Oakridge, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Oakridge is a city in Lane County
Lane County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge *Siuslaw National Forest *Umpqua National Forest *Willamette National Forest -Government:...

, 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...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The population was estimated at 3,205 in 2010. It is located east of Westfir
Westfir, Oregon
Westfir is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. The population was 253 at the 2010 census. It is located about south of Eugene and about west of Oakridge in the Willamette National Forest.-History:...

 on Oregon Route 58, about 40 miles (64.4 km) east of Eugene
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...

, and 150 miles (241.4 km) southeast of Portland
Portland, 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...

. Surrounded by the Willamette National Forest
Willamette National Forest
The Willamette National Forest is a National Forest located in the central portion of the Cascade Range of US state of Oregon.It comprises 1,675,407 acres making it one of the largest national forests. Over 380,000 acres are designated wilderness which include seven major mountain peaks...

, Oakridge is popular with outdoor enthusiasts for its hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...

, mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...

, wildflower
Wildflower
A wildflower is a flower that grows wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted. Yet "wildflower" meadows of a few mixed species are sold in seed packets. The term "wildflower" has been made vague by commercial seedsmen who are interested in selling more flowers or seeds more...

s, fly fishing
Fly fishing
Fly fishing is an angling method in which an artificial 'fly' is used to catch fish. The fly is cast using a fly rod, reel, and specialized weighted line. Casting a nearly weightless fly or 'lure' requires casting techniques significantly different from other forms of casting...

, birding, watersports, and nearby Willamette Pass ski area
Willamette Pass ski area
Willamette Pass Resort is a ski area located in Klamath County, Oregon. It operates on federal land under special use permit on the Willamette and Deschutes National Forests. It is situated in the Cascade Range, between Oakridge, Oregon and La Pine, Oregon...

.

History

The area now known as Oakridge was first explored in 1852 as a possible route for pioneers coming from Central Oregon
Central Oregon
Central Oregon is a geographic region in the U.S. state of Oregon and is traditionally considered to be made up of Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook counties. Other definitions include larger areas, often encompassing areas to the north towards the Columbia River, eastward towards Burns, or south...

 to the Willamette Valley
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...

. In 1912, a new community was formed and officially named Oakridge. Since its beginnings as a mountain ranch, Oakridge has been a railroad boomtown, a lumberjack
Lumberjack
A lumberjack is a worker in the logging industry who performs the initial harvesting and transport of trees for ultimate processing into forest products. The term usually refers to a bygone era when hand tools were used in harvesting trees principally from virgin forest...

s' haven, and an outdoor enthusiast's
Outdoor recreation
Outdoor recreation or outdoor activity is leisure pursuits engaged in outside, especially in natural or semi-natural settings out of town...

 destination.

The early boom for Oakridge can be attributed to the Southern Pacific Railroad. By 1910, work had already begun on Tunnel 22, a short route to connect Oakridge to the area now known as Westfir
Westfir, Oregon
Westfir is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. The population was 253 at the 2010 census. It is located about south of Eugene and about west of Oakridge in the Willamette National Forest.-History:...

. Once up and running, the railroad played an integral part of the economy and lifestyle in Oakridge. By the late 1970s, however, the railroad had stopped its regular service in Oakridge and the depot
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...

 was torn down. Today, the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....

 operates the rails, and trains are still a common sight in Oakridge.

On July 2, 1946, Pope and Talbot Lumber Company purchased timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...

land near Oakridge. By 1948, the company built a large sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....

 in Oakridge and had began a massive timber 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...

 operation. While the railroad and Westfir's Hines
Edward Hines Lumber Company
The Edward Hines Lumber Company, based in Buffalo Grove, in the U.S. state of Illinois, is a business firm specializing in lumber, plywood, decking, doors, windows, trim, and other wood products. It also sells related services such as consultations and cost estimates for building projects...

 sawmill began to slow down, the Pope and Talbot mill expanded and eventually employed more than 500 people. The combined economic base of the railroad and sawmills accounted for the population growth of the 1960s and '70s. However, in 1978 the Hines Mill in Westfir closed, and by 1985 the Pope and Talbot Mill had laid off all of its workers. The City of Oakridge now owns the property that formerly housed the Pope and Talbot sawmill.

Today, Oakridge is popular with outdoor enthusiasts for its many recreational opportunities.

