Waldport is a city in
Lincoln County,
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 ...
, United States. The population was 2,033 at the
2010 census. The city is located on the
Alsea River
The Alsea River flows from Alsea, an unincorporated community in the coastal mountains of the U.S. state of Oregon, to the Pacific Ocean near the city of Waldport. It begins at the confluence of the North Fork Alsea River and the South Fork Als ...
and Alsea Bay, south of
Newport and north of
Yachats
Yachats ( ) is a small coastal city in the southernmost area of Lincoln County, Oregon, United States. According to ''Oregon Geographic Names'', the name comes from the Siletz language and means "dark water at the foot of the mountain". There is ...
.
History
Settlement of Waldport began in 1879 when David Ruble bought squatter’s rights from Lint Starr for $300 for property including the area now known as “Old Town”. Many early settlers were of German descent, and one of the names proposed for this town was Waldport, “wald” meaning forest or trees, and “port” referring to its proximity to the ocean. It is interesting to note that the town’s name is unique. The plat for the town was recorded on September 9, 1885 and by 1911, when Waldport was incorporated, it boasted a dozen businesses and 150 inhabitants.
The earliest inhabitants of the area were known as the “Alsi” or “Alsea”, a name given to them by the Coos tribe. (Their name for themselves in their own language was “Wusi” or “Wusitslum” .) In 1780 the total number of “Yakonan”, which included tribes from Yaquina Bay to the Siuslaw, was estimated to have numbered upwards of 6000 and the Alsea river and bay was home to numerous small villages. At the time of Lewis and Clark, the numbers had dwindled to about 1000, and by 1910 only 29 remained at the Siletz reservation.
Camp Angel Camp Angel was Civilian Public Service (CPS) camp number 56, located from 1942 to 1945 near Waldport and the coast in the Siuslaw National Forest and Lincoln County, in western Oregon.
It was one of many CPS camps across the United States where c ...
, a
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was a major part of ...
camp near Waldport, was home to
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
conscientious objectors
A conscientious objector (often shortened to conchie) is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion. The term has also been extended to object ...
involved in the arts.
In September 1975,
Marshall Applewhite
Marshall Herff Applewhite Jr. (May 17, 1931 – March 26, 1997), also known as Do, among other names, was an American cult leader who founded what became known as the Heaven's Gate cult group and organized their mass suicide in 1997 ...
and
Bonnie Nettles gave a lecture in Waldport on
UFO
An unidentified flying object (UFO), more recently renamed by US officials as a UAP (unidentified aerial phenomenon), is any perceived aerial phenomenon that cannot be immediately identified or explained. On investigation, most UFOs are id ...
s which was attended by roughly 150 people. In the following days, an estimated 20 residents, nearly one out of 30 people who lived in the town, abandoned their homes and possessions and joined their group,
Heaven's Gate. An
Oregon State Police
The Oregon State Police (OSP) is a law enforcement agency of the U.S. state of Oregon. The OSP enforces all of Oregon's criminal laws and assists local law enforcement agencies. Terri Davie has served as Superintendent since November 1, 2020.
The ...
investigation concluded that no laws had been broken.
In December 2001,
Christian Longo
Christian Michael Longo (born January 23, 1974) is a convicted murderer who killed his wife and three children in Oregon.
Background
Originating from Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, Longo married Mary Jane Baker at age 19 and had three children w ...
murdered his wife and 3 children in Waldport. Longo disposed of their bodies by chaining them to heavy cinder blocks, and submerging them in the Pacific Ocean. At the time, it was said to be the city's first known homicide. Longo was sentenced to death in 2003. The 2015 film
True Story, starring
Jonah Hill
Jonah Hill Feldstein (born December 20, 1983) is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He is known for his comedic roles in films including ''Superbad (film), Superbad'' (2007), ''Knocked Up'' (2007), ''21 Jump Street (film), 21 Jump Stre ...
and
James Franco
James Edward Franco (born April 19, 1978) is an American actor and filmmaker. For his role in '' 127 Hours'' (2010), he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Franco is known for his roles in films, such as Sam Raimi's ''Spider-Ma ...
was loosely based on the case.
Politics
On February 22, 2009, Mayor Herman Welch announced that he was leaving the
Republican Party. Upon re-registering as a member of the
Independent Party of Oregon
The Independent Party of Oregon (IPO) is a centrist political party in the U.S. state of Oregon with more than 135,000 registrants since its inception in January 2007. The IPO is Oregon's third-largest political party and the first political part ...
, he became the first public official in Oregon to be a member of that party.
Geography
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.
Climate
This region experiences warm (but not hot) and semi-dry summers with some rainy days, with no average monthly temperatures above 70.4 °F. According to the
Köppen Climate Classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
system, Waldport has a
warm-summer Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.
Climate Summary for Waldport, Oregon
/ref>
There are cool winters during which intense rainfall occurs. It has warm, dry summers with partly overcast and moderate rainfall through the summer months.
Snow in Waldport is rare but possible in winter months.
Average December temperatures are a maximum of and a minimum of . Average August temperatures are a maximum of and a minimum of . The record high temperature was . The record low temperature was .
Average annual precipitation is . There are on average 165 days with measurable precipitation which makes Waldport a temperate rainforest.
Waldport's Köppen classification and climate is similar to locations such as parts of Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, southern UK, North-west Washington (state)
Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first U.S. president—the state was formed from the western part of the Washington ...
around Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park is a United States national park located in the State of Washington, on the Olympic Peninsula. The park has four regions: the Pacific coastline, alpine areas, the west-side temperate rainforest, and the forests of the drier ...
and Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
's British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
.
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 2,033 people, 974 households, and 530 families living 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 1,196 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.2% 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 ...
, 0.8% 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 ...
, 1.1% Native American, 1.0% 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 ...
, 0.3% 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 ...
, 0.5% 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 5.1% 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 3.3% of the population.
There were 974 households, of which 19.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.2% were married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.6% were non-families. 37.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.69.
The median age in the city was 53 years. 15.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 16.1% were from 25 to 44; 36.9% were from 45 to 64; and 26.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,050 people, 909 households, and 540 families living in the city. The population density was 956.8 people per square mile (369.9/km). There were 1,099 housing units at an average density of 513.0 per square mile (198.3/km). The racial makeup of the city was 93.41% White, 0.10% African American, 2.20% Native American, 1.17% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races, and 2.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.71% of the population.
There were 909 households, out of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.2% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.5% were non-families. 34.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.81.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.9% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 22.8% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 23.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,301, and the median income for a family was $38,571. Males had a median income of $29,904 versus $22,071 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 $15,939. About 9.4% of families and 17.3% 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 24.9% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Waldport High School
Waldport High School is a public high school in Waldport, Oregon
Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while t ...
is a public high school
State schools (in England, Wales, Australia and New Zealand) or public schools (Scottish English and North American English) are generally primary or secondary schools that educate all students without charge. They are funded in whole or in pa ...
in Waldport that opened in 1958.[About Us](_blank)
- Waldport High School. Accessed 3 July 2014 For the 2011–2012 school year, Waldport High reported enrolling 208 students. The school is part of the Lincoln County School District.
In 2010 Waldport became home to the west campus for the Oregon Coast Community College.
Transportation
* Alsea Bay Bridge
* Wakonda Beach State Airport
References
Further reading
*
External links
City of Waldport
(official website)
Entry for Waldport
in 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 ...
''
{{Authority control
Cities in Lincoln County, Oregon
Alsea River
Oregon Coast
Populated coastal places in Oregon
Port cities in Oregon
1911 establishments in Oregon
Cities in Oregon