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73-458: The Waldo Hills are a range of hills in the Willamette Valley of Oregon , United States . Encompassing an area of around 50 square miles (130 km), the hills are located east of Salem . The hills are named after pioneer Daniel Waldo . The hills stretch out from Mill Creek in a northeasterly direction. These hills were formed by a cuesta of Columbia River Basalt Group . Rocks of

146-486: A Mediterranean climate ( Köppen Csb ). 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. The average temperature throughout the year is 55.4 °F (13.0 °C), with

219-621: A cultural and major commercial hub, as the Oregon Country became the Oregon Territory . The Hudson's Bay Company controlled the fur trade in the valley and the rest of Oregon Country in the 1820s and 1830s from its Columbia District headquarters at Fort Vancouver. Joint US–British occupancy, in effect since the Treaty of 1818 , ended in 1846 with the Oregon Treaty . The Willamette Valley

292-563: A militia formed by the Provisional Government of Oregon . 44°53′45″N 122°51′38″W  /  44.89583°N 122.86056°W  / 44.89583; -122.86056 Willamette Valley The valley is synonymous with the cultural and political heart of Oregon and is home to approximately 70 percent of its population including the five largest cities in the state: Portland , Eugene , Salem , Gresham , and Hillsboro . The valley's numerous waterways, particularly

365-535: A route between Clackamas Community College on the south east end of Oregon City to Molalla, about 18 miles (29 km) south on Oregon Route 213. Canby Area Transit (CAT) operates regular service on Oregon Route 99E between the Oregon City Transit Center and Canby. SMART , South Metro Area Regional Transit, serving Wilsonville, connects to CAT in Canby. CAT also has service to Woodburn. Dial-a-Ride service

438-464: A traditional four-year high school ( Oregon City High School ), and an alternative secondary school. Several schools in the district offer bilingual English / Spanish programs. Oregon City High School is the third most populated high school in Oregon, and is a state and national power in girls' basketball , winning three consecutive USA Today girls' national championships in the 1990s. The city also

511-498: A true Mediterranean climate it is cooler and moister, with a longer rainy season. The main climatic features are moderate temperatures and frequent cloudiness and rains, except in summer when the northward expansion of the North Pacific High creates generally sunny and warm weather. Winters are consistently wet and cloudy, and often foggy, but quite mild. Although night frosts are common, the temperature almost always rises above

584-532: Is 425 feet (130 m) above sea level and receives 46 inches (1,200 mm) per year. Conversely, at the northern end of the valley, Portland is 50 feet (15 m) above sea level and receives only 36 inches (910 mm) per year. Most rainfall occurs from October to May, and it tends to be heaviest between November and January, when disturbances coming from the Pacific Ocean are at their most intense. Growing seasons are long, averaging 150 to 180 days per year in

657-481: Is about 1 ⁄ 2 mile (1 km) deep in some areas. In the cool moist climate of the Willamette valley, over 170 different crop and livestock items are produced, including grass and legume seeds, tree fruits and nuts, wine grapes, berries, vegetables, nursery, Christmas trees, and field crops such as wheat, oats, mint and hops, hay, livestock and poultry and miscellaneous field crops. The valley produces most of

730-518: Is also known for his work in the 1930s documenting the hundreds of non-native boulders (called erratics ) washed down by the floods, rafted on icebergs and deposited on the valley bottom and in a ring around the lower hills surrounding the Willamette Valley. One of the most prominent of these is the Bellevue Erratic , just off Oregon Route 18 west of McMinnville. It is also believed that

803-615: 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 until 1851; the following governors served during that time: The city, and several surrounding communities, is served by the Oregon City School District , a public school district consisting of 7 elementary schools , two middle schools ,

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876-501: Is no more than one ice day with the maximum temperature below 32 °F (0 °C) per year. Extreme temperatures range from −2 °F (−19 °C) on January 31, 1950, to 114 °F (46 °C) on June 28, 2021 . For much of its existence, Oregon City's economy has been dominated by the forestry industry, until the decline of the Pacific Northwest lumber industry started in the 1980s. At its height, several mills operated in

949-534: 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. As of the census of 2010, there were 31,859 people, 11,973 households, and 8,206 families residing in

1022-402: Is served twice daily in each direction by Amtrak Cascades trains running between Portland and Eugene, Oregon . The Coast Starlight (Seattle–Los Angeles) passes through but does not stop. 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 , 15 miles (24 km) to

