Oregon City

As of the 2020 census, the city population was 37,572. Established in 1829 by the Hudson's Bay Company, in 1844 it became the first U.S. city west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It was the capital of the Oregon Territory from its establishment in 1848 until 1851, and rivaled Portland for early supremacy in the area. The town became the see city of the first Roman Catholic archdiocese in the western United States, when the diocese of Oregon City, established in 1846, was raised to metropolitan rank. In 1928 the name Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon replaced the former name. No longer a residential bishopric, Oregon City is now a titular see. Oregon City has several neighborhoods represented by official neighborhood associations: Park Place, Barclay Hills, Rivercrest, Two Rivers, and Canemah. The city is located on the Willamette River near the southern limits of the Portland metropolitan area. It is a land sandwiched between the Clackamas River and a narrow strip of land between the river and a bluff. It once was the site of the portage around Willamettes Falls for many years, and was the location of the movie theater Hazel Grove (now the Hazel Grove drive-in) It was also the location. of the Beaver Coins Mint, producing the short-lived independent Oregon Territory currency in 1849. In 1846 the city's newspaper, the Oregon Spectator, was the first American newspaper to be published west ofThe Oregon Trail as the last stop on the trail.

History

The city was established by Hudson's Bay Company's Dr. John McLoughlin in 1829 near the confluence of the Clackamas River with the Willamette. It was the capital of the Oregon Territory from its establishment in 1848 until 1851. In 1846, the city's newspaper, the Oregon Spectator, was the first American newspaper to be published west of the Rocky Mountains. Oregon City College was established in 1849 as a Baptist school, but was defunct by the 1870s. The town became the see city of the first Roman Catholic archdiocese in the western United States in 1846. The population in the area of Oregon City declined due to the California Gold Rush. In 1928 the name Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon replaced the former name. No longer a residential bishopric, Oregon City is now a titular see. The city was the site of the Beaver Coins Mint, producing the short-lived independent Oregon Territory currency in1849. It is now known in recent decades as the site for several large paper mills on theWillamette River. The center of the city retains part of its historic character through the preservation of houses and other buildings from the era of theCity's founding. It has a population of about 2,000 people, making it one of the smallest cities in the United States to be named after a city in the early 20th century. Its population has grown to more than 3,000 since the 1970s, when the population of nearby Portland grew, and the headquarters of the arch diocese was moved there.

Neighborhoods

Oregon City has several neighborhoods represented by official neighborhood associations. The Park Place neighborhood is in the northeastern corner of the city, located on a bluff overlooking Abernethy Green. The Two Rivers neighborhood is the primarily commercial lowest-elevation area of town including downtown Oregon City, the End of the Oregon Trail Visitor's Center, and Clackamette Park. The Barclay Hills neighborhood lies between Rivercrest Neighborhood on the west, the city limits on the east, the McLoughlin neighborhood on the north, and Warner-Milne Road on the south. The Canemah neighborhood lies along Oregon Route 99E, and is a narrow strip of land sandwiched between the Willamette River and a bluff. It was founded in 1845 and was the portage site around Willamettes Falls for many years. The former site of City Hall is located here, as is the Clackamas County jail. The Tower Vista neighborhood lies southeast of South End, and east of Hazel Grove/Whistling Farm. The Hillendale neighborhood lies south of Warner- Milne Road, east of Leland Road, north of Clairmont Way and Beavercreek Road, and west of OR 213 and the city Limits. The Caufield neighborhood contains those parts of Oregon City located south of Park Place, andEast of OR213. The South End neighborhood lies to the southwest of River crest Neighborhood, and was where Oregon City's (now defunct) drive-in movie theater was located.

Geography

Oregon City has a Mediterranean climate. Willamette Falls Locks in West Linn were the first multi-lift navigational locks in the United States. First long-distance electrical service in the U.S. originated in Oregon City in 1889, transmitting electricity 14 miles (23 km) to Portland. The city has a total area of 9.29 square miles (24.06 km²) of which 9.05 square miles is land and 0.24 sq mi (0.62km²) is water. The climate is characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The town is divided into upper and lower areas. The upper area is atop a bluff composed of Canemah basalt, which flowed about 2.5 million years ago from a vent 7.5 miles (12km) to the southeast in the Boring Lava Field. For many years, Indian trails connected the two levels, but stairs were built in the 19th century. In 1915 the town built the water-powered Oregon City Municipal Elevator to connect the two parts, which was converted to electricity in the 1920s. In 1952, a new electric elevator was constructed with the specification that it was to be "as plain as possible and without ornament" The city is located on the Oregon River, which flows through Oregon City. The Willamett River forms the boundary between Oregon City and West. Linn; the Clackamas River serves as the boundary. between Oregon and Gladstone.

Economy

For much of its existence, Oregon City's economy has been dominated by the forestry industry. At its height, several mills operated in the city and surrounding communities. The last paper mill in the immediate vicinity closed in 2017. Tourism is a growing sector with the emphasis on the city's history and the major renovation of the Willamette Falls area into a public-access, mixed-use space. With the growth of the Portland Metro region, Oregon city has become largely a suburb of Portland.

Government

Oregon City was the capital of the Oregon Territory until 1851. The City is governed by a Mayor and a City Commission composed of the Mayor and four Commissioners elected from the City at large for terms of four years each. During his term (and against his wishes), the territorial capital of Oregon moved to Salem. The current mayor of Oregon City is John P. Gaines, who was elected to a four-year term in 2010. The city is located on the banks of the Columbia River, which flows into the Willamette River. It is located in the eastern part of the Cascade Range, which runs through the town of Salem, which is in the western portion of the state. It has a population of about 2,000 people, with the majority of its residents living in the downtown area of the city. It was once known as "The City of Oregon" before moving to the current name in 1851, when it became the state's capital. In 1851 it was also the site of the first territorial elections, which were held in 1848 and 1849. The first territorial governor was George Abernethy, who took office in 1845. The territorial capital was then called "Oregon City" and was the seat of the Territorial Governor until 1850, when the capital was moved to "Salem" It is now known as the "City of Portland" and is the location of the City of Portland's City Hall, which was established in 1852. It also has a number of parks, many of which were built in the early 1900s.

