancouver and seeing other parts of downtown Vancouver. I need to go back and get a GPS track of the modified route and make a map up to add to my visit Portland website.

The visitor center is staffed with ranger who can answer questions.
This 1800 era anchor was found during dredging operations. There is no record of the ship it came from.
The tree lined boulevard has 22 Victorian style residence on it.
Named after General Marshal.
The Grant House is an Eatery. Open for Lunch and Dinner.
Replica field canon
The post continues to be used on special occasions by the military.
Use for many years by the commander for the Columbia Region.
There once was a long row of this style of barrack. This is the last on and is now use as private residences.
The Post hospital went through several additions and missions.
The Red Cross Building and the Artillery Barracks at Fort Vancouver.
The Bastion was added to the fort out of fear of being over run by american settlers.
Two house build in historic style of the era represent the village once made up of many houses, barns, churches and businesses.
The entry ways on to the historic Fort Vancouver Site have Replica Guard Houses base on old photographs.
The monument commemorates a number of first for white man in Washington.
Many of the barrack buildings have gone through some sprucing up to get them ready for renters. None of them are open to the public.
Pearson Air Museum Mail Box.
I normally park on the street in front of the air museum. I can always find parking here and in the summer my car stays cool in the shade.