1095-643: Is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon , United States, located on the Willamette River near the southern limits of the Portland metropolitan area . As of the 2020 census , the city population was 37,572. Established in 1829 by the Hudson's Bay Company , in 1844 it became the first U.S. city west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. Known in recent decades as the site of several large paper mills on

1168-730: Is the home of Clackamas Community College , numerous private and parochial schools, and a public library that is part of the Library Information Network of Clackamas County . 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

1241-657: The Chemawa Indian School in Salem . Today, the people of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde refer to their removal from the Willamette Valley as a Trail of Tears . After reports of the Lewis and Clark Expedition were published in about 1807, a small and steadily increasing stream of isolated pioneer groups began settling in the valley and improving routes from the east set up by fur traders and mountain men . From

1314-518: The Columbia River Gorge . When floodwaters met log- and ice-jams at Kalama in southwest Washington, the water caused a backup that filled the entire Willamette Valley to a depth of 300 to 400 feet (91 to 122 m) above current sea level. Some geologists suggest that the valley flooded in this manner multiple times during the last ice age . (If floodwaters of that magnitude covered Portland (elevation 20 ft or 6.1 m) in 2010, only

1387-660: The Great Flood of 1862 , events in 1899, the Christmas flood of 1964 , and the Willamette Valley flood of 1996 . Part of its floodplain is a National Natural Landmark called the Willamette Floodplain . Historically, the Willamette Valley forests were mostly an oak savanna —tall grasslands with scattered Garry oaks and groves of coast Douglas-fir . The river floodplains contained extensive wetlands, stands of willow, alder, and cottonwood, and gallery forests. This landscape

1460-1110: The McLoughlin House , the Ermatinger House (oldest in Clackamas County), the Bank of Commerce Building , the Ainsworth House , the Harvey Cross House , the Oregon City Masonic Lodge , and the First Congregational Church . The Oregon City Bridge over the Willamette River, built in 1922, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places , as is the Oregon City Municipal Elevator . Oregon City has over 22 city parks. One of

1533-518: The Oregon Trail as the last stop on the trail. It was the capital of the Oregon Territory from its establishment in 1848 until 1851, and rivaled Portland for early supremacy in the area. In 1846, the city's newspaper, the Oregon Spectator , was the first American newspaper to be published west of the Rocky Mountains . Oregon City College was established in 1849 as a Baptist school, but

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1606-527: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 9.29 square miles (24.06 km ), of which 9.05 square miles (23.44 km ) is land and 0.24 square miles (0.62 km ) is water. The major waterways of Oregon City include the Willamette River , which flows along the northwest side of the city, and the Clackamas River , which merges with the larger Willamette to the north of

1679-781: The Willamette Meteorite was rafted by flood and ice to the location near West Linn where it was found in 1902. The valley may be loosely defined as the broad plain of the Willamette, bounded on the west by the Oregon Coast Range and on the east by the Cascade Range. It is bounded on the south by the Calapooya Mountains , which separate the headwaters of the Willamette from the Umpqua River valley about 25 miles (40 km) south of Hidden Valley. Interstate 5 (I-5) runs

1752-429: The Willamette River , the city played a significant role in the early history of the Oregon Country . It was established by Hudson's Bay Company 's Dr. John McLoughlin in 1829 near the confluence of the Clackamas River with the Willamette to take advantage of the power of Willamette Falls to run a lumber mill . During the 1840s and 1850s it was the destination for those wanting to file land claims after traveling

1825-419: The 1841 Oregon Trail opening, when efforts over many years resulted in widening the fur traders' mule trails into a rough road just capable of carrying the width of a wagon, settlers charged into the region along the new trail and created new settlements centered about Oregon City as the early capital. They built settlements both before and after colonial powers had resolved a dispute among them about owning

1898-454: The 1940s. The smoke is often irritating to residents; in 1988 it caused a 23-car pileup on I-5 . Over the years, several pieces of legislation have limited the amount of burning permitted. With the passage of a bill championed by legislator Paul Holvey in the 2009 session , burning has been banned since the summer of 2010, with the exception of an area of about 15,000 acres (60 km ) with steep terrain and certain species. (At its peak in

1971-456: The 1980s, about 250,000 acres (1,000 km ) were burned each year.) The marionberry , a cross between Chehalem and Olallie blackberries, was bred at Oregon State University as part of a berry-developing partnership with the US Department of Agriculture that dates back to the early 1900s. It is named for Marion County in the Willamette Valley, where most of the field trials took place. When

