)
, image_skyline = McLoughlin House.jpg
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McLoughlin House
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site is a United States National Historic Site located in the states of Washington and Oregon. The National Historic Site consists of two units, one located on the site of Fort Vancouver in modern-day Vancouver ...
, est. 1845
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Oregon
Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
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State
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
* ''Our S ...
, subdivision_type2 =
County
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
, subdivision_name = United States
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Oregon
Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
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Clackamas
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Mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
, leader_name = Denyse McGriff
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Incorporated
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2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
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, postal_code = 97045
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503 and 971
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FIPS code
The Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) of the United States are a set of publicly announced standards that the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed for use in computer systems of non-military, American ...
, blank_info = 41-55200
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GNIS
The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) is a database of name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features throughout the United States and its territories, Antarctica, and the associated states of ...
feature ID
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, website
www.orcity.org, footnotes =
, pop_est_footnotes =
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Oregon City is the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of
Clackamas County, Oregon, United States, located on the
Willamette River
The Willamette River ( ) is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States. Flowing northward b ...
near the southern limits of the
Portland metropolitan area
The Portland metropolitan area is a metro area in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington centered on the principal city of Portland, Oregon. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) identifies it as the Portland–Vancouver–Hillsboro, ...
. As of the
2020 census, the city population was 37,572. Established in 1829 by the
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC; french: Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson) is a Canadian retail business group. A fur trading business for much of its existence, HBC now owns and operates retail stores in Canada. The company's namesake business div ...
, in 1844 it became the first U.S. city west of the
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico in ...
to be incorporated.
History
Known in recent decades as the site of several large
paper mill
A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags, and other ingredients. Prior to the invention and adoption of the Fourdrinier machine and other types of paper machine that use an endless belt, ...
s on the
Willamette River
The Willamette River ( ) is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States. Flowing northward b ...
, the city played a significant role in the early history of the
Oregon Country. It was established by
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC; french: Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson) is a Canadian retail business group. A fur trading business for much of its existence, HBC now owns and operates retail stores in Canada. The company's namesake business div ...
's Dr.
John McLoughlin in 1829 near the confluence of the
Clackamas River
The Clackamas River is an approximately tributary of the Willamette River in northwestern Oregon, in the United States. Draining an area of about , the Clackamas flows through mostly forested and rugged mountainous terrain in its upper reaches, a ...
with the Willamette to take advantage of the power of
Willamette Falls
The Willamette Falls is a natural waterfall on the Willamette River between Oregon City, Oregon, Oregon City and West Linn, Oregon, in the United States. It is the largest waterfall in the Northwestern United States by volume, and the seventeen ...
to run a
lumber mill
A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes (dimensi ...
. During the 1840s and 1850s it was the destination for those wanting to file
land claims
A land claim is defined as "the pursuit of recognized territorial ownership by a group or individual". The phrase is usually only used with respect to disputed or unresolved land claims. Some types of land claims include aboriginal land claims, A ...
after traveling the
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail was a east–west, large-wheeled wagon route and emigrant trail in the United States that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon. The eastern part of the Oregon Trail spanned part of what is now the state of Kans ...
as the last stop on the trail.
It was the capital of the
Oregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. O ...
from its establishment in 1848 until 1851, and rivaled
Portland
Portland most commonly refers to:
* Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States
* Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
for early supremacy in the area. In 1846, the city's newspaper, the ''
Oregon Spectator
''The Oregon Spectator'', was a newspaper published from 1846 to 1855 in Oregon City of what was first the Oregon Country and later the Oregon Territory of the United States. The ''Spectator'' was the first American newspaper west of the Rocky Mo ...
'', was the first American newspaper to be published west of the
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico in ...
.
Oregon City College
Oregon City College was a short-lived school in what is today the U.S. state of Oregon. Organized by the Baptist Church in 1849, it was located in Oregon City and is partly a predecessor to Linfield College.
History
On September 21, 1849, the Ore ...
was established in 1849 as a
Baptist
Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only ( believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compe ...
school, but was defunct by the 1870s. Oregon City was the site of the
Beaver Coins Mint, producing the short-lived independent Oregon Territory currency in 1849.
The center of the city retains part of its historic character through the preservation of houses and other buildings from the era of the city's founding.
