Brewster, Washington
Encyclopedia
Brewster is a city in Okanogan County, Washington, United States
. The population was 2,370 at the 2010 census.
's Pacific Fur Company
established Fort Okanogan
just north of the present site of Brewster, which was the first American
post in Washington. In 1859, the area experienced a gold rush
, and by 1880, steamboat
s had become a common sight on the Columbia River
as far north as Brewster. Most of the settler
s in the area were cattle
and sheep ranchers. Brewster was officially incorporated on April 29, 1910. The construction of the railroad through Brewster in 1914 created more opportunities for the region, including mining
and logging
.
The economy of Brewster currently depends on the fruit
industry. Four warehouses
in the town pack several million boxes of fruit annually. These warehouses are supported by thousands of acres of orchard
s in the surrounding countryside.
and Columbia River
s.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km2), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 2,189 people, 662 households, and 485 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,828.0 people per square mile (704.3/km2). There were 739 housing units at an average density of 617.1 per square mile (237.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 54.91% White, 0.37% African American, 2.28% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 38.78% from other races
, and 3.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 59.5% of the population.
There were 662 households out of which 49.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were married couples
living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.6% were non-families. 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.23 and the average family size was 3.80.
In the city the population was spread out with 35.3% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 14.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $21,556, and the median income for a family was $22,381. Males had a median income of $15,652 versus $16,154 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $9,555. About 29.1% of families and 31.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.0% of those under age 18 and 16.4% of those age 65 or over.
For population 25 years and older, 50.2% have a high school diploma or higher, 8.1% have a bachelor's degree or higher, and 3.4% have a graduate or professional degree.
located in Brewster is one of ten dishes comprising the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA)
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 2,370 at the 2010 census.
History
In 1811, John Jacob AstorJohn Jacob Astor
John Jacob Astor , born Johann Jakob Astor, was a German-American business magnate and investor who was the first prominent member of the Astor family and the first multi-millionaire in the United States...
's Pacific Fur Company
Pacific Fur Company
The Pacific Fur Company was founded June 23, 1810, in New York City. Half of the stock of the company was held by the American Fur Company, owned exclusively by John Jacob Astor, and Astor provided all of the capital for the enterprise. The other half of the stock was ascribed to working partners...
established Fort Okanogan
Fort Okanogan
Fort Okanogan was founded as a fur trade outpost by John Jacob Astor’s Pacific Fur Company in 1811. It was built at the confluence of the Okanogan and Columbia Rivers, in what is now Okanogan County, Washington...
just north of the present site of Brewster, which was the first American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
post in Washington. In 1859, the area experienced a gold rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
, and by 1880, steamboat
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
s had become a common sight on the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
as far north as Brewster. Most of the settler
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
s in the area were cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
and sheep ranchers. Brewster was officially incorporated on April 29, 1910. The construction of the railroad through Brewster in 1914 created more opportunities for the region, including mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
and logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
.
The economy of Brewster currently depends on the fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
industry. Four warehouses
Packing house
A packing house is a facility where fruit is received and processed prior to distribution to market.Bulk fruit is delivered to the plant via trucks or wagons, where it is dumped into receiving bins and sorted for quality and size...
in the town pack several million boxes of fruit annually. These warehouses are supported by thousands of acres of orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
s in the surrounding countryside.
Geography
Brewster is located on the confluence of the OkanoganOkanogan River
The Okanogan River is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately 115 mi long, in southern British Columbia and north central Washington...
and Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
s.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km2), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,189 people, 662 households, and 485 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,828.0 people per square mile (704.3/km2). There were 739 housing units at an average density of 617.1 per square mile (237.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 54.91% White, 0.37% African American, 2.28% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 38.78% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 59.5% of the population.
There were 662 households out of which 49.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.6% were non-families. 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.23 and the average family size was 3.80.
In the city the population was spread out with 35.3% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 14.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $21,556, and the median income for a family was $22,381. Males had a median income of $15,652 versus $16,154 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $9,555. About 29.1% of families and 31.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.0% of those under age 18 and 16.4% of those age 65 or over.
For population 25 years and older, 50.2% have a high school diploma or higher, 8.1% have a bachelor's degree or higher, and 3.4% have a graduate or professional degree.
VLBA Node
The radio telescopeRadio telescope
A radio telescope is a form of directional radio antenna used in radio astronomy. The same types of antennas are also used in tracking and collecting data from satellites and space probes...
located in Brewster is one of ten dishes comprising the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA)
Very Long Baseline Array
The Very Long Baseline Array is a system of ten radio telescopes controlled remotely from the Array Operations Center in Socorro, New Mexico by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. The array works together as the world's largest dedicated, full-time astronomical instrument using the...
.