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Earl Blumenauer Congressman Earl Blumenauer, Representing Oregon's 3rd District St. John's Bridge
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3rd District Information


Welcome to the 3rd Congressional District of Oregon!
Our district takes in most of Portland and Multnomah County east of the Willamette River, extending over suburban plains and hills to the splendid scenery of the Bonneville Dam in the Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood high in the Cascades. The district covers almost half of Clackamas County to the south and stretches as far east as Government Camp. Once outside the suburbs, Multnomah and Clackamas counties quickly turn rural. Mount Hood National Forest occupies most of the district's eastern region.
Cities and Unincorporated Areas
Locality Descriptions
Demographic Statistics

map of the district

Cities and Unincorporated Areas

Multnomah County
City of Portland
City of Maywood Park
Bridal Veil/Latourell Falls
Corbett
City of Troutdale
City of Gresham
City of Fairview
City of Wood Village
Orient
Bonneville
Clackamas County
City of Milwaukie
City of Sandy
City of Happy Valley
Alder Creek
Brightwood
Bull Run
Estacada
Marmot
Zig Zag
Welches
Wemme
Rhododendron
Government Camp
Roslyn Lake
Wildwood
Eagle Creek (portion)
City of Boring (portion)
City of Clackamas (portion)

Localities

North Portland
Slicing through the northernmost stretch of the Willamette River and the Columbia River, North Portland is home to a number of well-established neighborhoods. Overlook, Bridgeton, St. Johns, and Cathedral Park are just a few of the well-known neighborhoods that many of Portland's residents call home. The district boasts a number of wildlife refuges and parks, including Smith and Bybee Lakes and the Columbia Slough, which is being restored to health. Just across the Willamette from North Portland are Forest Park, at 4,600 acres the nation's largest urban wilderness area, and Oregon's beautiful Sauvie Island, home to 2 to 3 million migrating waterfowl and 150,000 ducks and geese. Sauvie Island, which remains primarily rural land, is a favorite place for Portlanders to escape for a late spring picnic or a visit to one of many pumpkin patches run by local farmers in the fall. Delta Park, Jantzen Beach Shopping Center, Portland International Raceway, and the University of Portland are all notable areas of interest found in North Portland.

Northeast Portland
By day Northeast Portland is a thriving business sector, with the office towers of the Lloyd district as well as state and government offices. Many historical homes, such as those found in the well-known Irvington neighborhood, are interspersed with small shops, defining classic urban living. At night and on the weekends, Northeast Portland stays busy, bustling with people looking for an exciting night out. Portlanders may catch a Trailblazers game or concert at the Rose Garden Arena or head over to the Memorial Coliseum for a hockey game, both only a short stroll from the new Eastbank Esplanade (http://www.portlandparks.org/Eastbank/esplanade.htm).. Residents can shop in the popular Lloyd Center Mall, then hop on the MAX light rail to wind through the historic Hollywood District, packed with unique restaurants and retail stores.

Southeast Portland
The Southeast district or Portland, between Burnside Street and the Clackamas County line, and bounded on the West by the Willamette River, is the largest and most populous section of the city. This eclectic area is home to the seat of Portland's counter-culture, the Hawthorne district, filled with a plethora of coffeehouses, unique boutiques, and students from nearby Reed College. A stroll through the Sellwood neighborhood reveals over 50 antique stores and popular family destination Oaks Park. Southeast has many beautiful parks, including Mt. Tabor, Laurelhurst, Westmoreland, and the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Gardens.

