WASHINGTON — Oregonians living in Washington, D.C., tend to wax nostalgic about the Beaver State, especially during the unbearable, sweaty summers.

For those who can’t come back West, there is a link to Oregon, tucked away in the northwest corner of the District of Columbia: Oregon Avenue.

Bordered by a forested park on one side and a sleepy residential neighborhood on the other, Oregon Avenue has a quirky resemblance to its namesake state. Indeed, it’s one of the only places in D.C. where visitors have a chance of seeing Oregon’s state animal, the beaver, according to the National Park Service.

“It’s a little cooler because of the trees,” said Al Bigger, a 30-year resident of Oregon Avenue. “I like it in the summertime.”

Every state in the U.S. is represented by a road in the nation’s capital. The road’s location is supposed to roughly parallel the state’s. That worked for Oregon, although Washington, D.C. is the only place where Oregon and Nebraska border each other.

Oregon Avenue may not have the high profile of Pennsylvania Avenue, or serve as a commercial hub, like Connecticut Avenue. But residents there say it has an understated charm, not unlike the state it’s named for.

Homesick Central Oregonians may also appreciate the street’s low crime rate and limited access to public transportation.

The street is defined by Rock Creek Park, the largest and wildest park in Washington, D.C., which runs along the east side of Oregon Avenue. The tall deciduous trees and big lots give the street a suburban feel that’s unique in the bustling capital.

Kathy Byus has lived there with her husband, a retired Navy oceanographer, and dog, Elvis, for about a year. She said the wildlife and natural setting remind her a little of Veneta, west of Eugene, where she visited her grandfather’s cabin as a girl.

“Look at how tall these trees are,” Byus said, looking skyward.

The Park Service estimates about 200 whitetail deer and several dens of foxes live in the park, as well.

The street was named in 1859, the same year Oregon became a state. It replaced a portion of Shepherd Road, according to “George Washington Never Slept Here,” a history of the District of Columbia, by Amy Alotta. Namesake Alexander Shepherd was a scandal-plagued governor of the District of Columbia after the Civil War who fled to Mexico after he was accused of mismanaging city funds.

The street’s 40-some houses were mostly built in the 1950s and ’60s, according to city records. One early resident, Byus said, was a young Walter Cronkite.

Today, the neighborhood’s residents are mostly seniors, said Andrea Barrett.

“A lot of people along this street are at least retirement age,” Barrett said.

Her family, with six kids, ranging from 7 to 18 years old, is a notable exception.

“It’s been, I think, a great neighborhood,” Barrett said.

She also enjoys the park across the street from her house, which, located midway along the road’s 1.7-mile length, could be considered Central Oregon Avenue.

Nearby stables, which house horses for the Park Service law enforcement offices, further contribute to the area’s uniqueness, Barrett said.

“You see people riding horses all the time,” she said.

Over time, the formerly remote neighborhood has become a more sought-after place to live, with homes selling from $550,000 to more than $1.2 million.

Asked about the neighborhood’s residents, Bigger, a retired pharmacist, said it has changed.

“People who make a lot more money than me,” Bigger said. “I couldn’t afford to buy this now.”

Like many Oregonians, Byus tries to take care of the environment, in her case by picking up glass that washes up on the shores of a nearby creek after rainstorms. Byus said she worries the glass will injure her dog, or other animals, which are plentiful.

“I’ve never seen a beaver,” Byus said. “I have seen lots of raccoons.”