Northgate - Salem, OR Area Guide

Northgate originally designated the northern entrance to the pioneer settlement of Salem. Portland Road/Route 99 East, the old north-south route through the Willamette Valley, ran into Salem along the early Native American trail and pioneer wagon route. The wagon road went past the Marion County Fairgrounds, then 3 miles outside of town on 8 acres donated by homesteader John Savage. As the site of the Oregon State Fair since 1862, the fairgrounds mark the southern boundary of modern Northgate. Local Native Americans camped in the area and collected acorns from a grove of Oregon white oaks that still stand across the street from the main fairgrounds, and early fairgoers also used the grove as a camping place. As Salem grew and the railroads came to town, the city’s northern outskirts beyond the fairgrounds and along the transportation corridor developed into the freight staging and industrial zone that is Northgate today.

Restaurants in Northgate cluster along boundary roads and among the industrial lots in the neighborhood's core. El Grullense Mexican Restaurant and Taqueria serves local favorites like cheap tacos and carne asada burritos right across the way from the Don Pancho tortilla factory. Its dive vibe matches the industrial location, but El Grullense draws claims of being the best in Salem. The Sassy Onion Cafe in the Capitol City Business Center just off Interstate 5 specializes in quick breakfasts and lunches for those working in North Salem. Its Monster Grilled Cheese sandwich on freshly baked bread with three cheeses and a slice of ham or turkey makes a solid lunch that can be wrapped to go back to work. Baked goodies come from Gramma Jan’s Sweet Sensations, where cookies, bars, brownies and caramel corn are made from simple, pure ingredients with no preservatives and delivered around the Willamette Valley and into Portland two days a week. In the evenings, locals drink craft brews straight from the tanks and catch live music at Vagabond Brewing in central Northgate. The 501 Grill takes care of Northgate residents when they look for sports, pool tables and hand-pattied burgers in a casual atmosphere. For families, an evening of fun awaits at Northgate Bowl with 24 bowling lanes, video arcade games and a snack bar. Weekend specials like black-light bowling and midnight music bowling until 2 am add fun and interest to this traditional American pastime.

The industrial central corridor of Northgate with its rail lines and busy interstate highway presents an obstacle to those traveling by bike or on foot, but drivers heading out of town have easy access to Interstate 5 north and south, which intersects with Portland Road in the northern end of the neighborhood. Salem Parkway/Route 99 East offers the quickest way into downtown Salem to the south. Only the calm interior streets of the residential blocks in the southeast corner of the neighborhood invite biking or walking, and from there it is possible to reach the western edge of the area and several bus stops along Portland Road Northeast with a few minutes of travel without a car. The Salem-Keizer Cherriots transit system bus line routes cover the streets around the edges of Northgate and connect it with the downtown transit mall and destinations in south Salem. The number 14 and 15 routes bisect the area along Hyacinth Street Northeast, giving access to the Kroc Center facility as well as nearby industrial sites. Several call taxi services located in downtown Salem will make runs up to Northgate and the Uber ride sharing service also operates in the Salem area.

With transportation corridors and industrial centers taking up much of its land space, the Northgate neighborhood does not contain many parks. However, an expansive green space and two flood control basins occupy the Claggart Creek drainage area, and another undeveloped piece of land sits off Portland Road Northeast, so dog owners have plenty of room to let their pets roam free. Northgate Park, the area’s largest city park, spreads over 8 acres at the east end of Northgate Avenue Northeast. Asphalt walkways, a wooded picnic area, soccer and baseball fields, a multi-use court, play equipment and a splash pad for summer fun bring many families from the surrounding neighborhoods. Other parks can be accessed just beyond the edges of Northgate proper. Eastgate Basin Park sits about a half mile south of Northgate Park. This neighborhood park includes 8 acres of open area, ball fields, play equipment and a walking/biking path. Contiguous to the north side of the park, a further 7 acres used as a flood control basin also serves as space for field sports. Northview Terrace Park occupies 2 acres just outside the heart of Northgate. The park has picnic tables, play equipment and a basketball court, and the Keizer Community Pool defines its northern boundary.

The cost of living in Northgate matches the Salem average and comes in 6 percent lower than the U.S. average. A one-bedroom apartment in Northgate runs $543 per month on average, and gas costs about 15 percent less than the national average. A one-way ride into downtown Salem on the Salem-Keizer Cherriots bus line costs $1.50. At the few bars in the neighborhood and along the south and west edges of Northgate, residents can expect to find $2 happy hour domestic drafts or $5 pints of local microbrew.

Shopping in Northgate reflects the dominance of light industry and transport in the neighborhood's economy. Businesses ranging from new car dealers to motorcoach builders and high-performance auto parts retailers occupy the industrial strip in the core of Northgate. The corporate headquarters of Don Pancho Mexican Foods, a tortilla and corn chip factory that opened in 1979, sit on a large lot along Industrial Way Northeast. Bikers find their wheels in Northgate at Salem Harley-Davidson, and get the gear they need to dress the part at Hawg Haven Leathers next to Route 99 East. For riders who prefer the dirt and snow, Dan's Motorsports Outlet has a wide selection of bikes, buggies and snowmobiles from the top manufacturers. Although a Cash and Carry wholesale grocery outlet in the industrial strip along the railroad line supplies local restaurant owners, residents doing the family shopping must leave the neighborhood to get groceries. A short drive brings locals to Fred Meyer on south Salem Parkway or Safeway in Keizer. A Walmart Neighborhood Market location can be found a few blocks further south. BiMart also has a store in the same area. Northgate itself does not host a farmers market, but a fresh produce stop just a mile away, Norman's Farmers Market, serves the area.