Clackamas County, Oregon

Clackamas County, Oregon
Seal
Location in the state of Oregon
Oregon's location in the U.S.
Founded	July 5, 1843
Seat	Oregon City
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	1,879 sq mi (4,867 km²) 1,868 sq mi (4,838 km²) 11 sq mi (28 km²), 0.58%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	375,992 201/sq mi (77.7/km²)
Website	www.clackamas.us

Clackamas County ( /ˈklækəmɨs/) is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county was named after the Native Americans living in the area, the Clackamas Indians, who were part of the Chinookan people. As of 2010, the population was 375,992. Its county seat is Oregon City.^[1]

Economy

Since the county's creation, agriculture, timber, manufacturing, and commerce have been the principal economic activities. Mount Hood, the only year-round ski resort in the United States and the site of Timberline Lodge, is a major attraction for recreation and tourism. The mountain and its rivers and forests offer outdoor recreation activities, from skiing and rafting to fishing and camping.

Geography

Forest west of Clackamas River Valley.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,879 square miles (4,866.6 km²). 1,868 square miles (4,838.1 km²) is land and 11 square miles (28.5 km²), (0.58%) is water.

The county includes parts of two national forests: Mount Hood National Forest and Willamette National Forest.

Major highways

• Interstate 5
• Interstate 205
• U.S. Route 26
• Oregon Route 35
• Oregon Route 99E
• Oregon Route 212
• Oregon Route 213
• Oregon Route 224

Adjacent counties

Multnomah County - north Hood River County - northeast Wasco County - east Marion County - south Yamhill County - west Washington County - northwest

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1850	1,859		—
1860	3,466		86.4%
1870	5,993		72.9%
1880	9,260		54.5%
1890	15,233		64.5%
1900	19,658		29.0%
1910	29,931		52.3%
1920	37,698		25.9%
1930	46,205		22.6%
1940	57,130		23.6%
1950	86,716		51.8%
1960	113,038		30.4%
1970	166,088		46.9%
1980	241,919		45.7%
1990	278,850		15.3%
2000	338,391		21.4%
2010	375,992		11.1%
sources:[2] [3]

As of the census^[4] of 2000, there were 338,391 people, 128,201 households, and 91,663 families residing in the county. The population density was 181 people per square mile (70/km²). There were 136,954 housing units at an average density of 73 per square mile (28/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.27% White, 2.45% Asian, 0.71% Native American, 0.66% Black or African American, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 2.28% from other races, and 2.46% from two or more races. 4.95% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 20.7% were of German, 11.6% English, 9.1% Irish and 7.5% American ancestry.

There were 128,201 households out of which 34.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.60% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.50% were non-families. 22.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.80% 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 3.07.

In the county, the population was spread out with 26.20% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 28.70% from 25 to 44, 26.00% from 45 to 64, and 11.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 97.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $52,080, and the median income for a family was $60,791. Males had a median income of $43,462 versus $30,891 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,973. About 4.60% of families and 6.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.60% of those under age 18 and 5.10% of those age 65 or over.

History

Abandoned barn in eastern Clackamas County; Bittner family estate

Originally named Clackamas District, it was one of the four original Oregon districts created by Oregon's Provisional Legislature on July 5, 1843 along with Twality (later Washington), Champooick (later Marion), and Yamhill. The four districts were redesignated as counties in 1845. At the time of its creation, Clackamas County covered portions of four present-day states and a Canadian province. The Columbia River became the northern boundary of the county in 1844. Soon after John McLoughlin staked a land claim in Oregon City and built a house that in 2003 became a unit of the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.

Oregon City was also the site of the only federal court west of the Rockies in 1849, when San Francisco, California was platted. The plat was filed in 1850 in the first plat book of the first office of records in the West Coast and is still in Oregon City.

In 1902, the Willamette Meteorite was recovered from a field just outside present-day West Linn.

In contrast with the more liberal and cosmopolitan Multnomah County to the north, and the more corporate Washington County to the west, some citizens of Clackamas county have espoused a blue-collar, yet conservative political outlook of the backlash mold described by Thomas Frank. It is the headquarters of Lon Mabon, whose Oregon Citizens Alliance has worked to pass a number of anti-homosexual initiatives, and where Bill Sizemore, who has championed various anti-government initiatives for most of the 1990s, had his base before he moved to Klamath Falls. However, it is a very mixed area overall, narrowly voting for Republican George W. Bush over Democrat John Kerry in 2004, but moderately voting for Democrat Barack Obama over Republican John McCain in 2008.

