Explore the real-world places that appear in Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary. Each location on the map shows what happens there in the novel, the real history of the place, and what's there today. Featured locations include The Quimby House (Klickitat Street), Klickitat Street, Grant Park, Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden for Children, The Public Library and 6 more.
NE Klickitat Street — Home of Beezus, Ramona, and their parents
The Quimby home is the center of the story. Nine-year-old Beezus Quimby struggles daily with her imaginative, stubborn four-year-old sister Ramona. Here Ramona demands that Beezus read 'Big Steam Shovel' over and over, scribbles in library books, and tries the patience of Mother and Father Quimby. The kitchen, where Beezus and Mother bake and the infamous cake is prepared, is the setting for the climax of the sisters' quarrels.
Beverly Cleary set her Ramona stories on the real Klickitat Street in Portland's Grant Park neighborhood, near where she grew up. The street name was drawn from her childhood memories of the area in the 1920s. Houses there date mostly from the early 20th century.
The street is a quiet residential area of private homes, so the houses themselves are not open to visitors. Fans often drive or walk by to see the street sign that inspired the stories.
NE Klickitat Street — The street where the Quimbys live
Klickitat Street is the home street of Beezus and Ramona. It is the backdrop for Ramona's neighborhood adventures and for Beezus's walks to and from errands and school. The ordinary sidewalks and homes make the setting feel like a real, familiar childhood neighborhood.
Klickitat Street is a real Portland street named after the Klickitat people of the Pacific Northwest. Beverly Cleary lived nearby as a child and used it for her fictional family. It became one of the most famous literary streets in the city.
The street remains residential and is a pilgrimage for Ramona fans, with street signs marking the name. Visitors can walk along it respectfully and enjoy the Portland neighborhood atmosphere.
Visit: Klickitat Street (landmark)
NE 33rd Avenue & US Grant Place — Cleary's childhood playground
Grant Park is the neighborhood park near the Quimbys' home and the model for the playgrounds of Beezus and Ramona's world. In the series, the park represents the open space where children like Ramona play and where Beezus can briefly escape her little sister's antics. Its fields and trees evoke the wholesome childhood Cleary captures.
Grant Park was named after President Ulysses S. Grant and developed in the early 20th century. Beverly Cleary attended nearby Grant High School and played in the park as a child.
The park has playing fields, a playground, and tennis courts. It features the Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden for Children with bronze statues of Ramona, Henry Huggins, and Ribsy.
Visit: Grant Park (park)
Grant Park, NE 33rd Ave — Statues of Ramona, Henry, and Ribsy
The garden honors the characters from Cleary's books, including Ramona Quimby, who appears in Beezus and Ramona as the spirited four-year-old. Ramona's antics, such as her insistence on her own way and her chase for attention, are celebrated here. Children can splash in the fountain where Ramona is depicted.
The garden was dedicated in 1995 to honor Beverly Cleary, who had grown up in the neighborhood. Sculptor Lloyd Glasson created the bronze statues, and the garden is part of the park.
The garden is open to the public and features statues of Ramona, Henry Huggins, and his dog Ribsy surrounding a fountain. It is a popular family destination and a highlight for Cleary fans.
Visit: Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden for Children (monument)
Neighborhood branch — Beezus's attempts to return Ramona's damaged book
The library is where Ramona's favorite book, 'Big Steam Shovel', is borrowed and where trouble arises. Ramona scribbles in the library copy, leaving Beezus mortified. Beezus must face the librarian and take responsibility for the damage, learning how embarrassing and difficult it is to be Ramona's older sister. The scene highlights Beezus's sense of duty and her frustration.
Portland's public library system dates to 1864 and expanded into neighborhood branches in the early 20th century. Beverly Cleary herself worked as a children's librarian and loved libraries from childhood. Branches like Hollywood and Belmont served the NE and SE neighborhoods.
Multnomah County Library branches continue to serve Portland communities. The nearby Hollywood Library offers books, programs, and a children's section where fans can find Cleary's books.
Visit: Hollywood Library (library)
NE Sandy Boulevard — Neighborhood shopping area
The Hollywood shopping district near Klickitat Street reflects the sort of neighborhood stores where Beezus and Ramona's family would run errands. Shopping trips and errands appear throughout the Ramona series, with Beezus often responsible for keeping Ramona close and out of trouble.
Hollywood developed in the 1920s around the Hollywood Theatre and became a streetcar-era commercial center. Beverly Cleary shopped and went to movies here as a young woman.
The district has shops, restaurants, and the historic Hollywood Theatre. It remains a lively neighborhood hub with a farmers market on Saturdays.
Visit: Hollywood Theatre (theater)
NE Portland — Inspiration for Beezus's school life
Beezus attends school as a nine-year-old and wishes she could be free of her little sister's disruptions. Her classes and friends, such as Mary Jane, give her a life apart from Ramona. School scenes show Beezus as a responsible, thoughtful girl who loves her sister but is also embarrassed by her.
Beverly Cleary attended Fernwood Grammar School and Grant High School. The Ramona books draw on her memories of those schools. Grant Park Elementary was later named after the neighborhood.
The schools are working public schools, so they are not tourist sites. Visitors should respect school grounds and view them only from outside.
NE 36th Avenue & Fremont — Cleary's alma mater
Though not a named setting in Beezus and Ramona, Grant High is part of the neighborhood that shaped Cleary's world and her stories of Portland childhood. The family-centered, small-neighborhood life in the book reflects the area around the school.
Grant High School opened in 1923 and Beverly Cleary graduated in 1934. It is one of Portland's historic public high schools, named for Ulysses S. Grant.
It remains an active public high school. It is not open for casual visits, but the campus and building can be viewed from the street.
Family kitchen — Beezus and Ramona's cake disaster
In the book's climax, Beezus and Ramona's kitchen is the scene of Beezus's birthday cake plans and chaos. Beezus wants the cake to be special for her birthday, while Ramona's behavior threatens to spoil things. The sisters ultimately reach an understanding, and the kitchen becomes the heart of their reconciliation.
Kitchens in 1950s American homes like the Quimbys' were centers of family life, with home baking common. Cleary drew on her own mid-century Portland childhood to portray this domestic world.
The Quimbys' kitchen is fictional and part of a private-home setting, so it cannot be visited. Fans can instead enjoy the neighborhood's cafes and bakeries.
SE Cesar E. Chavez Blvd & Oak St — Classic Portland neighborhood park
Parks like this one reflect the outdoor play Beezus and Ramona enjoy in their neighborhood. The sisters' walks and playtime away from home let Beezus experience her sister at her most imaginative and exhausting. It captures the broader Portland setting of the books.
Laurelhurst Park opened in 1914 on land of the former Laurelhurst estate. It was designed by the Olmsted-influenced planners of the early Laurelhurst development.
The park features a pond with ducks, large old trees, walking paths, and a playground. It is popular for picnics, dog walking, and community events.
Visit: Laurelhurst Park (park)
SW 10th Ave & Yamhill — Portland's main library
The central library stands for the larger library system that Beezus and Ramona use. Library borrowing is central to the book's famous 'Big Steam Shovel' episode, in which Ramona's love of a book creates a problem for Beezus.
The Central Library opened in 1913, designed by A. E. Doyle in Georgian style. Beverly Cleary spent time in Portland libraries as a child, which inspired her love of books.
It is a working library with a children's room, reading rooms, and historic architecture. It is open to the public and is a National Historic Landmark.
Visit: Multnomah County Central Library (library)
More by Beverly Cleary: All Beverly Cleary books
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