Geography

Oakridge sits at an elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....

 ranging from 1200 to 1600 ft (365.8 to 487.7 ) above sea level.

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 2 square miles (5.2 km²), of which 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²), or 4.52%, is water.

Oakridge lies in a small valley in the foothills
Foothills
Foothills are geographically defined as gradual increases in elevation at the base of a mountain range. They are a transition zone between plains and low relief hills to the adjacent topographically high mountains.-Examples:...

 of the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...

 and is completely surrounded by Willamette National Forest
Willamette National Forest
The Willamette National Forest is a National Forest located in the central portion of the Cascade Range of US state of Oregon.It comprises 1,675,407 acres making it one of the largest national forests. Over 380,000 acres are designated wilderness which include seven major mountain peaks...

. Five rivers are located in and around Oakridge, including Salmon Creek, Salt Creek, Hills Creek, and the Middle
Middle Fork Willamette River
The Middle Fork Willamette River is one of several forks that unite to form the Willamette River in the western part of the U.S. state of Oregon...

 and North Forks of the Willamette River
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...

, the latter of which has been designated Wild and Scenic
National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River is a designation for certain protected areas in the United States.The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was an outgrowth of the recommendations of a Presidential commission, the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission...

. Diamond Peak
Diamond Peak (Oregon)
Diamond Peak is a shield volcano in south west Oregon and is part of the Cascade Range. The mountain is located near Willamette Pass in the Diamond Peak Wilderness within the Willamette National Forest....

, a shield volcano
Shield volcano
A shield volcano is a type of volcano usually built almost entirely of fluid lava flows. They are named for their large size and low profile, resembling a warrior's shield. This is caused by the highly fluid lava they erupt, which travels farther than lava erupted from more explosive volcanoes...

 located in nearby Diamond Peak Wilderness
Diamond Peak Wilderness
The Diamond Peak Wilderness is a wilderness area straddling the Cascade crest and includes the Diamond Peak Volcano. It is located within two National Forests - the Willamette National Forest on the west and the Deschutes National Forest on the east....

, can be seen from various spots in and around Oakridge. Waldo Lake
Waldo Lake
Waldo Lake is a lake in the Cascade Mountains of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the second largest natural non-alkali lake in Oregon with more than 10 square miles of water and a maximum depth of . The lake is named after Oregon politician, judge, and conservationist John B....

, known as one of the purest lakes in the world, and Salt Creek Falls
Salt Creek Falls
Salt Creek Falls is a waterfall on Salt Creek, a tributary of the Middle Fork of the Willamette River, located near Oakridge, Oregon in the Willamette National Forest. It is about tall and is the second highest waterfall in Oregon....

, the second highest waterfall in 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...

, are located 20 miles (32.2 km) east of town.

Demographics

As of the census
Census
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 3,148 people, 1,345 households, and 891 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 1,659.8 people per square mile (639.7/km2). There were 1,526 housing units at an average density of 804.6 per square mile (310.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 92.57% White, 0.32% African American, 1.59% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.87% 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 3.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.02% of the population.

There were 1,345 households out of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% 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, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the city the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 104.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,622, and the median income for a family was $33,017. Males had a median income of $28,285 versus $18,672 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 $12,885. About 12.2% of families and 14.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.1% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

In 2006, Oakridge residents noticed a sharp increase in poverty, due to the low availability of jobs.

Land

State Highway 58, a designated freight route, serves as a major connection between Highway 97
U.S. Route 97
U.S. Route 97 is a major north–south United States highway in the western United States. It begins at a junction with Interstate 5 at Weed, California, and travels north, ending in Okanogan County, Washington, at the Canadian Border, across from Osoyoos, British Columbia, becoming British...

 and Interstate 5
Interstate 5
Interstate 5 is the main Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific Ocean coastline from Canada to Mexico . It serves some of the largest cities on the U.S...

. Running east-west, Highway 58 links the Willamette Valley
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...

 and Central Oregon
Central Oregon
Central Oregon is a geographic region in the U.S. state of Oregon and is traditionally considered to be made up of Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook counties. Other definitions include larger areas, often encompassing areas to the north towards the Columbia River, eastward towards Burns, or south...

 while crossing through the Willamette National Forest
Willamette National Forest
The Willamette National Forest is a National Forest located in the central portion of the Cascade Range of US state of Oregon.It comprises 1,675,407 acres making it one of the largest national forests. Over 380,000 acres are designated wilderness which include seven major mountain peaks...

 and Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...

