DuPont, Washington
Encyclopedia
DuPont is a city in Pierce County
, Washington, United States
. The population was 8,199 at the 2010 census.
arrived in the area at least 5700 years ago, subsisting on shellfish from the beaches and salmon from Sequalitchew Creek
. Captain George Vancouver
mapped the area in 1792, and in 1833, the Hudson's Bay Company
established a fur trading post at Fort Nisqually
. The fort was relocated upstream in 1843.
The first school in the area was the Nisqually Methodist Mission school, which operated from 1840 through 1842. Chloe A. Clarke was appointed teacher at the mission school. The first public school was established in 1852, and in 1869, the federal government auctioned the site off to settlers. In 1906, DuPont
purchased a 5 square miles (12.9 km²) area for construction of an explosives plant. By 1909, the company town
had more than 100 houses.
DuPont was officially incorporated on March 26, 1912, and was re-incorporated in 1951. DuPont has recently undergone a modern transformation as the modern planned communities such as "Northwest Landing" has been realized. The city is expected to have a built out population of 12,000+.
in DuPont (Chloe Clark Elementary) which hosted kindergarten
through fifth grade
reached capacity in the 2007-2008 school year. As a result, starting with the 2008-2009 school year, Steilicoom School district realigned all three elementary schools, Chloe Clark Elementary and Cherrydale Primary in Steilacoom now only has students in grades K-3. Saltar's Point Elementary in Steilacoom now serves 4th and 5th grades. Pioneer Middle School relocated from Steilacoom to Dupont in August 2008. The new school received a LEED award for its “Green” Design elements.
DuPont is divided into several "villages", each with their own design style and/or building contractors. Northwest Landing is the most visible due to a sign along the freeway announcing it. Several businesses have opened in the downtown area, but development has stalled except for a new credit union building. The Historic Village, a residential area, is the only part of DuPont that is not a modern planned community and is on the registry of historic places. Bell Hill is considered the most expensive area. Dupont has trails and green belts throughout, and is 90% built out according to the master plan. Sections that remain empty are stalled due to economic conditions as of 2010, or pre-existing activities that prevent development until completed.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 5.7 square miles (14.8 km²), of which 5.7 square miles (14.8 km²) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) (0.35%) is water.
trail which can be accessed by the old narrow gauge railway roadbed which ran from the old Powderworks plant to Puget Sound. The trail leads to Sequalitchew beach. The creek corridor is used by hundreds of species, including Bald Eagle
s, hawks, McKay's Bunting
, song birds, herons, ducks, owls, frogs, salamanders, snakes, beaver, raccoons, coyotes, deer, and rabbits. The waters off Sequalitchew Beach are inhabited by Harbor Seal
, Marbled Murrelet
and Gray Whale
.
of 2000, there were 2,452 people, 936 households, and 670 families residing in the city. The population density
was 430.6 PD/sqmi. There were 977 housing units at an average density of 171.6 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 74.63% White, 8.20% African American, 0.82% Native American, 7.34% Asian, 0.69% Pacific Islander, 2.24% from other races
, and 6.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.36% of the population.
There were 936 households out of which 40.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.8% were married couples
living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.9% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 40.8% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 6.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $52,969, and the median income for a family was $57,202. Males had a median income of $42,946 versus $36,741 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $22,742. About 2.2% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.5% of those under age 18 and 2.5% of those age 65 or over.
Pierce County, Washington
right|thumb|[[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] - Seat of Pierce CountyPierce County is the second most populous county in the U.S. state of Washington. Formed out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory...
, Washington, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 8,199 at the 2010 census.
History
The Nisqually tribeNisqually (tribe)
Nisqually is a Lushootseed Native American tribe in western Washington state in the United States. The tribe lives on a reservation in the Nisqually River valley near the river delta. The Nisqually Indian Reservation, at , comprises 20.602 km² of land area on both sides of the river, in...
arrived in the area at least 5700 years ago, subsisting on shellfish from the beaches and salmon from Sequalitchew Creek
Sequalitchew Creek
Sequalitchew creek, located in DuPont, Washington emanates from Sequalitchew Lake, Fort Lewis, Washington, was the location of the original Fort Nisqually trading post established in 1833 by the Hudson's Bay Company...
. Captain George Vancouver
George Vancouver
Captain George Vancouver RN was an English officer of the British Royal Navy, best known for his 1791-95 expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern Pacific Coast regions, including the coasts of contemporary Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon...
mapped the area in 1792, and in 1833, the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
established a fur trading post at Fort Nisqually
Fort Nisqually
Fort Nisqually was an important fur trading and farming post of the Hudson's Bay Company in the Puget Sound area of what is now DuPont, Washington and was part of the Hudson's Bay Company's Columbia Department. Today it is a living history museum located in Tacoma, Washington, USA, within the...
. The fort was relocated upstream in 1843.