Former Latin archdiocese
The town became the see city of the first
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
archdiocese in the western United States, when the diocese of Oregon City, established in 1846, was raised to
metropolitan rank, with Archbishop
François Norbert Blanchet
François Norbert Blanchet (September 30, 1795 – June 18, 1883) was a French Canadian-born missionary priest and prelate of the Catholic Church who was instrumental in establishing the Catholic Church presence in the Pacific Northwest. He was on ...
as its
ordinary. Its territory included all of the western United States. The population in the area of Oregon City declined due to the
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) was a gold rush that began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California fro ...
. The population of nearby Portland grew, and the headquarters of the archdiocese was moved there in 1926. 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
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbis ...
.
Neighborhoods
Oregon City has several neighborhoods represented by official
neighborhood association
A neighborhood association (NA) is a group of residents or property owners who advocate to organize activities within a neighborhood. An association may have elected leaders and voluntary dues.
Some neighborhood associations in the United States ...
s:
* The Park Place neighborhood is in the northeastern corner of the city, located on a bluff overlooking Abernethy Green. The neighborhood includes a
housing project
Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is usually owned by a government authorities, government authority, either central or local. Although the common goal of public housing is to provide affordable housing, the d ...
, as well as numerous rural properties. Park Place, formerly an independent community, also includes unincorporated areas outside the city limits. First called Clackamas (a name that was later given to a community three miles (5 km) north), then Paper Mill, the community was finally named Park Place for a park in a nearby
oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
grove. Park Place was platted in 1889, and a post office was established the following year. For a while the name was changed to "Parkplace."
* 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 at Abernethy Green, and Clackamette Park. It borders the Clackamas and Willamette rivers to the north and west and Park Place to the east and McLoughlin to the south. I-205 runs through the north part of the neighborhood.
* The McLoughlin neighborhood is bordered by Washington Street and Singer Hill on the Northwest, a bluff overlooking Abernethy Creek on the northeast and east, and Division Street on the south. It also includes extends to the west to border the Canemah district. The John McLoughlin House and the upper entrance to the Municipal Elevator are located in this neighborhood.
* 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. This neighborhood is bisected by Molalla Avenue, the former route of
Oregon Route 213
Oregon Route 213 (OR 213) is an Oregon state highway that serves the eastern Willamette Valley between Portland and Salem. It is a north–south route. The route (except for its southernmost segment) is known as the Cascade Highway, thou ...
before it was moved to the Oregon City Bypass to the east.
* The
Canemah neighborhood lies along
Oregon Route 99E
Oregon Route 99E is an Oregon state highway that runs between Junction City, Oregon and an interchange with I-5 just south of the Oregon/Washington border, in Portland. It, along with OR 99W, makes up a split of OR 99 in the northern part of ...
, and is a narrow strip of land sandwiched between the Willamette River and a bluff. Canemah was once an independent city before being annexed into Oregon City. Canemah was founded in 1845 and was the
portage
Portage or portaging (Canada: ; ) is the practice of carrying water craft or cargo over land, either around an obstacle in a river, or between two bodies of water. A path where items are regularly carried between bodies of water is also called a ...
site around Willamette Falls for many years. It was supposedly named after an
Indian
Indian or Indians may refer to:
Peoples South Asia
* Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor
** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country
* South Asia ...
chief.
* The Rivercrest neighborhood includes Rivercrest Park, and the residential communities overlooking the
Willamette River
The Willamette River ( ) is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States. Flowing northward b ...
to the west.
* The South End neighborhood lies to the southwest of Rivercrest Neighborhood. It centers around the intersection of South End and Warner-Parrot roads, and was the location of Oregon City's (now defunct)
drive-in movie theater
A drive-in theater or drive-in cinema is a form of cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor movie screen, a projection booth, a concession stand, and a large parking area for automobiles. Within this enclosed area, customers can view movie ...
.
* The Hazel Grove/Westling Farm neighborhood lies in the southwestern corner of the city, lying between the bluffs over the Willamette River and the unincorporated areas to the south.
* The Tower Vista neighborhood lies southeast of South End, and east of Hazel Grove/Whistling Farm. It is bordered on the east and southeast by Leland Road.
* 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 former site of City Hall is located here, as is the
Clackamas County
Clackamas County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the population was 421,401, making it Oregon's third-most populous county. Its county seat is Oregon City. The county was named after the Native ...
jail.
