OLD TOWN/CHINATOWN · PORTLAND

Old Town/Chinatown

Northwest District Association

21 spots to discover in this neighborhood

“Portland's oldest district. Saturday Market. Lan Su Garden. Historic gateway.”

~3,922 residents · Neighbors West/Northwest · MAX Red/Blue/Green at Old Town/Chinatown. Streetcar A/B Loop. TriMet bus 16 Front. Walkable river path.

Saturday Market anchor
Historic
Lan Su Garden
Riverfront edge
Eclectic + storied

LIVE ACTIVITY

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36,094

Across 21 businesses

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5 Live

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NEIGHBORHOOD IDENTITY

What Old Town/Chinatown Is Known For

“Portland's oldest district. Saturday Market. Lan Su Garden. Historic gateway.”

History walk

Nightlife in Old Town

Morning market loop

“Portland's oldest district. Saturday Market. Lan Su Garden. Historic gateway.”

— Old Town/Chinatown, Portland

The Vibe

What Old Town/Chinatown Feels Like

Portland's historic founding district

Old Town/Chinatown is historic, gritty, and layered with the city's deepest roots. Cast-iron facades, the Chinatown Gate, and the serene Lan Su Chinese Garden sit alongside nightlife, galleries, and the riverfront.

The district carries both the weight of Portland's history and the energy of its ongoing reinvention. It draws those interested in heritage, culture, and the evolving character of the city's original heart.

History

How Old Town/Chinatown Came To Be

Old Town/Chinatown is the birthplace of Portland, the oldest part of the city where the original townsite took root along the Willamette River in the mid-1800s. Its cast-iron storefronts, historic hotels, and brick buildings date to the city's earliest boom years.

The area became home to one of the largest Chinese communities on the West Coast, and later to a Japantown as well, leaving a lasting cultural imprint. The ornate Chinatown Gate and the Lan Su Chinese Garden stand as enduring symbols of that heritage. The district also preserves remnants of Portland's storied early waterfront past.

Through the twentieth century the neighborhood saw decline and disinvestment, but its historic character, cultural landmarks, and riverfront location have kept it a focus of preservation and renewal efforts as Portland works to revitalize its founding district.

Character

What Defines Old Town/Chinatown

Lan Su Chinese Garden

An authentic Ming-dynasty-style walled garden, a tranquil cultural landmark in the heart of the district.

Chinatown Gate

The ornate, lion-flanked gateway marks the entrance to Portland's historic Chinatown.

Cast-iron architecture

The neighborhood preserves one of the country's notable collections of nineteenth-century cast-iron storefronts.

Businesses

76%

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2.8

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Services

Top Category

Categories in Old Town/Chinatown

Services

12 Finance

2 Bars

2 business

2 Bakeries

1 Nightlife

1 Auto

Services 12 Finance 2 Bars 2 business 2 Bakeries 1 Nightlife 1 Auto 1

Landmarks

Notable Places in Old Town/Chinatown

Lan Su Chinese Garden

An authentic Suzhou-style walled Chinese garden built by Suzhou artisans.

Japanese American Historical Plaza

A memorial along the waterfront honoring Japanese Americans interned during World War II.

Union Station

Portland's historic 1896 train station with its iconic 'Go By Train' tower.

Chinatown Gateway

An ornate paifang gate with lions marking the entrance to Portland's historic Chinatown.

Tom McCall Waterfront Park

The riverfront park bordering the district along the Willamette River.

Outdoors

Parks & Greenspaces in Old Town/Chinatown

Tom McCall Waterfront Park

The riverfront park along the Willamette borders the district, offering paths and festival grounds.

Real Estate

Homes & Architecture in Old Town/Chinatown

A historic riverfront district of converted lofts, older apartments, and renovated brick and cast-iron buildings at the heart of Portland's original townsite.

Historic loft Brick warehouse conversion Vintage apartment Mixed-use

Explore

Discovery Paths

Three ways to experience Old Town/Chinatown.

History walk

1 Lan Su Chinese Garden
2 Shanghai Tunnels (guided tour)
3 Skidmore Fountain
4 Portland Saturday Market

Nightlife in Old Town

1 Voodoo Doughnut (original)
2 Bars on NW Couch
3 Live music venues (Dante's + Roseland Theater)

Morning market loop

1 Portland Saturday Market
2 Mercy Corps Action Center
3 Tom McCall Waterfront riverfront walk

Civic Infrastructure

The associations, meetings and shared resources that hold Old Town/Chinatown together.

Active associations

Old Town Community Association (OTCA) neighborhood assn

Old Town/Chinatown: W Burnside (south) to NW Hoyt/I-405 ramp (north), Willamette River (east) to NW Broadway (west)

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Portland Downtown Neighborhood Association neighborhood assn

Greater Downtown Portland — abuts Old Town/Chinatown on the north and shares retail/transit corridors

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