2044-616: 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 (SCTD) operates

2117-709: The Indigenous peoples of the Willamette Valley into removal from the valley, cession of all their lands and extinction of aboriginal title in the valley. They were rounded up and taken to the Grande Ronde Reservation , with a few being assigned to the Coast Indian Reservation , today the Siletz Reservation . Boarding schools were set up both on and off reservations, and children were forcibly taken from their parents to live at these schools, such as

2190-624: 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

2263-643: The Silverton Hills, these hills form the foothills to the Cascade Mountains to the east. Euro-American settlement of the Waldo Hills began in 1843 when Daniel Waldo settled a land claim there and began farming. Later settlers included Homer Davenport and Samuel L. Simpson , along with Waldo's sons John and William . In 1846, the hills were the site of the formation and drilling of the Oregon Rangers ,

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2336-402: The Willamette River, are vital to the economy of Oregon, as they continuously deposit highly fertile alluvial soils across its broad, flat plain. A massively productive agricultural area, the valley was widely publicized in the 1820s as a "promised land of flowing milk and honey". Throughout the 19th century, it was the destination of choice for the oxen-drawn wagon trains of emigrants who made

2409-529: The Willamette Valley are suitable for vineyards, however, and the largest concentration of wineries is found west of the Willamette River, on the leeward slopes of the Coast Range, or among the numerous river and stream valleys created by Willamette River tributaries. By far, the largest concentration of wineries is in Yamhill County. Grass farmers have been burning fields , as part of their production, since

2482-579: The Willamette Valley in a cultural sense, despite being mountainous areas. Cities in the valley include, from south to north, Cottage Grove , Eugene and Springfield (the two cities form a single populated area, separated in places only by I-5 and/or the McKenzie River), Corvallis, Albany , Dallas , Salem, Keizer, McMinnville, and Hillsboro . Parts of other counties lie within the valley (from south to north): Douglas , Lane , Linn , Benton , Polk , Marion , Yamhill , and Washington counties. Sometimes

2555-401: The Willamette are home to some of the best (and most expensive) Pinot noir in the world, as well as a high-quality Pinot gris . Although this distinction is not officially recognized, many wine connoisseurs further divide the Willamette Valley into northern and southern regions, the dividing line being the approximate latitude of Salem (approximately 45° north latitude). Not all portions of

2628-476: The area around Albany and Corvallis and surrounding Benton and Linn counties is referred to locally as the Mid-Valley. Marion, Polk, and other counties are sometimes included in the definition of the Mid-Valley. The climate of the Willamette Valley is a mix of Mediterranean (Köppen Csb ) and oceanic (Köppen Cfb ) influences. The Köppen climate classification system considers it Mediterranean, but compared to

2701-403: 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

2774-441: The berry was introduced in the 1950s, it was widely hailed as the most delicious blackberry commercial cultivar around. Even today, people rave over its tart-yet-sweet flavor, described as a cross between raspberries and blackberries. (Though there is some raspberry in its DNA, the red fruits are more like a genetic great-great grandparent to the marionberry.) The Willamette Valley is prone to periodic floods. Notable floods include

2847-614: The city and surrounding communities. The last paper mill 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 area into a public-access, mixed-use space through the Willamette Falls Legacy Project. Oregon City

2920-467: 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 Wesley Lynn. Interstate 205 passes through

2993-431: The city's northern edge, and is the only freeway to serve the city. In addition, three state highways ( Oregon Route 43 , Oregon Route 99E , and Oregon Route 213 ) 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. The Union Pacific Railroad mainline passes through the city. The city also has an Amtrak station , which

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3066-611: The city. The Willamette forms the boundary between Oregon City and West Linn ; the Clackamas serves as the boundary between Oregon City and Gladstone . The Willamette Falls Locks 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 14 miles (23 km) to Portland. Oregon City has

3139-426: The city. The population density was 3,520.3 inhabitants per square mile (1,359.2/km ). There were 12,900 housing units at an average density of 1,425.4 per square mile (550.4/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 91.1% White , 0.6% African American , 0.9% Native American , 1.7% Asian , 0.2% Pacific Islander , 2.3% from other races , and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.3% of