* The Gaffney Lane neighborhood, centered around the elementary school of the same name, lies south of Hillendale, west of OR 213, and north/east of the city limits.
* The Caufield neighborhood contains those parts of the city located south of Park Place, and east of OR 213.
Clackamas Community College
Clackamas Community College (CCC) is a public community college in Oregon City, Oregon. Founded in 1966, it is one of the largest community colleges in the state of Oregon. Clackamas Community College offers courses at three campuses: the centr ...
is located here, as is
Oregon City High School
Oregon City High School is a public high school in the Northwestern United States, northwest United States in Oregon City, Oregon, a suburb south of Portland, Oregon, Portland.
History
Oregon City High School was established in 1885 on the lower ...
.
Geography
The town is divided into upper and lower areas. The lower area is on a
bench next to the Willamette River. The upper area is atop a bluff composed of Canemah
basalt
Basalt (; ) is an aphanite, aphanitic (fine-grained) extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron (mafic lava) exposed at or very near the planetary surface, surface of a terrestrial ...
, which flowed about 2.5 million years ago from a vent 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
The Oregon City Municipal Elevator is a elevator which connects two neighborhoods in Oregon City in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the only outdoor municipal elevator in the U.S. and one of at least 8 in the world.Matt Hickman,8 Extraordinary P ...
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."
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water.
The major waterways of Oregon City include the
Willamette River
The Willamette River ( ) is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States. Flowing northward b ...
, which flows along the northwest side of the city, and the
Clackamas River
The Clackamas River is an approximately tributary of the Willamette River in northwestern Oregon, in the United States. Draining an area of about , the Clackamas flows through mostly forested and rugged mountainous terrain in its upper reaches, a ...
, which merges with the larger Willamette to the north of the city. The Willamette forms the boundary between Oregon City and
West Linn
West Linn is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. A southern suburb within the Portland metropolitan area, West Linn developed on the site of the former Linn City, which was named after U.S. Senator Lewis F. Linn of Ste. Genevie ...
; the Clackamas serves as the boundary between Oregon City and
Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-conse ...
.
Willamette Falls
The
Willamette Falls Locks
The Willamette Falls Locks are a lock system on the Willamette River in the U.S. state of Oregon. Opened in 1873 and closed since 2011, they allowed boat traffic on the Willamette to navigate beyond Willamette Falls and the T.W. Sullivan Dam. ...
in West Linn were the first multi-lift navigational locks in the United States and are now a National Historical Site, no longer in use. The first
long-distance electrical service in the United States originated in Oregon City in 1889, transmitting electricity to Portland.
Climate
Oregon City has a Mediterranean climate. The Mediterranean climate regime resembles the climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, parts of western North America, parts of Western and South Australia, in southwestern South Africa and in parts of central Chile. The climate is characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters.
Economy
For much of its existence, Oregon City's economy has been dominated by the
forestry
Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. Th ...
industry, until the decline of the Pacific Northwest lumber industry started in the 1980s. At its height, several mills operated in the city and surrounding communities. The last
paper mill
A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags, and other ingredients. Prior to the invention and adoption of the Fourdrinier machine and other types of paper machine that use an endless belt, ...
in the immediate vicinity closed in 2017.
With the growth of the Portland Metro region, Oregon City has become largely a suburb of Portland. Tourism is a growing sector with the emphasis on the city's history and the major renovation of the
Willamette Falls
The Willamette Falls is a natural waterfall on the Willamette River between Oregon City, Oregon, Oregon City and West Linn, Oregon, in the United States. It is the largest waterfall in the Northwestern United States by volume, and the seventeen ...
area into a public-access, mixed-use space through the Willamette Falls Legacy Project.
Government
Oregon 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.
Oregon City was the capital of the
Oregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. O ...
until 1851; the following governors served during that time:
*
George Abernethy
George Abernethy (October 7, 1807 – March 2, 1877) was an American politician, pioneer, notable entrepreneur, and first governor of Oregon under the provisional government based in the Willamette Valley, an area later a part of the American sta ...
, provisional governor of the
Oregon Country 1845–48
*
Joseph Lane
Joseph "Joe" Lane (December 14, 1801 – April 19, 1881) was an American politician and soldier. He was a state legislator representing Evansville, Indiana, and then served in the Mexican–American War, becoming a general. President James K. ...
