Wilkes

Wilkes holds the distinction of being the easternmost neighborhood in Portland, sharing its entire eastern border with Gresham. It stretches from NE 148th Avenue on the west to NE 162nd Avenue on the east, from the Columbia River and NE Marine Drive in the north down to NE Glisan Street in the south, with Sandy Blvd slicing through the middle. The neighborhood has a classic outer-Portland split: residential single-family homes and apartments south of Sandy Blvd, and a mix of business parks, light industrial, and commercial uses to the north.

The Wilkes East Neighborhood Association (WENA) has served the community for decades, hand-delivering newsletters to over 1,500 residences and businesses three times per year — an analog community-building strategy that reflects the neighborhood's strong grassroots culture. WENA maintains a list of local merchants including Parkrose Hardware at 10625 NE Sandy Blvd (open since the mid-20th century), Growers Outlet at 16145 NE Glisan St (fresh produce at wholesale-adjacent prices), and Albertsons on 181st and Glisan. The Zimmerman House, a historic landmark within the neighborhood, is protected by WENA advocacy. Wilkes residents also benefit from nearby MAX Airport Red Line service providing quick access to PDX and downtown.