Education

The Oregon City School District includes 7 elementary schools, two middle schools, a traditional four-year high school, and an alternative secondary school. Oregon City High School is the third most populated high school in Oregon, and is a state and national power in girls' basketball. Clackamas Community College, numerous private and parochial schools, and a public library are all located in the district. Several schools in the school district offer bilingual English/Spanish programs. The school district is part of the Library Information Network of Clackama County. The city is home to the Oregon City Public Library, which has a collection of more than 2,000 books. The library is located in downtown Oregon City and is open to the public every day of the year. It is also home to a number of private schools, including Oregon City Community College and Oregon City Preparatory School, as well as several private day schools. The district also has an alternative high school called Oregon City Alternative High School, which offers a variety of alternative education programs. It also has a public middle school, Oregon City Middle School, and two alternative high schools. It has a private high school that offers alternative education classes for the middle school and high school students. The high school also offers an alternative middle school that teaches alternative education for the high school and junior high students. It was the site of three consecutive USA Today girls' national championships in basketball in the 1990s and early 2000s. The public high school is Oregon City Senior High, which was founded in the 1970s.

Points of interest

Museums include the Museum of the Oregon Territory and the End of theOregon Trail Interpretive Center. Clackamas Heritage Partners owns and operates these museums, along with the Stevens Crawford Museum. The Oregon City Bridge over the Willamette River, built in 1922, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Other historical buildings in Oregon City include the McLoughlin House, the Ermatinger House, and the Ainsworth House. Oregon City has over 22 city parks, including Clackamette Park, with RV camping, a boat launch and dock, a skateboard park, and other recreational facilities. Other major parks include Chapin, Hillendale, Jon Storm Park, Rivercrest and the new Wesley Lynn. The city is home to the U.S. Coast Guard's Oregon Coast Guard Station, which is located on the Oregon Coast. The town is also home to a number of historic buildings, including the First Congregational Church and the Oregon City Municipal Elevator, which dates back to the 19th century. It is the home of the Clackama County Historical Society, which includes the incorporation plat for the city of San Francisco, as well as the city's first post office and post office. It also contains the Oregon County Courthouse, which was built in 1859, and is the oldest building in the city. It was built on the site of a former post office, which has since been converted into a public park. It has been known to host the Oregon State Museum since the early 1900s.

Transportation

Interstate 205 is the only freeway to serve the city. Oregon City is served by TriMet, the regional transit authority, with several bus lines which converge at the Oregon City Transit Center. The city also has an Amtrak station, which is served twice daily in each direction by Amtrak Cascades trains running between Portland and Eugene, Oregon. Until 1958, an interurban trolley line operated by the now-defunct Portland Traction Company connected Oregon City with Portland. A small private airfield is along Beavercreek Road, south of Oregon City. The Willamette River is navigable to small craft, and Oregon City has a thriving fishing and recreational boating industry. The Clackamas River is not navigable, except for the lowermost portions. There are no public airports within the city; Portland International Airport is 15 miles (24 km) to the north, and Portland-Mulino Airport, a general-aviation facility in the town of Mulino, about 15 miles to the south. The Coast Starlight (Seattle-Los Angeles) passes through but does not stop in Oregon City, as it does not have a stop on its way to and from the West Coast. There is no public water supply in the city, but the city does have a thriving boating and fishing industry, and the city has a number of locks and locks for small boats to navigate around the falls. The City is part of the greater Portland metropolitan area, but is not part of it.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 31,859 people, 11,973 households, and 8,206 families residing in the city. There were 12,900 housing units at an average density of 1,425.4 per square mile (550.4/km²) The racial makeup of the city was 91.1% White, 0.6% African American, 0,9% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 0.,2% Pacific Islander, 2.3% from other races, and 3.1%. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.3%. The median income for a household in theCity was $45,531, and the median income. for a family was $51,597. The per capita income for the city is $19,870. About 6.5% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the poverty line. The median age in the City was 36.3 years. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.07. The city's population was 25,754 at the 2000 census, and 25,841 at the 2010 census. It has a population density of 3,520.3 inhabitants per squaremile (1,359.2/km 2) The city has a median age of 33 years, with 27.0% under the age of 18, and 32.4% between 18 and 24. It's population is 49% male and 50% female.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Oregon City, Clackamas County, Oregon = 57.2. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 56. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 40. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Oregon City = 2.8 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 37,572 individuals with a median age of 35.8 age the population grows by 20.11% in Oregon City, Clackamas County, Oregon population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 3,738.88 residents per square mile of area (1,443.54/km²). There are average 2.58 people per household in the 11,432 households with an average household income of $55,365 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 11.50% of the available work force and has dropped -5.76% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 16.98%. The number of physicians in Oregon City per 100,000 population = 227.5.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Oregon City = 46.9 inches and the annual snowfall = 4.2 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 151. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 143. 82 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 35 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 63, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Oregon City, Clackamas County, Oregon which are owned by the occupant = 56.47%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 24 years with median home cost = $245,820 and home appreciation of -11.80%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $10.72 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,529 per student. There are 21 students for each teacher in the school, 432 students for each Librarian and 495 students for each Counselor. 7.17% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 13.08% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 5.32% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).