, first governor of the Oregon Territory, 1848–50
*
Kintzing Prichette
Kintzing Prichette (June 24, 1800 – April 12, 1869) was an American politician. He was primarily a political appointee within the federal government's various departments, which at the time included U.S. territories. He is best known as the las ...
, 2nd Territorial Governor of Oregon, 1850
*
John P. Gaines
John Pollard Gaines (September 22, 1795 – December 9, 1857) was a U.S. military and political figure. He was a Whig member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Kentucky from 1847 to 1849, and he served as Governor of ...
, 3rd Territorial Governor of Oregon, 1850–53. During his term (and against his wishes), the territorial capital of Oregon moved to
Salem.
Education
The city, and several surrounding communities, is served by the
Oregon City School District, a public school district consisting of 7
elementary school
A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ed ...
s, two
middle school
A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school. ...
s, a traditional four-year
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
(
Oregon City High School
Oregon City High School is a public high school in the Northwestern United States, northwest United States in Oregon City, Oregon, a suburb south of Portland, Oregon, Portland.
History
Oregon City High School was established in 1885 on the lower ...
), and an alternative secondary school. Several schools in the district offer bilingual
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
/
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
programs. Oregon City High School is the third most populated high school in Oregon, and is a state and national power in girls'
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
, winning three consecutive ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' girls' national championships in the 1990s.
The city also is the home of
Clackamas Community College
Clackamas Community College (CCC) is a public community college in Oregon City, Oregon. Founded in 1966, it is one of the largest community colleges in the state of Oregon. Clackamas Community College offers courses at three campuses: the centr ...
, numerous private and parochial schools, and a public library that is part of the
Library Information Network of Clackamas County
Libraries in Clackamas County (LINCC) is a consortium of the public libraries of Clackamas County, Oregon. It was established in 1977 when the first county-wide funding levy was approved by county voters. LINCC is a resource and revenue sharing ...
.
Points of interest
Museums and historic buildings
Museums include the Museum of the Oregon Territory and the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, with costumed "living history" guides. The Clackamas County Historical Society archives, housed in the Museum of the Oregon Territory, also include the incorporation
plat
In the United States, a plat ( or ) (plan) is a cadastral map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. United States General Land Office surveyors drafted township plats of Public Lands Surveys to show the distance and bear ...
for the city of
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
. Clackamas Heritage Partners owns and operates these museums, along with the Stevens Crawford Museum. In 2009, Clackamas Heritage Partners announced that it could no longer afford to keep the museums open. The End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center was closed to the public indefinitely in September 2009; the Stevens Crawford Museum and Museum of the Oregon Territory, staffed largely by volunteers, continued to operate on a limited schedule.
The End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center eventually reopened during the summer of 2013 with the support of grants and donations from numerous sources.
The Stevens-Crawford Heritage House Museum is a 1908 structure with 11 furnished rooms; exhibiting furniture from the collection of the Clackamas County Historical Society to replicate an Edwardian era home and Progressive Era narrative. Other historical buildings in Oregon City include the
McLoughlin House
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site is a United States National Historic Site located in the states of Washington and Oregon. The National Historic Site consists of two units, one located on the site of Fort Vancouver in modern-day Vancouver ...
, the
Ermatinger House (oldest in Clackamas County), the
Ainsworth House, the
Harvey Cross House, and the
First Congregational Church.
The
Oregon City Bridge
The Oregon City Bridge, also known as the Arch Bridge, is a steel through arch bridge spanning the Willamette River between Oregon City and West Linn, Oregon, United States. Completed in 1922, it is listed on the National Register of Historic P ...
over the Willamette River, built in 1922, is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
, as is the
Oregon City Municipal Elevator
The Oregon City Municipal Elevator is a elevator which connects two neighborhoods in Oregon City in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the only outdoor municipal elevator in the U.S. and one of at least 8 in the world.Matt Hickman,8 Extraordinary P ...
.
Parks
Oregon City has over 22 city parks. One of the city's larger parks is
Clackamette Park, at the confluence of the Clackamas and Willamette Rivers. The park's features include RV camping, a boat launch and dock, a skateboard park, and other recreational facilities. Several community festivals are held there throughout the year. Other major parks include Chapin, Hillendale,
Jon Storm Park, Rivercrest, and the new Wesley Lynn.
