Florence is a coastal city in Lane County, in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

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 the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...

. It lies at the mouth of the

Siuslaw River The Siuslaw River ( ) is a river, about long, that flows to the Pacific Ocean coast of Oregon in the United States. It drains an area of about in the Central Oregon Coast Range southwest of the Willamette Valley and north of the watershed of th ...

on the Pacific Ocean and about midway between Newport and

Coos Bay Coos Bay is an estuary where the Coos River enters the Pacific Ocean, the estuary is approximately 12 miles long and up to two miles wide. It is the largest estuary completely within Oregon state lines. The Coos Bay watershed covers an area of abou ...

along U.S. Route 101. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 8,921.

History

The Florence area was originally inhabited by the Siuslaw tribe of Native Americans. Some claim that the city was named after state senator A. B. Florence, who represented Lane County from 1858 to 1860; another claim is that Florence was named after a French vessel that was wrecked at the mouth of the

on February 17, 1875.

Exploding whale

On November 12, 1970, Florence was the site of a famous scene, when town authorities used 20 cases of explosives to try to blow up a dead beached whale, with unintended consequences.Report by Paul Linnman (

KATU KATU (channel 2) is a television station in Portland, Oregon, United States, affiliated with ABC. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside La Grande–licensed Univision affiliate KUNP (channel 16). Both stations share studios on N ...

TV), transcribed by Hackstadt, J.; Hackstadt, S
Annotated transcript of the video
theexplodingwhale.com. Retrieved January 8, 2007. In 2020 residents voted to name a new park Exploding Whale Memorial Park.

Geography and climate

Florence is located on the

Oregon Coast The Oregon Coast is a coastal region of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to its west and the Oregon Coast Range to the east, and stretches approximately from the California state border in the south to the Columbia ...

at the mouth of the

immediately north of Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, at about the same latitude as Eugene, Oregon. It is approximately midway between the other major central Oregon coastal cities of Newport and

. Florence annexed Driftwood Shores hotel and conference center north of town in Heceta Beach in 2008. The unincorporated community of Glenada lies just across the Siuslaw on U.S. Route 101 to the south of Florence, and the city of Yachats is to the north. 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 t ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

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 in ...

of 2010, there were 8,466 people, 4,226 households, and 2,374 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), 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 ...

was . There were 5,103 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 92.5%

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 o ...

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 1.4% 1.3% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.3%

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 ...

,0.3%,

, 1.4% 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 3.2% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties forme ...

or Latino of any race were 5.4% of the population. There were 4,226 households, of which 15.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.8% were non-families. 37.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.98 and the average family size was 2.51. The median age in the city was 57 years. 13.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 15.5% were from 25 to 44; 28.4% were from 45 to 64; and 36.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.4% male and 53.6% female.

2000 census

Per the census of 2000, there were 7,263 people, 3,564 households, and 2,145 families living in the city. The 2007 population estimate was 8,270.PSU:Population Research Center
The population density was 1,476.3 people per square mile (570.0/km). There were 4,174 housing units at an average density of 848.4 per square mile (327.6/km). The racial makeup of the city was 95.88% White, 0.28% African American, 0.92% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 0.14%

, 0.56% from other races, and 1.67% from two or more races. 2.37% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 3,564 households, out of which 16.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02 and the average family size was 2.52. Florence Waterfront (Lane County, Oregon scenic images) (lanD0093)

Florence Waterfront (Lane County, Oregon scenic images) (lanD0093)

In the city, the population dispersal was 16.8% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 16.0% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 38.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 56 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $30,505, and the median income for a family was $36,784. Males had a median income of $30,962 versus $23,878 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 $18,008. 14.4% of the population and 10.0% of families 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 ...

. 25.9% of those under the age of 18 and 8.3% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Economy

The former mainstays of Florence's economy were logging,

commercial fishing Commercial fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for commercial profit, mostly from wild fisheries. It provides a large quantity of food to many countries around the world, but those who practice it as an industry must often ...

, and

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people t ...

,Florence Chamber of Commerce: Rhododendron Festival
but today

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mor ...

is increasingly significant.Oregon Coastal Management Program
Some local businesses include Sand Master Park, Mo's Restaurants and Three Rivers Casino Resort, which is run by the

Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians The Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians of Oregon are a federally recognized Native American tribe of Hanis Coos, Miluk Coos, Lower Umpqua (or Kuitsh), and Siuslaw people in Oregon.retirees A pensioner is a person who receives a pension, most commonly because of retirement from the workforce. This is a term typically used in the United Kingdom (along with OAP, initialism of old-age pensioner), Ireland and Australia where someone of p ...

Arts and culture

Annual cultural events

Florence has hosted the Rhododendron Festival annually since 1908.

Museums and other points of interest

The Siuslaw Pioneer Museum is located in a historic 1905 schoolhouse. Old Town Florence is located on the Siuslaw riverfront. The Port of Siuslaw marina is to the east, and the

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...