3212-416: The city. The population density was 3,163.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,221.6/km ). There were 10,110 housing units at an average density of 1,242.0 per square mile (479.5/km ). 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

3285-520: The cool-season forage and turf grass, Christmas trees , and hazelnuts sold in North America. It is also noted for its hops , which are widely used in craft beer and microbreweries throughout the US. In recent decades, the valley has also become a major wine producer, with multiple American Viticultural Areas of its own. With a cooler climate than California , the gently rolling hills surrounding

3358-464: The diocese of Oregon City, established in 1846, was raised to metropolitan rank, with Archbishop François Norbert Blanchet 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 population of nearby Portland grew, and the headquarters of the archdiocese was moved there in 1926. In 1928

3431-527: The form of acorns which are leached, cooked, and eaten. Kalapuya, Chinook, and Molala peoples of the Willamette Valley currently are included among the confederated tribes that make up the Grand Ronde and Siletz Nations. As many as 90% of the Kalapuya may have died as a result of an epidemic of " fever and ague " that hit the area between 1830 and 1833. In the early 1850s, the US government coerced all of

3504-580: The freezing point in the daytime. Snow occurs on occasion, but accumulations are normally light, and in some winters no snow whatsoever falls. Very cold temperatures are atypical; the temperature very rarely falls below 20 °F (−7 °C), and readings of 5 °F (−15 °C) or lower occur only about once every 25 years. Summers are characterized by warm, sunny afternoons with little or no humidity, and cool evenings. Sometimes, heat waves can occur, with temperatures rising above 90 °F (32 °C) and occasionally even reaching 100 °F (38 °C), but

3577-676: The highest average temperature in July and August being 70.8 °F (21.6 °C), and December being the coldest month with an average temperature of 41.8 °F (5.4 °C). The annual precipitation is 44.81 inches (1,138 mm). It is mainly concentrated in winter (November to March), and the precipitation in July and August is obviously much less than in other months. In terms of temperature, there are 122 days with temperatures exceeding 70 °F (21 °C) per year, 18 days with temperatures exceeding 90 °F (32 °C), and one high-temperature day exceeding 100 °F (38 °C). However, there

3650-414: The hills include Tertiary volcanic bedrock, sedimentary bedrock, and Plio-Pleistocene sedimentary basin fill shaped by elongate domical folds. The Waldo Hills form part of the divider between the upper and lower Willamette Valley. Additionally, the Waldo Hills as part of a larger fault system of low-lying hills in the mid-valley, are the largest geological structure in the mid-Willamette Valley. Along with

3723-530: The incorporation plat for the city of San Francisco . 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

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3796-460: The last ice age. The floods were caused by the periodic rupturing of the ice dam of Glacial Lake Missoula , the waters of which swept down the Columbia River and flooded the Willamette Valley as far south as Eugene. The floodwaters carried rich volcanic and glacial soil from Eastern Washington , which was deposited across the valley floor when the waters subsided. The soil in the Willamette Valley

3869-541: The length of the valley, linking its major communities Because of differing cultural and political interests, the Portland metropolitan area and Tualatin River valley are sometimes not included in the local use of the term, though both are located within the geographical valley. Additionally, the east slopes of the Coast Ranges and the west slopes of the Cascade Range from Oakridge to Detroit Lake can be considered part of

3942-501: The lowermost portions. As part of the greater Portland metropolitan area , Oregon City is served by TriMet , the regional transit authority, with several bus lines which converge at the Oregon City Transit Center . Until 1958, an interurban 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

4015-569: The lowlands to about 110 to 130 days at elevations above 800 feet (240 m). Severe storms of any kind are rare, although snow and ice storms can sometimes occur when surface low pressure systems move south along the coast, inducing offshore flow which advects cold air from the Columbia Basin westward through the Columbia River Gorge, filling the valley to the north of the surface low track. Weather systems sometimes bring high winds to

4088-399: The name Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon replaced the former name. No longer a residential bishopric, Oregon City is now a titular see . 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 , which flowed about 2.5 million years ago from a vent 7.5 miles (12 km) to

4161-407: The nights usually bring relief. Contemporarily, there have been heat waves in the area that reach higher than 110 °F (43 °C). Precipitation varies considerably across the valley and is closely correlated with elevation. Annual totals range from 36 inches (910 mm) at the lowest elevations to more than 80 inches (2,000 mm) in the foothills. Eugene, at the southern end of the valley,

