Get to Know the Vatican City of Portland
Fully within the city of Portland sits a separate municipality all its own: Maywood Park.Just east of I-205, it has no downtown or commercial strip. It is home to roughly 750 people with some 300 households on tree-lined blocks. The developer who built out the neighborhood in the 1930s was looking to create a community like Laurelhurst or Eastmoreland.
Fully within the city of Portland sits a separate municipality all its own: Maywood Park.
Just east of I-205, it has no downtown or commercial strip. It is home to roughly 750 people with some 300 households on tree-lined blocks. The developer who built out the neighborhood in the 1930s was looking to create a community like Laurelhurst or Eastmoreland.
But the formation of the tiny city has an unexpected origin story. Maywood Park voted to incorporate in 1967 to fight the building of I-205. The neighborhood saw that Lake Oswego and other cities had the power to influence the highway’s path. And while they fought the route in court, the new city ultimately lost their fight.
The city may be inching a little closer to connecting back up with Portland in one way. Voters there will weigh in next month on a measure to potentially connect Maywood Park to Portland’s sewer system, which the city estimates will cost at least $70,000 a household.
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