1936 Siuslaw River Bridge is to the west. The boardwalk promenade was built along the marina to improve the area. Many businesses are on US101 itself, which runs through the town, north to south. North of Florence on U.S. Route 101 are the

Sea Lion Caves Sea Lion Caves is a connected system of sea caves and caverns open to the Pacific Ocean in the U.S. state of Oregon. They are located north of Florence on U.S. Highway 101, about midpoint on the Oregon Coast. In this area Highway 101 follows ...

, a

tourist attraction A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or an exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural ...

that features a

sea cave A sea cave, also known as a littoral cave, is a type of cave formed primarily by the wave action of the sea. The primary process involved is erosion. Sea caves are found throughout the world, actively forming along present coastlines and as relic ...

that is the year-round home of a population of Steller sea lions.

Historic buildings

Historic buildings 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 ...

in the Florence area include the Edwin E. Benedict House, a deteriorating house on the Siuslaw River that is said to have been

Ken Kesey Ken Elton Kesey (September 17, 1935 – November 10, 2001) was an American novelist, essayist and countercultural figure. He considered himself a link between the Beat Generation of the 1950s and the hippies of the 1960s. Kesey was born in ...

's inspiration for the Stamper House in his novel ''

Sometimes a Great Notion ''Sometimes a Great Notion'' is the second novel by American author Ken Kesey, published in 1964. While ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (1962) is more famous, many critics consider ''Sometimes a Great Notion'' Kesey's magnum opus. The story i ...

'', Heceta Head Lighthouse and Keepers Quarters, Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park Historic District, the Siuslaw River Bridge, and the William Kyle and Sons Building in Old Town.

Parks and recreation

There are several parks and other sites managed by the

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD), officially known (in state law) as the State Parks and Recreation Department, is the government agency of the U.S. state of Oregon which operates its system of state parks. In addition, it has pro ...

near Florence, including Darlingtonia State Natural Site and Heceta Head Lighthouse at Devil's Elbow to the north, and Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park to the south. The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, managed as part of the

Siuslaw National Forest The Siuslaw National Forest ( ) is a national forest in western Oregon in the United States. Established in 1908, the Siuslaw is made up of a wide variety of ecosystems, ranging from coastal forests to sand dunes. Geography The Siuslaw Nati ...

, begins south of Florence.

Education

Florence is served by the three-school

Siuslaw School District Siuslaw may refer to: *Siuslaw people, Native American tribe and the Siuslaw language they spoke *Siuslaw River, a river named for the tribe *Siuslaw River Bridge, a bridge named for the river it spans *Siuslaw National Forest The Siuslaw Nation ...

, which includes Siuslaw Elementary School, Siuslaw Middle School, and Siuslaw High School.

Lane Community College Lane Community College is a public community college in Eugene, Oregon, with additional facilities in downtown Eugene, Florence, Cottage Grove, and the Lane Aviation Academy at Eugene Airport. Lane serves more than 26,000 credit and non-credit ...

has a center in Florence.

Media

*The '' Siuslaw News'' is a weekly newspaper published in Florence. The Eugene newspaper, ''

The Register-Guard ''The Register-Guard'' is a daily newspaper in the northwestern United States, published in Eugene, Oregon. It was formed in a 1930 merger of two Eugene papers, the ''Eugene Daily Guard'' and the ''Morning Register''. The paper serves the Eugene- ...

'', is also distributed in Florence. *KXCR, 90.7 FM, is a 501(c)(3), non-profit, non-commercial, community radio station. *Locally owned and operated radio stations KCST-FM and KCFM (AM) provide music, news, local and regional sports, and emergency public service programming 24 hours a day. *Radio translator K211BP rebroadcasts

KRVM-FM KRVM-FM (91.9 MHz) is a community radio station in Eugene, Oregon, United States. KRVM's primary programming is available via online streaming, with listener-supporters located around the world. The station license and studio facility are owned b ...

from Eugene. *Non-profit organization West Lane Translator, Inc. maintains licenses and transmission facilities for five High Definition television translators, as well as 6 FM radio translators providing free over-the-air programming to the Florence area.

Transportation

Highways

* U.S. Route 101 *

Oregon Route 126 Oregon OR 126 (OR 126) is a state highway that connects coastal, western, and central parts of the U.S. state of Oregon. A short freeway section of OR 126 in Eugene and Springfield is concurrent with Interstate 105 (I-105). Rout ...

Air

* Florence Municipal Airport

Healthcare

Peace Harbor Hospital Peace Harbor Hospital is a 21-bed acute care facility and a Level IV Trauma Center. It is located in Florence, Oregon, and serves western Lane County. See also *List of hospitals in Oregon This List of hospitals in Oregon (U.S. state) is not ...

serves western Lane County.Peace Harbor Hospital Foundation
It is also one of the area's largest employers.

Sister city

Florence had 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 ...

: * Yamagata, Japan - Yamagata-shi was established in 2003 by the merger of Ijira (Florence's former sister city), Takatomi, and Miyama.

References

External links

Entry for Florence
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 Oregon Populated coastal places in Oregon Cities in Lane County, Oregon Oregon Coast Port cities in Oregon 1893 establishments in Oregon Populated places established in 1893