Madison South

Madison South took shape as an outer suburb of Portland in the 1950s, its modest bungalows and ranch-style homes filling in the broad plateau between I-84, I-205, 82nd Avenue, and Sandy Boulevard. The neighborhood's unusual J-shape reflects its geography: it curves around the 140-acre Glendoveer Golf Course and bends north to include the slopes of Rocky Butte, an extinct volcanic cinder cone that rises 612 feet above the Portland basin. Rocky Butte Lookout (3102 NE Rocky Butte Rd) is the highest point on Portland's Eastside and rewards the short drive or hike with panoramic views of the city, Mount Hood, and Mount St. Helens.

The Grotto — officially the National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother — adds a profound spiritual dimension to Madison South at 8840 NE Skidmore St. The sanctuary's 62-acre grounds were carved from a former rock quarry in 1923–1924 by Father Ambrose Mayer, who convinced the city to sell the land to the church rather than develop it. Today The Grotto draws visitors year-round, and its Festival of Lights at Christmas is one of the Pacific Northwest's most beloved seasonal events. Along 82nd Avenue, a corridor of Asian eateries including Pho Oregon reflect the neighborhood's multicultural character.