Better days, inequities in our democracy, removing dams & focus on your health
Editor s note:
Last year, just days after Oregon got its first reported cases of COVID-19, I put an offer on a house in the Orchard District. As a first-time homebuyer, it felt crazy to do so at that time and people tried to talk me out of it but as we ve seen over this past year, 2020 did not bring a real estate crash like other calamities have wrought on Bend in recent memory. Now, seeing homes get snapped up sight unseen or for much more than they were a year ago, I feel like one of the lucky ones, to the extreme.
Stunning sunsets, panoramic mountain views, twinkling city lights Awbrey Butte evokes images of stunning sunsets, panoramic mountain views, twinkling city lights, colorful sunrises, towering ponderosas and roaming deer, to name a few. Living there feels more about the environment and the surroundings rather than the actual house. Nature surrounds you, creating a sense of peace and allowing one some solitude if needed. It seldom feels crowded. It is hard not to love this neighborhood, and if you happen to move here, there s a good chance you ll stay for a long time. Awbrey Butte, once known as Awbrey Heights, was named after a legendary Bend pioneer named Marshall Clay Awbrey. Awbrey was a Missourian who fought in the Mexican War and who settled in Bend around 1870. He farmed the areas where Harmon Park and Kenwood School are located today before moving to the Tumalo area. It was said he would kiss a 5- or 10-piece coin goodbye before handing it to a clerk. Many landmarks
Neighborhoods connect to the heart of Bend Howdy, Neighbor! If I was to define the Southwest Bend neighborhood, I d have to say that it s a friendly place to be. Why? Bounded by the Deschutes River, Highway 97, Deschutes River Woods and the Old Mill District, Southwest Bend is known for its beautiful homes, quiet nature and plethora of parks. Predominantly a residential area, the neighborhood s sidewalks and walking paths invite dog walkers, runners, cyclists and park goers to mix and mingle while enjoying the outdoors. Damian Fagan Once a workplace for loggers and lumbermen, the Old Mill is now the centerpiece of all of Bend.
Living in the center of town puts residents at the heart of it all The neighborhoods of Old Bend and River West contain a highlight reel of sorts of what people who don t live in Bend come to the city to do floating the river, cruising the Old Mill, sipping beer at the OG breweries and grabbing an Ocean Roll from the OG Sparrow Bakery. Comprised largely of historic homes, many of them cottages cobbled together by lumber-mill workers doing it like the protagonist in Johnny Cash s One Piece at a Time song, Old Bend gives residents a glimpse of what life was like before the mills were replaced by a mall; before people-watching the scantily clad river floaters became a prime afternoon pastime any day of the week.
From my front door on NE Lotus Drive, adjacent to Pilot Butte, there s a paved bikeable foot path that tracks all the way to Reed Market Road, straight through the heart of the Larkspur neighborhood no stop lights and very few street crossings. Its two variations are known as Larkspur and Coyner Trails, however, I informally refer to the network as the Eastside Promenade (Prom). The Coyner Trail extends between Juniper Park and Ponderosa Park, describes Bend Park and Recreation District on its website. Paved and off-street, it gently rolls along the west of Bear Creek Elementary School from park to park. The Larkspur Trail, meanwhile, runs through the heart of east Bend, BPRD describes.