4234-417: The north, and by Portland-Mulino Airport , a general-aviation facility in the town of Mulino , approximately 15 miles (24 km) to the south. The Willamette River in Oregon City is navigable to small craft, and Oregon City has a thriving fishing and recreational boating industry. The Willamette Falls Locks once allowed boats to navigate around the falls. The Clackamas River is not navigable, except for

4307-459: The northern region of the valley. Average cloud cover can exceed 70 percent in winter but drops to less than 15 percent in summer. Tornadoes are rare, but do happen a few times a year with minimal damage. The agricultural richness of the valley is partly due to the Missoula Floods that inundated the valley approximately 40 times between 15,000 and 13,000 years ago at the end of

4380-581: The original savanna vegetation remains. The remaining enclaves include a section of Garry oak savanna preserved at Mount Pisgah Arboretum in Eugene. North Pacific Oak Woodland is a major forest alliance, extending through the Willamette Valley and southward to the Klamath Range of Northern California. Many of the soils are well-drained mesic . Human habitation in the Willamette Valley is estimated to have begun between 6,000 and 10,000 years ago. Until recently,

4453-464: The perilous journey along the Oregon Trail . Today, the valley is often considered synonymous with "Oregon Wine Country", as it contains more than 19,000 acres (7,700 ha) of vineyards and 500+ wineries . Much of the Willamette's fertility is derived from a series of massive ice-age floods that came from Lake Missoula in Montana and scoured across Eastern Washington , sweeping its topsoil down

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4526-442: 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

4599-406: 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

4672-490: The region . So many settlers came that the valley led the way to achieving US statehood less than 16 years after it was claimed by the United States in 1846. A small part of the Willamette Valley ecoregion is in southwestern Washington around the city of Vancouver , which was once the site of an early colonial-era settlement— Fort Vancouver . The Willamette Valley—with its sawmills, lush productive farms, river transport network, and nearby timber and mineral resources—developed as

4745-500: 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 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

4818-576: The tops of the West Hills , Mount Tabor , Rocky Butte , Kelley Butte and Mount Scott would be visible, as would only some of the city's tallest skyscrapers.) Elevations for other cities in the valley are Newberg at 175 ft (53 m), Oregon City at 138 ft (42 m), McMinnville at 157 ft (48 m), Salem at 154 ft (47 m), Corvallis at 235 ft (72 m), and Eugene at 430 ft (130 m). The lake gradually drained away, leaving layered sedimentary soils on

4891-448: The valley floor to a height of about 180 to 200 ft (55 to 61 m) above current sea level throughout the Tualatin , Yamhill , and Willamette valleys. Geologists have come to refer to the resulting lake as Lake Allison , named for Oregon State University geologist Ira S. Allison , who first described Willamette Silt soil in 1953 and noted its similarity to soils on the floor of former Lake Lewis in Eastern Washington. Allison

4964-516: The valley was largely inhabited by bands of the Kalapuya tribe of Native Americans . Molala and Chinook peoples also have inhabited portions of the Willamette Valley since time immemorial. Sixteen thousand Kalapuyans are estimated to have populated the valley as recently as the early 19th century. Salmon, deer, and camas bulbs have provided primary food sources for the valley's first residents who used fire to encourage persistence of oak savanna . Oak trees have supplied another staple in

5037-439: 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 for the city was $ 19,870. About 6.5% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the poverty line , including 11.0% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over. Oregon City has officially recognized neighborhood associations : In addition to John McLoughlin ,

5110-436: 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. As of the census of 2000, there were 25,754 people, 9,471 households, and 6,667 families residing in

5183-507: Was connected to California's Central Valley by the Siskiyou Trail . The first European settlements in the valley were at Oregon City and Champoeg . The first institution of higher learning on the West Coast , today's Willamette University , was founded in the valley at Salem by Jason Lee , one of the many Oregon missionaries who settled in the valley. 44°54′N 123°06′W  /  44.9°N 123.1°W  / 44.9; -123.1 Oregon City, Oregon Oregon City

5256-478: 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. The town became the see city of the first Roman Catholic archdiocese in the western United States, when

5329-468: Was maintained by the Native American inhabitants of the valley who set frequent fires that encouraged the open grasslands and killed young trees. The American settlers of the region, since the 19th century, suppressed fires and converted much of the valley to agriculture, which has caused much of the former grassland and savanna to revert to closed-canopy forest. Less than one-tenth of one percent of

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