Tigard is a community of approximately 50,000 located 10 miles southwest of Portland, Oregon. It is in eastern Washington County and lies between Interstate 5 and Beaverton. It is nestled in the Tualatin Valley along Highway 99W, the Pacific Highway, and encompasses an area of 11 square miles.
The Oregon Coast is about 70 miles west and the ski slopes of Mt. Hood are about 80 miles to the east. It is surrounded by farming country and Washington county is home to some of the best vineyards and wineries in the state. As you might expect, Tigard has a thriving Farmers Market, and one can drive a short distance to purchase fruit and produce directly from the local farmers.
Settled in 1852 by the Tigard family, the East Butte area grew into a small farming community called Tigardville. Following the arrival of the Oregon Electric Railway in 1910, the town name was changed to Tigard. The original John Tigard House, built in 1880 at Pacific Highway and Gaarde St., was restored in 1970, and has been relocated to the corner of SW Canterbury Lane and 103rd.
Another preserved monument to Tigard's history is the 3-story-high windmill on 121st Avenue at Katherine Street, built around 1900 and restored by neighborhood residents in 1983. Here is a link to designated historical sites in and around the city.
Tigard is a friendly community, and a relative newcomer as a city for all its long history: it was not actually incorporated into a city until 1961. It has experienced significant growth in the past 30 years, and is a popular and affordable area for families, offering excellent schools, convenient shopping and homes scattered across low hills featuring views of the valleys, the distant mountains, and the nearby hills. Educational opportunities for adults within 30 miles include some of the state's highest rated colleges and universities.
Tigard is recreation-oriented, having 179 acres set aside for parkland and 171 acres of greenways and wetlands. The climate is mild, being protected on the east by the Portland hills from the worst of the winter storms coming in from the Columbia Gorge, and the Coast Range to the west. Average rainfall is 43.15", contributing to the natural beauty and popularity of local parks and gardens.
The city's web site features an image gallery showcasing the beauty of the environment, the history of the area and the people and places that define Tigard. The Annual Festival of Balloons is a Rose Festival-sanctioned event held in Cook Park every summer. The Rose Festival is the region's famed week-long celebration held in June featuring a carnival along the Portland waterfront, multiple events around the metropolitan area, and several parades, including the main Saturday Rose Parade
Tigard offers a multitude of housing types, including two areas planned specifically as retirement communities, Summerlake and King City. Summerlake is now surrounded by homes and apartments built in the past 20 years, offering a range of housing options and price ranges. There are older neighborhoods of 1940s and 50s homes and new developments of walled and gated executive view homes, so there is something for virtually every taste.
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