Goose Hollow

Goose Hollow gets its name from the actual geese — and the hollows and wetlands they inhabited — that existed in the low-lying area west of downtown Portland before the city drained and graded it for development in the 1870s and 80s. The neighborhood was settled largely by working-class immigrant families and developed as a dense residential area with multiple competing streetcar lines.

The neighborhood's most famous son is Bud Clark, who ran a bar called the Goose Hollow Inn on SW Jefferson and campaigned for Portland mayor partly out of the bar. He won, served two terms (1985–1992), and became one of Portland's most beloved mayors — known for his accessibility, his eccentricity, and his advocacy for homeless services at a time when most cities were ignoring the issue.

The Goose Hollow Inn still operates on SW Jefferson and still serves sandwiches and beer in a space that feels unchanged from the 1980s. This is intentional. The neighborhood has several sports bars serving Providence Park crowds on game days, as well as quieter options on SW 18th and Morrison for non-game-day visits.

Providence Park — home to the Portland Timbers (MLS) and Portland Thorns (NWSL) — is one of the best soccer-specific stadiums in the US and sits in the heart of Goose Hollow. The Thorns are one of the most successful and best-supported women's professional sports teams in the country. A game at Providence Park, surrounded by the Timbers Army or the Rose City Riveters, is a genuine Portland experience.