LAKE OSWEGO (zip codes 97034, 97035)

Bridge in LO-Although it’s just eight miles south of downtown Portland, Lake Oswego is not your typical bedroom community.  Lake Oswego has received many notable distinctions.  Among them the most recent in 2009, when MONEY magazine named LO (Lake Oswego) as one of their ”100 Best Places to Live”.   The zip codes for Lake Oswego are 97034 and 97035.

A thriving city of  approximately 36,926 residents is centered around a 403 acre, 3.5 mile lake of the same name and bordered by the Willamette River, offering wonderful views.  It’s only a short jaunt to I-5, Highway 217 and Kruse Way.

In the nineteenth century, Lake Oswego was a thriving steel town, but after the smelter fell silent, the area was reborn as a residential development.  Since the 1930s, Lake Oswego has been one of the well-heeled suburbs of Portland, boasting graceful architecture and ample recreation.

Trees are so important in Lake Oswego that there is an inventory of  ”distinctive natural area trees”, a Garden Club Tree Walk, a tree removal and protection code, and a designation program for historically significant trees.

The city is divided into 20 official neighborhoods,  each with its own governing association. Lake homes areLO_Neighborhood_Map popular (and expensive), but outdoor activities are available for everyone, including hiking in the state park, water skiing on the Willamette River, or playing a few rounds on the public golf course.

THE ARTS

Lake View Village. Downtown Lake Oswego from City of LO WebsiteThe arts are very important to the citizens of Lake Oswego as shown to their dedication to establish and support the Lakewood Center for the Arts, a non-profit community cultural center that sponsors visual arts, theatre, and other events.  The residents of the area enjoy concerts in the park, farmers markets, Gallery Without Walls, Lake Oswego Festival of Arts and many other community events.  It’s just a short walk to its downtown core – the Lakeview Village shopping – an area of offices, shops, markets, restaurants and Millenium Park- just one of many locations around town that features the likes of the popular farmers market, concerts, movies in the park, art exhibits and so much more.  The Heritage House conducts lectures and special events.  It is on the Historic registry.lo-farmers-market

SCHOOLS

One can’t forget to mention the award-winning Lake Oswego schools that foster a sense of personal, civic and social responsibility, and their goals are to develop the intellectual, physical and social skills necessary for life-long personal achievement

WATCH this video from YouTube about Lake Oswego, Oregon.  CLICK HERE to view it.  In addition, here’s information about Lake Oswego from WIKIPEDIA.  Here’s a link to the City of Lake Oswgeo’s Community Newsletter – Hello LO!

The Willamette Shore Trolley, a vintage railroad with authentic trolley cars, operates along the Willamette River between Lake Oswego and Portland. The trolley runs five times per day on weekend days from May to October. There are also special runs during Christmas to watch boats and see Christmas light displays.

Area drive times from Lake Oswego:

  • Portland City Center-15 minutes
  • Ocean Beaches-1.5 hours
  • Mt. Hood skiing-1.25 hours
  • river sailing-15 minutes
  • Portland International Airport-30 minutes
  • State’s Capitol City (Salem)-45 minutes

Check out my new photo blog about Lake Oswego - Lake Oswego Living.A Photo Blog.

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