Sellwood Community House Programs
Sellwood Community House, 1436 SE Spokane Street, Portland, OR 97202
About
Sellwood Community House Programs include activities such as Gymnastics, Chess Club, and Counselor-in-Training programs. The programs also offer 10 timeless weeks of summer fun for preschoolers and K-5 students, along with after school care for K-5 and programs for tweens, teens, infants through age 5 and their grownups, and seniors (55+). Offerings include education, recreation, classes, camps, drop-in activities, rental spaces, community events, and more as a place for people of all ages to learn, play, gather, and connect.
• Ages: 0–18 years old
• Schedule: Open Monday–Friday with daytime and evening hours, plus scheduled events and rentals on weekends; summer options run across 10 weeks for preschoolers and K–5 students
Sellwood Community House Programs operate as a non-profit community center and an intergenerational hub for people of all backgrounds to learn, play, build community and foster lasting connections and friendships. The site includes a historic gym, a studio with a dormant swimming pool beneath it, and preschool classrooms and offices that still bear the original dorm room numbers. The building was constructed in 1910, was used for classes by the City of Portland Bureau of Parks and Recreation by 1918, and was purchased by the City as its second City-run community center by 1920. It was placed on the National Historic Register in 2006 and is also recognized as a Portland Historic Landmark. In 2019, neighborhood volunteers and advocates contributed to establishing Sellwood Community House as a nonprofit community center, and the Friends of Sellwood Community House leased the building from Portland Parks and Recreation that same year.
Community involvement includes community-funded fun at The Shack at Sellwood Park, enriching community events for all ages, Summer Sellwood Sessions live music in the park, and Summer Sing: A Community Solstice Celebration. The program also offers Counselor-in-Training programs for grades 6–8 and a Littles Program for infants through age 5 and their grownups, along with programs for tweens, teens, and seniors (55+). Testimonials from families describe the lobby as a cozy living room for the neighborhood, refer to the group as a sort of extended family, and describe experiences such as a lantern walk and a nurturing circle for new mothers, as well as a parent noting diverse experiences and leadership skills gained through working with children of different age groups.
Last updated June 28, 2026.
• Ages: 0–18 years old
• Schedule: Open Monday–Friday with daytime and evening hours, plus scheduled events and rentals on weekends; summer options run across 10 weeks for preschoolers and K–5 students
Sellwood Community House Programs operate as a non-profit community center and an intergenerational hub for people of all backgrounds to learn, play, build community and foster lasting connections and friendships. The site includes a historic gym, a studio with a dormant swimming pool beneath it, and preschool classrooms and offices that still bear the original dorm room numbers. The building was constructed in 1910, was used for classes by the City of Portland Bureau of Parks and Recreation by 1918, and was purchased by the City as its second City-run community center by 1920. It was placed on the National Historic Register in 2006 and is also recognized as a Portland Historic Landmark. In 2019, neighborhood volunteers and advocates contributed to establishing Sellwood Community House as a nonprofit community center, and the Friends of Sellwood Community House leased the building from Portland Parks and Recreation that same year.
Community involvement includes community-funded fun at The Shack at Sellwood Park, enriching community events for all ages, Summer Sellwood Sessions live music in the park, and Summer Sing: A Community Solstice Celebration. The program also offers Counselor-in-Training programs for grades 6–8 and a Littles Program for infants through age 5 and their grownups, along with programs for tweens, teens, and seniors (55+). Testimonials from families describe the lobby as a cozy living room for the neighborhood, refer to the group as a sort of extended family, and describe experiences such as a lantern walk and a nurturing circle for new mothers, as well as a parent noting diverse experiences and leadership skills gained through working with children of different age groups.
Last updated June 28, 2026.
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