Transportation
Road
Interstate 205
Interstate 205 may refer to either of two unconnected Interstate Highways in the United States, both of which are related to Interstate 5
* Interstate 205 (California), a connector in the San Francisco Bay Area
* Interstate 205 (Oregon–Washing ...
passes through the city's northern edge, and is the only freeway to serve the city. In addition, three state highways (
Oregon Route 43
Oregon Route 43 is an Oregon state highway that runs between the cities of Oregon City and Portland, mostly along the western flank of the Willamette River. While it is technically known by the Oregon Department of Transportation as the Osweg ...
,
Oregon Route 99E
Oregon Route 99E is an Oregon state highway that runs between Junction City, Oregon and an interchange with I-5 just south of the Oregon/Washington border, in Portland. It, along with OR 99W, makes up a split of OR 99 in the northern part of ...
, and
Oregon Route 213
Oregon Route 213 (OR 213) is an Oregon state highway that serves the eastern Willamette Valley between Portland and Salem. It is a north–south route. The route (except for its southernmost segment) is known as the Cascade Highway, thou ...
) pass through or terminate in Oregon City. The former two serve the city's downtown core, the latter provides service to the southern parts of Oregon City.
Rail
The
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...
mainline passes through the city. The city also has an
Amtrak station
This is a list of train stations and Thruway Motorcoach stops used by Amtrak (the National Railroad Passenger Corporation in the United States). This list is in alphabetical order by station or stop name, which mostly corresponds to the city ...
, which is served twice daily in each direction by
Amtrak Cascades
The Amtrak ''Cascades'' is a passenger train corridor in the Pacific Northwest, operated by Amtrak in partnership with the U.S. states of Washington and Oregon. It is named after the Cascade mountain range that the route parallels. The corr ...
trains running between Portland and
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, near the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.
As of the 2020 United States Census, Eu ...
. The
Coast Starlight
The ''Coast Starlight'' is a passenger train operated by Amtrak on the West Coast of the United States between Seattle and Los Angeles via Portland and the San Francisco Bay Area. The train, which has operated continuously since Amtrak's format ...
(Seattle-Los Angeles) passes through but does not stop.
Air
There are no public airports within the city. A small private airfield is along Beavercreek Road, south of Oregon City. Oregon City is served by
Portland International Airport
Portland International Airport is a joint civil–military airport and the largest airport in the U.S. state of Oregon, accounting for 90% of the state's passenger air travel and more than 95% of its air cargo. It is within Portland's city l ...
, to the north, and by
Portland-Mulino Airport
Mulino State Airport is a public airport located at Mulino, Oregon, near the city of Molalla, about 20 nautical miles (23 mi, 37 km) south of Portland with access from Interstate 205 via Oregon Route 213. Also known as Mulin ...
, a general-aviation facility in the town of
Mulino, approximately to the south.
Water
The Willamette River in Oregon City is
navigable
A body of water, such as a river, canal or lake, is navigable if it is deep, wide and calm enough for a water vessel (e.g. boats) to pass safely. Such a navigable water is called a ''waterway'', and is preferably with few obstructions against di ...
to small craft, and Oregon City has a thriving fishing and recreational boating industry. The
Willamette Falls Locks
The Willamette Falls Locks are a lock system on the Willamette River in the U.S. state of Oregon. Opened in 1873 and closed since 2011, they allowed boat traffic on the Willamette to navigate beyond Willamette Falls and the T.W. Sullivan Dam. ...
once allowed boats to navigate around the falls. The Clackamas River is not navigable, except for the lowermost portions.
Mass transit
As part of the greater
Portland metropolitan area
The Portland metropolitan area is a metro area in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington centered on the principal city of Portland, Oregon. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) identifies it as the Portland–Vancouver–Hillsboro, ...
, Oregon City is served by
TriMet
TriMet, formally known as the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, is a public agency that operates mass transit in a region that spans most of the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon. Created in 1969 ...
, the regional transit authority, with several bus lines which converge at the
Oregon City Transit Center
The Oregon City Transit Center is a TriMet transit center located at McLoughlin Blvd. and 11th Street in Oregon City, Oregon. The northwest end of the center is at McLoughlin Blvd. and the southeast end is at Main Street, while Moss Street and 11t ...
