Hello Garden Home History Friends,

Holiday Greetings! Thank you for reading and sharing our Garden Home history! These are historic times that we’re living through. Let us know how you’re doing. Best wishes to you from all of our volunteer Board for a safe and healthy New Year!

This month it’s Trader Joe’s opening, vintage toys, and an update on Red Electric wines. We love to hear from you.

Trader Joe’s opened on Oct. 29, 2021

They rang the hundred year old Garden Home church bell as the staff formed two lines to applaud the early crowd as they poured into the store. Customers entered through the bell tower area which featured music from a guitar player, new red carts, decorations, and the sparkling beauty of a new store! Fun large murals speak to our history with a dairy barn, train, golf green, and the elephant with Portland views. Trader Joe’s staff selected the smaller photos from our website for the hall near the restroom sign.

Watch for the ACE Hardware opening in mid-January.

Murals at Trader Joe’s 2021 – dairy farms

Murals at Trader Joe’s 2021 – horses and Fanno Creek sign

Murals at Trader Joe’s 2021 – Portland views

Murals at Trader Joe’s 2021 – train and golf course

What were your favorite toys?

Check out the History Display Cabinet in the Garden Home Library for vintage toys and play things from our Board members. Dolls, teddy bears, puzzles, trucks, Legos (still a great toy!) and more.

Display case at Garden Home Library – vintage toys

Display case at Garden Home Library – bottom shelf

Update on Red Electric wines

The new Red Electric wines from the Armstrong Vineyard out near Amity are a nod to the bright red trains that ran from Hillsdale through the currently named Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy, along the north edge of Alpenrose, the north edge of the Portland Golf Club, down SW Jamieson, back to Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy, and out to Hillsboro.

From Douglas (and Michele) Ackerman, owners of Red Electric Wines:

I spent some time learning about the history of the Northern Willamette Valley (the vineyard is a few miles west of Newberg), and I read numerous newspaper clippings from the early 1900s detailing the birth and growth of the electric trains that ran from Portland down to all the towns we know associate with Oregon wine (Sherwood, Newberg, Carlton, Dundee, etc). The Red Electric name really encapsulates the style of Pinot Noir that we love–refreshing wines with energy and tension.

The Red Electric Armstrong Vineyard label contains the word Interurban and three small red circles, a nod to the three round safety windows at the back of all the Red Electric trains. Esta Mapes remembers a Red Electric restaurant that used to be in Hillsdale. These wines are available in the Steward section of the Raleigh Hills Fred Meyer.

Red Electric train at Union Station

Red Electric wine

Thanks to Old Market Pub

Thanks to the Old Market Pub for hosting our photos of the 1905 Lewis & Clark Centennial, our train reliefs, and our old postal safe. Take a look when you’re enjoying your Pub lunch or dinner.

2020 Old Market Pub – Garden Home Post Office safe

Shelly Bigley in front of the Lewis and Clark Centennial photos at the Old Market Pub

Thanks for your generous donations

We are now able to send you both a free printed and an email copy of our newsletter, the Gazette. Send us a note if you so wish: GardenHomeHistory@gmail.com. Send donations to our Treasurer: Marie Pacella, 7240 SW 82^nd, Portland, OR 97223.

Remember!

As we finish out 2021, write us a note about your family and friends and their history in Garden Home.

Discover Garden Home!

Look for the beautifully lit train hedge at the Wasserman home on SW Alden St east of SW Oleson Rd. Also look for the 50+ foot Christmas tree at Wade Willer’s new home on SW 87th Ave south of Garden Home Rd.

Train hedge on SW Alden St

SW 87th very tall Xmas tree

Stay safe and well, from all of our dedicated Board of Directors: Esta Mapes, Sharon Vedder, John and Marie Pacella, Stan and Susan Houseman, Jan Fredrickson, Kevin Mistler, and Elaine Shreve. Tom Shreve is our webmaster.

– Elaine

Elaine Shreve