Cashmere, Washington

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Cashmere, Washington
settlement_type = City
nickname =
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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location of Cashmere, Washington


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Washington
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Chelan

government_footnotes =
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unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =

area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 2.4
area_land_km2 = 2.3
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 0.9
area_land_sq_mi = 0.9
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 2965
population_density_km2 = 1282.7
population_density_sq_mi = 3322.1

timezone = Pacific (PST)
utc_offset = -8
timezone_DST = PDT
utc_offset_DST = -7
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 241
elevation_ft = 791
latd = 47 |latm = 31 |lats = 10 |latNS = N
longd = 120 |longm = 28 |longs = 8 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 98815
area_code = 509
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 53-10495GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1517455GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Cashmere is a city in Chelan County, Washington, United States. It is part of the Wenatchee, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,965 at the 2000 census.

History

The indigenous people of the area were the Wenatchi people, who were sustained by abundant game and anadromous fish. The Wenatchee River, which runs through Cashmere, was historically home to coho, chinook, and sockeye salmon, as well as steelhead. These wild stocks have been severely impacted by the dams on the Columbia River, although very awsome several runs still exist. The Wenatchi people were displaced to the Colville Indian Reservation by the federal government, but still claim some fishing rights in the area.

Cashmere was officially incorporated on November 11, 1904. It was named for Kashmir, India, as local judge James H. Chase claimed it resembled the foothills of that region.

The Cashmere area has a rich history of tree fruit production, starting with the first pioneers. While apples grow very well, the soils and climate are ideal for the production of pears. Bartlett and D'Anjou varieties are well represented. It is said that Cashmere might be the best place to grow pears in the US. While many orchards have given way to development, the history of fruit production is still evident in the many orchards and historical fruit warehouses in the area. Overdevelopment is a real threat to the agricultural heritage of the area; the agreeable climate and outstanding scenery attract many people to the area.

The history of the area is also tied to timber production. Cashmere was the home of a large sawmill. The first settlers found abundant ponderosa pine and Douglas fir trees. These timbers were of the highest quality because of the arid climate, which causes the trees to grow very slowly, keeping a tight grain.

Geography

Cashmere is located at coor dms|47|31|10|N|120|28|8|W|city (47.519515, -120.468967)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.4 km²), of which, 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (2.20%) is water.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 2,965 people, 1,105 households, and 717 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,322.1 people per square mile (1,286.3/km²). There were 1,174 housing units at an average density of 1,315.4/sq mi (509.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.71% White, 0.54% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 8.20% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.00% of the population.

There were 1,105 households out of which 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.28.

In the city the population was spread out with 28.2% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,854, and the median income for a family was $45,347. Males had a median income of $33,333 versus $25,439 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,468. About 6.3% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.

Recreation

Cashmere is surrounded by the eastern foothills of the Cascade Mountains. The Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area is just a few miles to the West. The Peshastin Pinnacles is a historical climbing area located a few miles from town. Some of America's first technical climbing routes were established here by Fred Beckey and others. The Devil's Gulch mountain bike trail is said to be the premier downhill ride in the state of Washington, and is located just south of town. This ride attracts thousands of mountain bikers from Seattle and elsewhere each year. The Wenatchee river is a popular whitewater destination and runs right through Cashmere. The river provides challenging rapids for rafters and kayakers each spring during runnoff. Several famous rapids occur in the stretch of river that runs through town.

References

External links

*dmoz|Regional/North_America/United_States/Washington/Localities/C/Cashmere