. Until 1958, an
interurban
The Interurban (or radial railway in Europe and Canada) is a type of electric railway, with streetcar-like electric self-propelled rail cars which run within and between cities or towns. They were very prevalent in North America between 1900 ...
trolley line operated by the now-defunct
Portland Traction Company connected Oregon City with Portland; remnants of this line are still visible (such as an abandoned bridge across the Clackamas River, just east of the OR 99E bridge). In more recent years, the city operated a "historic trolley" service during the summer months, primarily to serve the needs of tourism, but the vehicles used were
trolley-replica buses, rather than actual trolley cars, and in 2013 it was decided to discontinue that service and sell the vehicles.
Two other public agencies provide transit service in Oregon City, supplementing that of TriMet. The
South Clackamas Transportation District
The South Clackamas Transportation District (SCTD) is a bus service that provides public transportation in Molalla, Oregon, connecting that city to Clackamas Community College (and TriMet, which formerly provided the service) in Oregon City, Orego ...
(SCTD) operates a route between Clackamas Community College on the south east end of Oregon City to Molalla, about south on Oregon Route 213.
Canby Area Transit
Canby Area Transit, or simply CAT, is the public transit bus service provided by and for the US city of Canby, Oregon. As of 2015, it operates one fixed route between Woodburn, Canby and Oregon City along Oregon Route 99E, complementary parat ...
(CAT) operates regular service on Oregon Route 99E between the Oregon City Transit Center and Canby.
SMART
Smart or SMART may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Smart'' (Hey! Say! JUMP album), 2014
* Smart (Hotels.com), former mascot of Hotels.com
* ''Smart'' (Sleeper album), 1995 debut album by Sleeper
* '' SMart'', a children's television se ...
, South Metro Area Regional Transit, serving Wilsonville, connects to CAT in Canby. CAT also has service to Woodburn.
Dial-a-ride
Demand-responsive transport (DRT), also known as demand-responsive transit, demand-responsive service,
US National Trans ...
service is operated by TriMet, but CAT also operates within the Oregon City city limits for trips originating or terminating in the CAT service area. If transfers between TriMet and CAT are necessary, they are accomplished at the Oregon City Transit Center (OCTC) at 11th & Main, which is at the northeast end of the downtown area.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2010, there were 31,859 people, 11,973 households, and 8,206 families residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was . There were 12,900 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.1%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 0.6%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.9%
Native American, 1.7%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.2%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 2.3% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 3.1% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 7.3% of the population.
There were 11,973 households, of which 36.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were
married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.5% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.07.
The median age in the city was 36.3 years. 25.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.8% were from 25 to 44; 25.7% were from 45 to 64; and 11.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.3% male and 50.7% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,754 people, 9,471 households, and 6,667 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 10,110 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 92.44% White, 1.12% Asian, 1.08% Native American, 0.58% African American, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 2.15% from other races, and 2.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.98% of the population.
There were 9,471 households, out of which 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.0% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $45,531, and the median income for a family was $51,597. Males had a median income of $38,699 versus $29,547 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $19,870. About 6.5% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 11.0% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
In addition to
John McLoughlin, the "Father of Oregon" and chief factor of the
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC; french: Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson) is a Canadian retail business group. A fur trading business for much of its existence, HBC now owns and operates retail stores in Canada. The company's namesake business div ...
, and Vietnam-era
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
recipient
Larry G. Dahl, Oregon City has been home to the following:
;Oregon pioneers
*
John C. Ainsworth (1822–1893), pioneer, businessman, steamship captain
*
J. T. Apperson, steamboat captain, politician
*
George H. Atkinson (1819–1889), pioneer, missionary, co-founder of Pacific University
*
Asahel Bush
Asahel Bush (June 4, 1824 – December 23, 1913) was an American newspaper publisher and businessman in Salem, Oregon. As publisher of the ''Oregon Statesman'' newspaper, he moved the paper to Salem when the territorial capital moved to that city. ...
(1824–1913), pioneer, printer, founder of the Salem ''Statesman Journal''
*
Tabitha Moffatt Brown
Tabitha Moffatt Brown (May 1, 1780 – May 4, 1858) was an American pioneer colonist who traveled the Oregon Trail to the Oregon Country. There she assisted in the founding of Tualatin Academy, which would grow to become Pacific University in F ...
