The Kwanzan Cherry Trees Blooming Now Have A History Of Perseverance
It’s finally here! The brief week when our streets turn pink with blooms from cherry trees.
Those trees have a deep history rooted in perseverance. They were planted in the 1960’s and 70’s as a part of a million dollar grant to beautify the neighborhood. During a time when whole areas were being razed to build the freeway system, Memorial Coliseum and Emanuel Hospital expansion, this community fought to save their homes. Neighbors organized the Albina Neighborhood Improvement Project (ANIP) and successfully worked with the City of Portland to receive grants from the Federal Government to improve Albina. Some of that money went to planting the Kwanzan Cherry trees we still enjoy to this day.
Photos: Cherry trees on Kerby Ave 2023 - Zack Stack, Albina Tree Planting program, ca. 1964 - courtesy of the Oregon Historical Society
Read more below: