Columbia County, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Oregon
. It was named
for the Columbia River
, which forms its eastern and northern borders. As of 2010, its population was 49,351. The county seat
is St. Helens
.
metro area. Columbia County's average nonfarm employment was 10,740 in 2007. The five largest private employers in Columbia County are Fred Meyer, Armstrong World Industries, Wal-Mart, Boise Paper, and USG.
County Commissioners: Tony Hyde, Henry Heimuller, Earl Fisher;
Assessor: Sue Martin;
County Clerk: Betty Huser;
County Sheriff: Jeff Dickerson;
County Surveyor: Jerry Keenon;
County Treasurer: Ruth Baker;
District Attorney: Steve Atchison; and
Justice of the Peace: Wally Thompson
, the county has a total area of 688 square miles (1,781.9 km²), of which 657 square miles (1,701.6 km²) is land and 32 square miles (82.9 km²) (4.59%) is water.
of 2000, there were 43,560 people, 16,375 households, and 12,035 families residing in the county. The population density
was 66 people per square mile (26/km²). There were 17,572 housing units at an average density of 27 per square mile (10/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.42% White
, 0.24% Black
or African American
, 1.33% Native American
, 0.59% Asian
, 0.10% Pacific Islander
, 0.79% from other races
, and 2.53% from two or more races. 2.51% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 21.2% were of German, 10.8% English
, 9.4% American
, 9.3% Irish
and 5.4% Norwegian ancestry.
There were 16,375 households out of which 34.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.50% were married couples
living together, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.50% were non-families. 21.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the county, the population was spread out with 27.30% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 28.10% from 25 to 44, 26.00% from 45 to 64, and 11.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 100.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $45,797, and the median income for a family was $51,381. Males had a median income of $42,227 versus $27,216 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $20,078. About 6.70% of families and 9.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.60% of those under age 18 and 7.00% of those age 65 or over.
inhabited this region for centuries prior to the arrival
of Robert Gray, captain of the ship Columbia Rediviva
, in 1792. The Lewis and Clark Expedition
, traveled and camped along the Columbia River shore in the area later known as Columbia County in late 1805 and on their return journey in early 1806.
Columbia County was created in 1854 from the northern half of Washington County
. Milton served as the county seat until 1857 when it was moved to St. Helens.
It is part of Oregon's 1st congressional district
, which is represented by David Wu
and has a Cook Partisan Voting Index
score of D+6.
service within Columbia County, and connecting the county with certain points in adjacent counties, is provided by the Columbia County Rider (or CC Rider), a service operated by the county's Transit Division. The service carried 91,500 passengers in 2010.
Locales
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. It was named
Oregon Geographic Names
Oregon Geographic Names is an authoritative compilation of the origin and meaning of place names in the U.S. state of Oregon. , the book is in its seventh edition and is compiled and edited by Lewis L. McArthur, who took over from his father, Lewis A. McArthur, as of the fourth edition...
for 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...
, which forms its eastern and northern borders. As of 2010, its population was 49,351. The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is St. Helens
St. Helens, Oregon
St. Helens is the county seat of Columbia County, Oregon. It was founded by Captain H. M. Knighton, a native of New England, in 1845 as "Plymouth". The name was changed to St. Helens in the latter part of 1850 for its view of Mount St. Helens some away in Washington. The population was 10,019 at...
.
Economy
The primary industries are wood products and paper manufacturing, trade, construction and horticulture. The extensive stands of old growth timber, which had attracted many of the early settlers to the area, were completely logged over by the 1950s. Second-growth timber provides the raw material for local lumber and paper mills. About half the county's workforce commutes out of the county to work, most to the nearby Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
metro area. Columbia County's average nonfarm employment was 10,740 in 2007. The five largest private employers in Columbia County are Fred Meyer, Armstrong World Industries, Wal-Mart, Boise Paper, and USG.
Government
The county is governed by an elected board of three commissioners. Each commissioner is elected to a term of four years. Other elected officials include the Sheriff, County Clerk, District Attorney, Treasurer, Surveyor, Assessor and Justice of the Peace. The current elected officials are:County Commissioners: Tony Hyde, Henry Heimuller, Earl Fisher;
Assessor: Sue Martin;
County Clerk: Betty Huser;
County Sheriff: Jeff Dickerson;
County Surveyor: Jerry Keenon;
County Treasurer: Ruth Baker;
District Attorney: Steve Atchison; and
Justice of the Peace: Wally Thompson
Geography
According to the U.S. Census BureauUnited 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 county has a total area of 688 square miles (1,781.9 km²), of which 657 square miles (1,701.6 km²) is land and 32 square miles (82.9 km²) (4.59%) is water.
Adjacent counties
- Clatsop County, OregonClatsop County, OregonClatsop County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county is named for the Clatsop tribe of Native Americans, who lived along the coast of the Pacific Ocean prior to European settlement. As of 2010, the population was 37,039. The county seat is Astoria.-Economy:The principal...
- (west) - Washington County, OregonWashington County, Oregon- Major highways :* Interstate 5* Interstate 205* U.S. Route 26* Oregon Route 6* Oregon Route 8* Oregon Route 10* Oregon Route 47* Oregon Route 99W* Oregon Route 210* Oregon Route 217* Oregon Route 219-Demographics:...
- (south) - Multnomah County, OregonMultnomah County, OregonMultnomah County is one of 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. Though smallest in area, it is the most populous as its county seat, Portland, is the state's largest city...
- (southeast) - Clark County, WashingtonClark County, WashingtonClark County is a county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Washington, across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon.Clark County was the first county of Washington, named after William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition...
- (east) - Cowlitz County, WashingtonCowlitz County, WashingtonCowlitz County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2010 census its population was 102,410. It forms the Longview, Washington, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Cowlitz County. The county seat is at Kelso, and its largest city is Longview...
- (east, north) - Wahkiakum County, Washington - (northwest)
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 43,560 people, 16,375 households, and 12,035 families residing in the county. 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 66 people per square mile (26/km²). There were 17,572 housing units at an average density of 27 per square mile (10/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.42% White
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...
, 0.24% Black
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...
or African American
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...
, 1.33% Native American
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...
, 0.59% Asian
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...
, 0.10% Pacific Islander
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...
, 0.79% 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 2.53% from two or more races. 2.51% of the population were Hispanic
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...
or Latino
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...
of any race. 21.2% were of German, 10.8% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, 9.4% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 9.3% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
and 5.4% Norwegian ancestry.
There were 16,375 households out of which 34.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.50% 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, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.50% were non-families. 21.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the county, the population was spread out with 27.30% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 28.10% from 25 to 44, 26.00% from 45 to 64, and 11.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 100.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $45,797, and the median income for a family was $51,381. Males had a median income of $42,227 versus $27,216 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 county was $20,078. About 6.70% of families and 9.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.60% of those under age 18 and 7.00% of those age 65 or over.
History
The Chinook and Clatskanie Native AmericansNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
inhabited this region for centuries prior to the arrival
Gray sails the Columbia River
In May of 1792, American merchant sea captain Robert Gray sailed into the Columbia River, becoming the first recorded European to navigate into it. The voyage, conducted on the Columbia Rediviva, a privately owned ship, was eventually used as a basis for the United States' claim on the Pacific...
of Robert Gray, captain of the ship Columbia Rediviva
Columbia Rediviva
Columbia Rediviva was a privately owned ship under the command of John Kendrick, along with Captain Robert Gray, best known for going to the Pacific Northwest for the maritime fur trade. The "Rediviva" was added to her name upon a rebuilding in 1787...
, in 1792. The Lewis and Clark Expedition
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, or ″Corps of Discovery Expedition" was the first transcontinental expedition to the Pacific Coast by the United States. Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson and led by two Virginia-born veterans of Indian wars in the Ohio Valley, Meriwether Lewis and William...
, traveled and camped along the Columbia River shore in the area later known as Columbia County in late 1805 and on their return journey in early 1806.
Columbia County was created in 1854 from the northern half of Washington County
Washington County, Oregon
- Major highways :* Interstate 5* Interstate 205* U.S. Route 26* Oregon Route 6* Oregon Route 8* Oregon Route 10* Oregon Route 47* Oregon Route 99W* Oregon Route 210* Oregon Route 217* Oregon Route 219-Demographics:...
. Milton served as the county seat until 1857 when it was moved to St. Helens.
Politics
In Presidential elections the county is among the most consistently Democratic in the state. The Democratic Presidential candidate has won the county in every election following 1924. That stated, the margin has been as little as three percent.It is part of Oregon's 1st congressional district
Oregon's 1st congressional district
Oregon's 1st congressional district consists of the northwest corner of Oregon. It includes Clatsop, Columbia, Washington, and Yamhill counties, and southwest Portland, part of Multnomah County, which belonged to the 3rd district before the 2002 redistricting....
, which is represented by David Wu
David Wu
David Wu is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 1999 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes most of Portland west of the Willamette River, as well as all of Yamhill, Columbia, Clatsop, and Washington Counties...
and has a Cook Partisan Voting Index
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
score of D+6.