(1780–1858), pioneer, co-founder of Pacific University
*
John H. Couch (1811–1870), sea captain and trader
*
Philip Foster
Philip Foster (January 29, 1805 – March 17, 1884) was one of the first settlers in Oregon, United States. The farmstead he established in Eagle Creek in 1847 became a stopping post for pioneers heading west along the Oregon Trail. Approximatel ...
(1805–1884), settler and businessman
*
Amory Holbrook (1820–1866), mayor, attorney
*
Robert Newell (1807-1869), fur trapper, mountain man, frontier doctor, newspaper editor, politician, Indian agent
*
Peter Skene Ogden (1790–1854), explorer and fur trader
*
Samuel Parker (1806–1886), politician, pioneer
*
Peter G. Stewart (1809–1900), pioneer, politician, watchmaker
*
William G. T'Vault (1806–1869), pioneer, postmaster, publisher
*
Aaron E. Waite
Aaron E. Waite (December 26, 1813 – December 12, 1898) was an American judge and politician. He was the 4th Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court serving from 1859 to 1862. He was the first chief justice after Oregon became a state on ...
(1813–1898), pioneer, first chief justice of the state of Oregon
*
Alvin F. Waller (1808–1872), pioneer, missionary
;Political activists
*
William Simon U'Ren (1859-1949), lawyer, known as the Father of the Oregon System of government.
;Writers
*
Jeffrey St. Clair
Jeffrey St. Clair (born 1959) is an investigative journalist, writer, and editor.
Biography
St Clair was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and attended American University in Washington, D.C., majoring in English and history. He has worked as an ...
(1959–), journalist and author
*
M. K. Hobson
M. K. Hobson (born January 21, 1969) is an American speculative fiction and fantasy writer. In 2003 she was a Pushcart Prize nominee, and her debut novel The Native Star was nominated for the 2010 Nebula Award. She lives in Oregon City, Oregon.
...
(1969–), science fiction writer
*
Kenneth Scott Latourette
Kenneth Scott Latourette (August 6, 1884 – December 26, 1968) was an American historian of China, Japan, and world Christianity. (1884–1968), historian
*
Edwin Markham
Edwin Markham (born Charles Edward Anson Markham; April 23, 1852 – March 7, 1940) was an American poet. From 1923 to 1931 he was Poet Laureate of Oregon.
Life
Edwin Markham was born in Oregon City, Oregon, and was the youngest of 10 children; ...
(1852–1940), American Poet Laureate
;Performing artists
*
Ron Saltmarsh Ron Saltmarsh is an American composer, producer, guitarist and performer. He has written many TV and movie scores, and also written many country music songs.
Saltmarsh was born in Portland, OR in 1962 and grew up on a ranch in Beavercreek, OR. He m ...
(1962–) Music composer
*
Meredith Brooks
Meredith Ann Brooks (born June 12, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist best known for her 1997 hit song "Bitch", for which she was nominated for a Grammy Award.
Career
Brooks started her music career in 1976 as a member of ...
(1958–), singer/songwriter
*
Louis Conrad Rosenberg (1890–1983), artist and architect
*
Susan Ruttan
Susan Diane Ruttan (née Dunsrud; born September 16, 1948) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Roxanne Melman on '' L.A. Law'' (1986–1993), for which she was nominated four times for a Primetime Emmy Award.
Life and care ...
(1948–), actress
*
Jack Taylor (actor)
Jack Taylor (born George Brown Randall; October 21, 1936) is an American actor best known for starring in many European low-budget exploitation films of the 1970s, in particular several directed by Spanish cult filmmaker Jesús Franco. Born in t ...
(1936–), actor
;Businesspeople
*
Melville Eastham
Melville Eastham (June 26, 1885 – May 6, 1964) was a noted American radio pioneer and business executive.
Eastham was born in Oregon City, Oregon. After high school graduation from Portland Academy, he worked as electrician for a Portland stre ...
(1885–1964), businessman (founded
General Radio Company), engineer, radio pioneer
*
David Eccles (1849–1912), railroadman and businessman
;Athletes
*
Brian Burres
Brian Burres (born April 8, 1981) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Burres' best pitch is his changeup. He also has a high 80s-low 90 MPH fastball and a curveball. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Or ...