As of August 2005^[update], Clackamas is the first county in Oregon to have four models of governance for its communities. Like the rest of Oregon, it has cities (which are formally incorporated) and rural communities (some of which for federal purposes are considered census-designated places).

After completion of a process that began late in 1999, the county adopted an ordinance on August 11, 2005 which defined hamlets and villages. As of the November 30, 2005, deadline, three communities have submitted petitions to start the process of becoming a hamlet or a village. Boring petitioned to become a village. The communities along US 26 near Mount Hood from Brightwood to Rhododendron have petitioned to become "The Villages at Mount Hood". Beavercreek has become a hamlet.

Law and government

Presidential elections results^[5][6]

Year	Republican	Democratic
2008	43.6% 83,595	54.0% 103,476
2004	50.1% 97,691	48.8% 95,129
2000	47.8% 77,539	47.1% 76,421
1996	41.0% 59,443	46.6% 67,709
1992	34.8% 53,724	39.0% 60,310

Elected Officials

• Board of County Commissioners (one chair, four commissioners; nonpartisan)
  • Chair: Lynn Peterson
  • Commissioner: Paul Savas
  • Commissioner: Jim Bernard
  • Commissioner: Charlotte Lehan
  • Commissioner: Ann Lininger
• Treasurer: Shari Anderson
• Assessor: Bob Vroman
• District Attorney: John Foote
• County Clerk: Sherry Hall
• Sheriff: Craig Roberts
• Justice Court Judge: Karen Brisbin

Cities and communities

Mount Hood reflected in Trillium Lake

Several of the county's communities extend into other counties. Lake Oswego and Milwaukie include areas in Multnomah County. Lake Oswego, Tualatin, Rivergrove and Wilsonville include areas in Washington County.

Cities and CDPs in the Portland metropolitan area

Portland (a small portion in the city's southeast quadrant) Clackamas (a census-designated place) Damascus/Carver Gladstone Happy Valley Jennings Lodge (a CDP) Johnson City Lake Oswego Milwaukie

Oak Grove (a CDP) Oatfield (a CDP) Oregon City Rivergrove Sunnyside (a CDP) Tualatin (a small portion) West Linn Wilsonville

Clackamas River flowing through Milo McIver State Park.

Other incorporated cities and CDPs

Barlow Canby Estacada

Molalla Mount Hood Village (a CDP) Sandy

Other unincorporated communities

• Aims
• Alder Creek
• Barton
• Boring
• Bull Run
• Canemah
• Carus
• Charbonneau (private community within
  the city limits of Wilsonville)
• Cherryville
• Clarkes
• Colton
• Cottrell
• Currinsville
• Dodge
• Eagle Creek
• Faubion
• Firwood
• Government Camp
• Highland
• Hillsview
• Kelso
• Macksburg
• Marquam
• Marylhurst
• Mountain Air Park
• Needy
• New Era
• Redland
• Ripplebrook
• Salmon
• Shadowood
• Springwater
• Three Lynx
• Union Mills
• Viola
• Wankers Corner
• Wildwood
• Yoder

Hamlets

In Clackamas County, a hamlet is a model of local governance for unincorporated areas.^[7]

• Beavercreek
• Molalla Prairie
• Mulino
• Stafford

Villages

• Villages at Mount Hood (consists of Brightwood, Marmot, Rhododendron, Welches, Wemme, and Zigzag)

County-wide services

The county supports the Library Information Network of Clackamas County. The urban areas of the county are also served by Metro.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Clackamas County, Oregon

References

1. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
2. ^ census.gov Oregon population by county, 1900-90 - accessed 2010-06-19
3. ^ http://factfinder2.census.gov
4. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
5. ^ Staff (2010). "Presidential General Election Results - Clackamas County, OR". uselectionatlas.org. http://www.uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/statesub.php?year=2008&fips=41005&f=0&off=0&elect=0. Retrieved 2010-07-05. 
6. ^ Staff (2008-12-09). "President Map - Election Results". The New York Times. http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/results/president/map.html. Retrieved 2010-07-05. 
7. ^ "Complete Communities". Clackamas County. http://www.clackamas.us/community/. Retrieved May 26, 2010. 

External links

• Clackamas County, Oregon
• Clackamas County hamlets and villages
• Clackamas County Considering Hamlets and Villages, a September 2005 article from Oregon Public Broadcasting

Coordinates: 45°11′N 122°13′W / 45.19°N 122.21°W / 45.19; -122.21