A neighborhood history project is a great way to find out how your neighborhood was created and has grown over the years. Who are the people you shaped your neighborhood? What are some of the key institutions and organizations in your neighborhood–what role have they played? What are some of the key events in your neighborhoods history? How have community members experienced living in your neighborhood over the years?
Some neighborhoods have researched and published beautiful books on their neighborhood history. Some examples in Portland, Oregon include:
- Rose City Park (https://www.rcpna.org/history-book/)
- Goose Hollow (https://www.amazon.com/Portlands-Goose-Hollow-Images-America/dp/0738574724)
- East Moreland (https://eastmorelandpdx.org/ena-store/p/eastmoreland-history-book)
- Woodlawn (https://www.amazon.com/Portlands-Woodlawn-Neighborhood-Images-America/dp/0738548200)
Oral history projects are a wonderful way to engage and capture the stories of people who have lived in your neighborhood. The Oregon Historical Society suggests starting your oral history project by reviewing the following resources:
- Doing Oral History: A Practical Guide, by Donald A. Ritchie (https://www.amazon.com/Doing-
Oral-History-Donald-Ritchie/ )dp/0195154347 - Oral Historical Association “Principles and Best Practices: Principles for Oral History and Best Practices for Oral History” (https://oralhistory.org/about/
principles-and-practices- )revised-2009/
For some historical perspective, check out the interviews from the 1970s Neighborhood History Project carried out by the City of Portland Parks Bureau (https://digitalcollections.
If you have other good resources on researching and documenting neighborhood histories or good examples of how neighborhoods have presented their histories, please share them with us!