(1981–), major league baseball pitcher
*
Jeff Charleston (1983–), professional football player
*
Ed Coleman (1901–1964), major league baseball player
*
Rich Fellers
Richard Rankin Fellers (born October 3, 1959) is an American Olympic equestrian and horse trainer. In 2021, the United States Center for SafeSport ruled Fellers ineligible to participate in the sport, due to charges brought against him.
Early l ...
(born 1959) - Olympic equestrian Team USA.
*
Jeff Lahti (1956–), major league baseball pitcher
*
Matt Lindland
Matthew James Lindland (born May 17, 1970), also known as The Law, is an American retired mixed martial artist, Olympic wrestler, speaker, actor, coach, entrepreneur and politician. He won the Oregon Republican Party's nomination for t ...
(1970–), Olympics silver medalist in wrestling, mixed martial artist
*
Dan Monson
Daniel Lloyd Monson (born October 6, 1961) is an American college basketball coach serving as the head coach at Long Beach State since April 2007. Previously he was head coach at Minnesota for over seven seasons (1999–2006), reaching postseason ...
(1961–), basketball coach
*
Jonah Nickerson
Jonah S. Nickerson (born March 9, 1985 in Casper, Wyoming) is a retired American minor league baseball pitcher. Nickerson played for the 2006 College World Series-winning Oregon State Beavers, and was named the Most Outstanding Player.
Early li ...
(1985–), pitcher for the Oregon State Beavers voted Most Outstanding Player of 2006 College World Series
*
Dean Peters
Dean R. Peters (August 22, 1958 – December 15, 1998) was an American professional wrestler and referee. He performed with the World Wrestling Federation under the ring names Brady Boone and Battle Kat.
Professional wrestling career Early car ...
(1958–1998), professional wrestler alias "Brady Boone"
*
Brad Tinsley
Bradley Glen Tinsley (born May 10, 1989) is an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he was the starting point guard and played high school basketball at Or ...
(1989–), basketball player
*
Trevor Wilson (1966–), former major-league pitcher for the San Francisco Giants and Anaheim Angels
*
Lindsey Yamasaki (1980–), professional women's basketball player
Sister cities
According to
Sister Cities International
Sister Cities International (SCI) is a nonprofit organization, nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between communities in the United States and those in other countries, particularly through the establish ...
, Oregon City has one
sister city
A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties.
While there are early examples of inter ...
:
*
Tateshina,
Nagano Nagano may refer to:
Places
* Nagano Prefecture, a prefecture in Japan
** Nagano (city), the capital city of the same prefecture
*** Nagano 1998, the 1998 Winter Olympics
*** Nagano Olympic Stadium, a baseball stadium in Nagano
*** Nagano Universi ...
, Japan
See also
*
Canemah, Oregon
Canemah was an early settlement in the U.S. state of Oregon located near the Willamette River. Canemah was annexed to Oregon City in 1928.
Location
The district of Canemah is located on the east side of the Willamette River. At that time, Oregon ...
*
Cayuse Five
The Cayuse Five were five members of the Native American tribe, the Cayuse of Oregon who were hanged for murder, in 1850. Their names were Clokomas, Isiaasheluckas, Kiamasumkin, Telakite, and Tomahas—note how these names are spelled varies ...
*
Steamboats of the Willamette River
The Willamette River flows northwards down the Willamette Valley until it meets the Columbia River at a point 101 milesTimmen, Fritz, ''Blow for the Landing'', at 89–90, 228, Caxton Printers, Caldwell, ID 1972 from the Pacific Ocean, in the U.S ...
References
External links
Official WebsiteEntry for Oregon Cityin the ''
Oregon Blue Book
The ''Oregon Blue Book'' is the official directory and fact book for the U.S. state of Oregon prepared by the Oregon Secretary of State and published by the Office of the Secretary's Archives Division.
The ''Blue Book'' comes in both print and on ...
''
Historic Oregon CityOregon City Chamber of CommerceOregon City community profilefrom the Oregon Infrastructure Finance Authority
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oregon City, Oregon
1829 establishments in Oregon
Cities in Clackamas County, Oregon
Cities in Oregon
County seats in Oregon
Former colonial and territorial capitals in the United States
Oregon Trail
Populated places established in 1829
Populated places on the Willamette River
Portland metropolitan area
Willamette Valley