The first school in the area was the Nisqually Methodist Mission school, which operated from 1840 through 1842. Chloe A. Clarke was appointed teacher at the mission school. The first public school was established in 1852, and in 1869, the federal government auctioned the site off to settlers. In 1906, DuPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
purchased a 5 square miles (12.9 km²) area for construction of an explosives plant. By 1909, the company town
Company town
A company town is a town or city in which much or all real estate, buildings , utilities, hospitals, small businesses such as grocery stores and gas stations, and other necessities or luxuries of life within its borders are owned by a single company...
had more than 100 houses.
DuPont was officially incorporated on March 26, 1912, and was re-incorporated in 1951. DuPont has recently undergone a modern transformation as the modern planned communities such as "Northwest Landing" has been realized. The city is expected to have a built out population of 12,000+.
Today
Today, DuPont is still a growing community. The elementary schoolElementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
in DuPont (Chloe Clark Elementary) which hosted kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
through fifth grade
Fifth grade
Fifth grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The fifth grade is the fifth school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 10 – 11 years old, and are preteens...
reached capacity in the 2007-2008 school year. As a result, starting with the 2008-2009 school year, Steilicoom School district realigned all three elementary schools, Chloe Clark Elementary and Cherrydale Primary in Steilacoom now only has students in grades K-3. Saltar's Point Elementary in Steilacoom now serves 4th and 5th grades. Pioneer Middle School relocated from Steilacoom to Dupont in August 2008. The new school received a LEED award for its “Green” Design elements.
DuPont is divided into several "villages", each with their own design style and/or building contractors. Northwest Landing is the most visible due to a sign along the freeway announcing it. Several businesses have opened in the downtown area, but development has stalled except for a new credit union building. The Historic Village, a residential area, is the only part of DuPont that is not a modern planned community and is on the registry of historic places. Bell Hill is considered the most expensive area. Dupont has trails and green belts throughout, and is 90% built out according to the master plan. Sections that remain empty are stalled due to economic conditions as of 2010, or pre-existing activities that prevent development until completed.
Geography
DuPont is located at 47.099070°N 122.637544°W (47.099070, -122.637544).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 5.7 square miles (14.8 km²), of which 5.7 square miles (14.8 km²) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) (0.35%) is water.
Sequalitchew Creek trail and beach
Within the city limits of DuPont, next to city hall, lies Sequalitchew CreekSequalitchew Creek
Sequalitchew creek, located in DuPont, Washington emanates from Sequalitchew Lake, Fort Lewis, Washington, was the location of the original Fort Nisqually trading post established in 1833 by the Hudson's Bay Company...
trail which can be accessed by the old narrow gauge railway roadbed which ran from the old Powderworks plant to Puget Sound. The trail leads to Sequalitchew beach. The creek corridor is used by hundreds of species, including Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
s, hawks, McKay's Bunting
McKay's Bunting
McKay's Bunting is a passerine bird in the longspur family Calcariidae. It is most closely related to the Snow Bunting . Hybrids between the two species have been observed, leading some authorities to treat McKay's as a subspecies of Snow Bunting...
, song birds, herons, ducks, owls, frogs, salamanders, snakes, beaver, raccoons, coyotes, deer, and rabbits. The waters off Sequalitchew Beach are inhabited by Harbor Seal
Harbor Seal
The harbor seal , also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere...
, Marbled Murrelet
Marbled Murrelet
The Marbled Murrelet is a small seabird from the North Pacific. It is a member of the auk family. It nests in old-growth forests or on the ground at higher latitudes where trees cannot grow...
and Gray Whale
Gray Whale
The gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus, is a baleen whale that migrates between feeding and breeding grounds yearly. It reaches a length of about , a weight of , and lives 50–70 years. The common name of the whale comes from the gray patches and white mottling on its dark skin. Gray whales were...
.
Other trails a wildlife areas
DuPont's other trails and the parks offer similar access to wildlife and are throughout the city providing exceptional outdoor activity opportunities. The trail and greenbelt system provides a wide cross-section of DuPont's geographic and natural environments, while maintaining urban feel. Full maps are available at the visitor center, city hall, and the history museum. MapsDemographics
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 2,452 people, 936 households, and 670 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 430.6 PD/sqmi. There were 977 housing units at an average density of 171.6 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 74.63% White, 8.20% African American, 0.82% Native American, 7.34% Asian, 0.69% Pacific Islander, 2.24% 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 6.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.36% of the population.
There were 936 households out of which 40.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.8% 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, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.9% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 40.8% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 6.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $52,969, and the median income for a family was $57,202. Males had a median income of $42,946 versus $36,741 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 $22,742. About 2.2% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.5% of those under age 18 and 2.5% of those age 65 or over.
External links
- City of DuPont
- History of DuPont at HistoryLinkHistoryLinkHistoryLink is a website that is an encyclopedia of Washington State history. The site has more than 4,500 stories. There are 500 biographies and more than 14,000 images....
- Dupont Museum
- DuPont Visitor Information
- DuPont Company Heritage (Out of Date)