Transportation
Limited public transitPublic transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
service within Columbia County, and connecting the county with certain points in adjacent counties, is provided by the Columbia County Rider (or CC Rider), a service operated by the county's Transit Division. The service carried 91,500 passengers in 2010.
Incorporated cities
|
St. Helens, Oregon St. Helens is the county seat of Columbia County, Oregon. It was founded by Captain H. M. Knighton, a native of New England, in 1845 as "Plymouth". The name was changed to St. Helens in the latter part of 1850 for its view of Mount St. Helens some away in Washington. The population was 10,019 at... Scappoose, Oregon Scappoose is a city in Columbia County, Oregon, United States. It was named for a nearby stream, which drains the southern part of the county... Vernonia, Oregon Vernonia is a city in Columbia County, Oregon, United States. The city is located on the Nehalem River, in a valley on the eastern side of the Northern Oregon Coast Range. It is located the heart of the most important timber-producing areas of the state, and logging has played an important role in... |
Unincorporated communities
Populated places
|
Deer Island, Oregon Deer Island is an unincorporated community in Columbia County, Oregon, United States. Deer Island is located along U.S. Route 30 north-northwest of Columbia City. Deer Island has a post office with ZIP code 97054.... |
Goble, Oregon Goble is an unincorporated community in Columbia County, Oregon, United States. It is located on U.S. Route 30 and the Columbia River.-History:The Goble area was most likely a stop for the Lewis and Clark Expedition.... Inglis, Oregon Inglis is an unincorporated community in Columbia County, Oregon, United States. Inglis post office was established on September 30, 1902, and was named after the first postmaster, John E. Inglis. The post office closed in 1910, then reopened in 1914, finally closing in 1918. The railroad station... Keasey, Oregon Keasey is an unincorporated community in Columbia County, Oregon, United States, located about a half mile northeast of Rockcreek. It was named after settler Eden W. Keasey, who was also first postmaster of the post office, which operated from August 5, 1890 to 1955. There are no remains of the... Kerry, Oregon Kerry is an unincorporated community in Columbia County, Oregon, United States, located about 30 miles east of Astoria. It was founded to extend the Columbia & Nehalem River Railroad and named in 1912 by lumberman Albert S. Kerry. In the 1920s it had about 200 inhabitants. Its post office opened... Lindbergh, Oregon Lindbergh is an unincorporated community in Columbia County, Oregon, United States.... Marshland, Oregon Marshland, formerly known as Skunk Cabbage Flat, is an unincorporated community in Columbia County, Oregon, United States. It was settled by Z.B. Bryant in 1862. Its post office was established around 1873. It closed in 1960. As of July 2007, Marshland's population is 462 and the population density... |
Mayger, Oregon Mayger is an unincorporated community in Columbia County, Oregon, United States. Fishing is important to Mayger. It was originally the site of Frenchman Charles Mayger's Mayger Logging Company, which he sold in 1886 to William F. Slaughter. Mayger's post office was established three years later and... McNulty, Oregon McNulty is an unincorporated community in Columbia County, Oregon, United States. It was named for Oregon pioneer John McNulty.... Mist, Oregon Mist is an unincorporated community in Columbia County, Oregon, United States. It was named for the atmospheric conditions of the Nehalem Valley.On July 6, 2001, the Mist store, which was built in 1874, caught fire and was destroyed... Pittsburg, Oregon Pittsburg is an unincorporated community in Columbia County, Oregon, United States. Pittsburg is located on the Nehalem River near its confluence with the East Fork Nehalem River. The Scappose-Vernonia road and the St. Helens-Pittsburg road join Oregon Route 47 near Pittsburg... Quincy, Oregon Quincy is an unincorporated community in Columbia County, in the far north of Oregon, United States. It is located along U.S. Route 30.- References :... |
Warren, Oregon Warren is an unincorporated community in Columbia County, Oregon, United States located on U.S. Route 30 north of Scappoose and south of St. Helens on Scappoose Bay of the Columbia River.... Woodson, Oregon Woodson is an unincorporated community in Columbia County, Oregon, United States. It is located on U.S. Route 30 seven miles west of Clatskanie and three miles east of Westport, on Westport Slough, a tributary of the Columbia River... |
Locales
- Fern Hill
- RiversideRiverside, Columbia County, OregonRiverside is the name of a former post office in Columbia County, Oregon, United States. It was northwest of Mist. It lies at an elevation of 364 feet ....