East Portland
Beyond 82nd Avenue, Portlanders are more likely to say they're from "East Portland" rather than Southeast or Northeast. Most of this part of the city was annexed in the '80s and early '90s, and many residents still remember the days the area was known as "Mid-county". This part of Portland is independent-minded, with two separate school districts (Parkrose and David Douglas) serving much of it. It grew rapidly in the 1950s and '60s, and both its wide arterial streets and low-slung ranch style homes lend it a suburban feel. The Gateway District, I-205, Burnside MAX line, Glendoveer Golf Course, Springwater Trail, Johnson Creek and the fir-clad "Buttes" (Rocky, Kelly, Powell and Mt. Scott) are major landmarks.
For more information:
www.eastportlandchamber.org
www.eastcounty.org

Gresham
Residents of this thriving suburb are quick to point out that Gresham is actually the state's fourth largest city, home to over 90,000. Many residents of Gresham commute via the MAX or Interstate 84 into Portland, but Gresham itself supports a significant growing commercial and service sector. Gresham features a quaint historical downtown, complete with a weekly Farmer's Market, as well as a plethora of retail areas, such as the newly developed Gresham Station. Many Gresham residents take advantage of the large and reputable Mt. Hood Community College, which in the late summer hosts the acclaimed Mt. Hood Festival of Jazz. Visitors should check out the Gresham Pioneer Museum, play a round of golf at Persimmon Country Club, and take in a show at Mt. Hood Repertory Theatre.
For more information:
www.ci.gresham.or.us
www.visitgresham.com

Troutdale, Wood Village, and the City of Fairview
Stretched along the Columbia Gorge at the Third District's northern boundary, the cities of Fairview, Wood Village, and Troutdale will not be outdone by their larger neighbors. Known for its small-town atmosphere, Fairview offers access to water sports, golf courses, and a number of parks. Most notable of these is Blue Lake Park, an expansive recreational area with a 400-foot swim beach, fishing, playgrounds, bike and boat rentals, bike paths, and picnic grounds. Just a short stroll east and one happens on Wood Village, an area with affordable housing and an excellent environment for families (not to mention the excitement at nearby Multnomah Greyhound Park). Troutdale, a somewhat larger city, is known for its many parks and towering views of the Columbia Gorge. Residents and visitors alike enjoy shopping at the Troutdale Outlet Mall and unwinding with dinner and refreshments at McMenamins Edgefield (brewery and distillery on site!).
For more information:
www.ci.troutdale.or.us
www.ci.fairview.or.us

Columbia Gorge and East County
Oregon's Third District extends considerably east of Portland, stretching into some of the most scenic areas of the state. Just outside of Troutdale, Oregon residents enjoy fishing, swimming, and rafting along the meandering Sandy River as it winds through Oxbow Park. Hikers enjoy the beautiful views from the rocky cliffs along the Columbia Gorge, most famously from Crown Point, just outside the small town of Corbett. A short trip down scenic Columbia River Highway brings one to the impressive beauty of Multnomah Falls, the second highest year-round falls in the nation, and a landmark every good Portlander visits at least once a year (and of course, a salmon dinner at Multnomah Falls Lodge never hurts either). Just a few more minutes down the road and tourists can watch fish fight their way up the Bonneville Dam's fish ladder. All this within an hour's drive of the city!
For more information:
www.nwp.usace.army.mil/op/b
www.fs.fed.us/r6/columbia/millennium2/welcome
www.multnomahfallslodge.com
www.olmstedpublicworks.com/parks/oxbow/oxbow

Milwaukie
Known as the "City of Dogwoods", Milwaukie is immediately south of Portland on the Willamette River and close to the Clackamas River. This location makes Milwaukie a prime location for water activities, camping, fishing, and hiking. The primarily residential city boasts the Sara Hite Rose Garden, where on just one acre visitors can take in the sweet aroma of more than 420 rosebushes in 26 varieties. With the prospects of a new MAX line into Milwaukie in the near future, this charming section of the district will be even more accessible to visitors, shoppers, and workers.
For more information:
http://www.el.com/to/milwaukie
www.cityofmilwaukie.org

North Clackamas
Oregon's Third District claims only a small section of expansive Clackamas County, but residents of North Clackamas are quick to remind you how distinct their neighborhoods are. Just south of Gresham lie Damascus and Boring, both primarily residential and agricultural. Well-kept beautiful homes stand in the midst of some of the country's finest Christmas tree farms. Westward on Highway 212 toward Milwaukie one runs into newer housing developments and one of the district's most popular shopping destinations, the Clackamas Town Center Mall.

