If you have read many of the postings from the “History” category on eliotneighborhood.org or if you are a regular reader of the Eliot News newsletter you probably recall reading about a history book in the works. Author Roy E Roos, who has written many Eliot News articles over the years, finished the book last fall.
The History of Albina covers the Eliot, Boise, King, Humboldt and Piedmont neighborhoods – the neighborhoods that make up Albina. The first third of the book is a well written history of Albina along with history of well-known residents. The rest of the book is an inventory, organized by street names and addresses, of historical homes, buildings and even lots where historical buildings once stood. Many homes and buildings from Eliot are included in the book often with a photo or sketch.
From the back cover:
This is the second book by Roy E Roos with studies on historic homes and buildings. Included are over 200 photos and illustrations. The first book on the history of Irvington neighborhood in Portland, released in 1997, had a fantastic influence on the preservation of historic homes in that district.
The History of Albina covers a larger area with studies on today’s Eliot, Boise, King, Humbolt, and Piedmont neighborhoods. There are also references to other North Portland neighborhoods within the original boundaries of Albina before consolidation within the City of Portland.
The book is available at Broadway Books and Powell’s Books. You can purchase it online from Powell’s website.
