Nestled along the Willamette River under the St. Johns Bridge, Cathedral Park often refers to the park itself, but for the purpose of this feature, we’re talking about the neighborhood that extends up to N. Ivanhoe Street, adjacent to St. Johns and University Park.
Steeped in History
Given its proximity to the river, the area around what is now Cathedral Park was first home to many Native tribes, including Multnomah, Kathlamet, Clackamas bands of the Chinook, Tualatin Kalapuya, and Molalla. The site is believed to be one Lewis and Clark’s 14 stops in the Vancouver-Portland area during their expedition in 1806.
During the 1970s, then honorary mayor of St. Johns, Howard Galbraith organized a drive that raised $7.5 million to build a park. The park, named after the cathedral-like arches of the green suspension bridge crossing the Willamette River, was officially dedicated on May 3, 1980 during a community celebration that included the burial of a time capsule set to be opened in 2030.
Cathedral Park is bigger than the park itself. (Google Maps)
Places to Visit
The area is mostly residential, but there are plenty of spots to explore. Here are a few.
- Cathedral Coffee — grab some fuel for a walk in the park.
- Occidental Brewing — it wouldn’t be Portland without a good taproom.
- Urban German Wursthaus — delicious bratwursts with a view.
- Your Inn Tavern — I recommend Wednesday bingo nights (although be sure to enunciate when saying this tavern’s name aloud).
- Calcio Soccer Bar — one of the best places in the city to enjoy a match.
- PDXstrength — so you can burn off all those bratwurst calories.
- Cathedral Park Jazz Festival — 2024 dates haven’t been announced yet, but we’ll keep an eye out for you.
Get Involved
Want to get more involved? Cathedral Park staff have been working on a nature patch to foster pollinator habitat and residents can sign up to help plant trees. And if you’re curious about what else is going on at the park, here’s a list of ongoing repairs through 2025.