Sandy and the Mt. Hood Corridor
Though everybody who lives within view peeks outside each morning to see if the "mountain is out", only a few are so lucky as to live along Mt. Hood Corridor, the series of unincorporated villages east of Portland where U.S. Highway 26 begins the steep climb to Mt. Hood. Sandy, the last incorporated city along the route, is a favorite lunch and last-minute shopping stop for snow-seeking adventurers. Residents enjoy Sandy for its out-of-the-way appeal and small town beauty. The abundant rainbow trout at nearby Roslyn Lake keep fishing enthusiasts in town season after season. Welches, located near the junction of the Sandy and Salmon rivers and the largest of the unincorporated areas, is home mostly to tree farmers, those working in the tourism business, and retirees from as far away as Florida. The popular Resort at the Mountain is a mainstay of the area and attracts wealthy out-of-state tourists eager to take in Oregon's beauty. For skiing and snow boarding enthusiasts, Mt. Hood National Forest has some of the best year-round ski facilities, including Mt. Hood Skibowl, Mt. Hood Meadows, and the magnificent Timberline Lodge, a National Historic Landmark built through Roosevelt's Federal Works Projects Administration. Constructed of mammoth timbers and native stone in 1937, Timberline Lodge stands today as a tribute to the rugged spirit of the Pacific Northwest.
For more information:
www.ci.sandy.or.us
www.skibowl.com
www.skihood.com
www.timberlinelodge.com
www.fs.fed.us/r6/mthood

Estacada

Estacada is a diversifying historic timber community located at the base of the beautiful Clackamas River Gorge and the Mt. Hood National Forest. The town is located on Highway 224, a direct link west to Portland or south to the Mt. Jefferson recreation area and Detroit Lake Reservoir. Known as the "Christmas Tree Capital of the World", the surrounding community is dotted with hundreds of thousands of trees cultivated for holiday enjoyment and shipped around the world.

Today, this community of 2,460, is nestled in a rich valley stretching into Oregon's Cascade Mountains, 35 miles southeast of downtown Portland. Located at the base of the Mount Hood National Forest and on the federally-designated "Wild and Scenic" Clackamas River, the Estacada area is extremely popular with over three million annual recreation-oriented visitors. As the last service and convenience area for over seventy miles of breathtaking scenery through the Clackamas River Gorge, well-established businesses, including several banks and grocery stores, quick markets, numerous restaurants, churches, retail businesses and a weekly newspaper serve those who take advantage of the lush scenery and quiet rural life.

For more information:

Estacada Public Library Foundation [PDF]



District Demographics As of 2000 Census

Population 684,279
Percent change from 1990 20.4%
Land area 1021 square miles
Population per square mile 670

Counties, 2000 population
Clackamas 124,972
Multnomah 559,307

Portion of Cities in District, 2000 population (10,000 or more)
Gresham 90,205
Milwaukie 20,490
Portland 432,388
Troutdale 13,777

Race
White 75.1%
Black 12.3%
American Indian, Eskimo, or Aleut 0.9%
Asian/Pacific Islander 3.7%
Other 5.5%
Hispanic Origin 12.5%

How can we help? question mark
If you are a constituent of the Third Congressional District of Oregon, our office can assist you with matters involving Federal agencies. We also provide tour passes for visitors to Washington, DC, and can arrange to have a flag flown for you over the US Capitol building.
Help with the Feds
Flags
Tours

Internship Opportunities
Internships with Congressman Blumenauer's office provide a valuable opportunity to learn about the functions of the House of Representatives, as well as Earl's role in representing the 3rd Congressional District of Oregon.
Learn more

Effective Advocacy
We offer tips on communicating effectively with our office and other government offices. Additionally, we provide information on the legislative process and a glossary of relevant terms.
Learn more

View Earl's Schedule calendar icon
Our schedule page provides information on what Rep. Blumenauer is doing, as well as links to legislative calendars. Additionally, if you want to schedule a meeting with the Congressman or one of his staff, we have information here.
Schedule


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Bridge Photograph ©2003 Andrew Hall, PortlandBridges.com, used by permission