Elizabeth Leach Gallery was founded in 1981 and is the second oldest gallery in all of Portland. Located in the heart of the city, the gallery showcases a wide variety of works including sculptures, paintings and photography, all of which are creations of well-known local, national and international artisans. The gallery often holds shows for new work by some of its artists.
Built in 1913 North Portland Branch Library, one of the only historic libraries in the Multnomah County system, is now a neighborhood gem. Stand and marvel at the old-world detail of the original woodwork, including carved visages of writers such as Shakespeare, Moliere, Goethe, Milton, Dante and Plato. The Black Resource Center contains a wide selection of books by and about African Americans, and in the good-sized Children's Library, you will usually see a number of kids browsing, reading, and enjoying the friendly atmosphere.
One of Portland's historic libraries, St. Johns Branch Library was built in 1913 with funds from the estate of Andrew Carnegie. The library resembles a colonial estate with an old brick facade and large pillars at the front door. Renovated in 2000, the building now has updated technology and is home to the Peninsula Area Resource collection, which includes documents detailing the history of the St. Johns neighborhood. Located in the St. Johns neighborhood of North Portland, it is worth a stop.