▁was ▁an nex ed ▁into ▁Port land . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 0 th ▁century , ▁property ▁own ers ▁and ▁polit icians ▁sought ▁to ▁restrict ▁access ▁to ▁non wh ites ▁in ▁most ▁resident ial ▁areas ▁in ▁Port land . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁the ▁Port land ▁Real ty ▁Board ▁declared ▁that ▁s elling ▁property ▁in ▁a ▁white ▁neighborhood ▁to ▁Neg ro ▁or ▁Chinese ▁people ▁was ▁un eth ical , ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁half ▁of ▁Port land ' s ▁Black ▁community ▁lived ▁in ▁the ▁North ▁Williams ▁Avenue ▁area . ▁The ▁street ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁central ▁hub ▁of ▁African ▁American ▁Port land . ▁ ▁A ▁re development ▁plan ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁caused ▁a ▁grad ual ▁shift ▁in ▁dem ograph ics ▁along ▁North ▁Williams ▁Avenue ▁and ▁the ▁surrounding ▁area . ▁One ▁stretch ▁of ▁the ▁a venue ▁began ▁to ▁carry ▁ 3 , 0 0 0 ▁b icy cle ▁commut ers ▁per ▁day , ▁making ▁the ▁street ▁a ▁vital ▁ar tery ▁for ▁non - mot or ized ▁traffic , ▁but ▁changes ▁along ▁North ▁Williams ▁Avenue ▁were ▁not ▁always ▁well ▁received . ▁ ▁Historic ▁resources ▁ ▁Three ▁sites ▁listed ▁with ▁the ▁National ▁Register ▁of ▁Historic ▁Places ▁are ▁located ▁on ▁North ▁Williams ▁Avenue , ▁the ▁R ine hart ▁Building , ▁the ▁Charles ▁Cro ok ▁House , ▁and ▁the ▁Henry ▁C . ▁and ▁Wil hem ina ▁Bru ening ▁House . ▁Moreover , ▁the ▁Port land ▁Historic ▁Resources ▁In ventory ▁of ▁ 1 9 8