.

Rail

Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....

's main north/south line in the western two-thirds of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, with cargo shipping services, runs through Oakridge. Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...

 shares the rail line and provides passenger train service to nationwide destinations from Eugene
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...

.

Bus

Lane Transit District
Lane Transit District
The Lane Transit District is a public agency that provides public transportation in Lane County, Oregon, United States. The transit district serves the Eugene metropolitan area, including the neighboring cities of Springfield, Junction City, Creswell, Cottage Grove, Veneta, and Lowell...

's Diamond Express runs three trips inbound and outbound on weekdays to the Eugene/Springfield
Springfield, Oregon
Springfield is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. Located in the Southern Willamette Valley, it is within the Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. Separated from Eugene to the west, mainly by Interstate 5, Springfield is the second-most populous city in the metropolitan area...

 area.

Air

Oakridge State Airport
Oakridge State Airport
Oakridge State Airport , is a public airport located 1 mile west of Oakridge, in Lane County, Oregon, USA.-External links:*...

 is a public airport located one mile west of Oakridge. Eugene Airport
Eugene Airport
Eugene Airport , also known as Mahlon Sweet Field, is a public airport located 7 miles northwest of Eugene, in Lane County, Oregon. Owned and operated by the City of Eugene, it is the fifth-largest airport in the Pacific Northwest, providing commercial air service to a six-county region in...

, located 45 miles (72.4 km) west, is the closest regional terminal providing passenger and cargo air services with access to all world markets.

Ports

The closest International Shipping Port
Shipping
Shipping has multiple meanings. It can be a physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo, by land, air, and sea. It also can describe the movement of objects by ship.Land or "ground" shipping can be by train or by truck...

s to Oakridge are the Port of Coos Bay
Port of Coos Bay
The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay is a port of the Pacific coast of the United States, located in Coos Bay near the city of Coos Bay, Oregon...

, located 145 miles (233.4 km) to the west in Coos Bay
Coos Bay, Oregon
Coos Bay is a city located in Coos County, Oregon, United States, where the Coos River enters Coos Bay on the Pacific Ocean. The city borders the city of North Bend, and together they are often referred to as one entity called either Coos Bay-North Bend or the Bay Area...

, and the Port of Portland
Port of Portland
Port of Portland may refer to:* Port of Portland * Port of Portland * Portland, Victoria, Australia* Portland Harbour, south England...

, located 149 miles (239.8 km) to the north in Portland
Portland, 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...

.

Education

The Oakridge School District consists of three schools and serves the children of Oakridge, Westfir
Westfir, Oregon
Westfir is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. The population was 253 at the 2010 census. It is located about south of Eugene and about west of Oakridge in the Willamette National Forest.-History:...

, and outlying areas including High Prairie.
  • Oakridge Elementary School - Grades K-6
  • Oakridge Junior High - Grades 7-8
  • Oakridge High School
    Oakridge High School (Oregon)
    Oakridge High School is a public high school in Oakridge, Oregon, United States. It is the only high school in the Oakridge School District.-Academics:...

     - 9-12

In 2008, Oakridge High School was recognized as one of the best high schools in America by U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...

.

The University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...

 and Lane Community College
Lane Community College
Lane Community College is a two-year college located in Eugene, Oregon. Its slogan is "Transforming Lives Through Learning."-Education:Lane Community College offers a variety of Associate's Degrees, such as:...

 are located 40 miles (64.4 km) west.

External links

  • Oakridge listing from the Oregon Blue Book
    Oregon Blue Book
    The Oregon Blue Book is the official directory and fact book for the U.S. state of Oregon copyrighted by the Oregon Secretary of State and published by the Office of the Secretary's Archives Division. As Governor Ted Kulongoski notes in his introduction for the 2005–2006 edition, it "provides...

  • Oakridge featured on NPR's State of the Re:Union
    State of the Re:Union
    State of the Re:Union is a nationally aired Public Radio show created and hosted by playwright and performance artist Al Letson. With a journalistic, documentary-style approach, the hour-long program focuses exclusively on one city or town in the scope of an episode featuring interviews,...

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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