Clatsop County, Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Clatsop County
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Clatsop County Courthouse in Astoria
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Location within the U.S. state of Oregon
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Oregon's location within the U.S. |
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Country | United States | |
State | Oregon | |
Founded | June 22, 1844 | |
Seat | Astoria | |
Largest city | Astoria | |
Area | ||
• Total | 1,084 sq mi (2,810 km2) | |
• Land | 829 sq mi (2,150 km2) | |
• Water | 255 sq mi (660 km2) 24%% | |
Population
(2020)
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• Total | 41,072 | |
• Estimate
(2021)
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41,810 | |
• Density | 45/sq mi (17/km2) | |
Congressional district | 1st |
Clatsop County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the population was 41,072. The county seat is Astoria. The county is named for the Clatsop tribe of Native Americans, who lived along the coast of the Pacific Ocean prior to European settlement.
Clatsop County comprises the Astoria, OR Micropolitan Statistical Area, or Sunset Empire, and is located in Northwest Oregon.
Contents
History
The Lewis and Clark Expedition stayed for the winter of 1805–6 in the area of the future county at Fort Clatsop. Astoria, Oregon's oldest settlement, was established as a fur trading post in 1811 and named after John Jacob Astor.
Clatsop County was created from the northern and western portions of the original Twality District on June 22, 1844. Until the creation of Vancouver District five days later, Clatsop County extended north across the Columbia into present-day Washington. The Provisional and Territorial Legislatures further altered Clatsop County's boundaries in 1845 and 1853.
Before 1850 most of Clatsop County's government activity occurred in Lexington, a community located where Warrenton is now. However, commercial and social activities came to center on Astoria as that city grew, and an election in 1854 chose Astoria to be the new county seat.
Fort Stevens, located near the peninsula formed by the south shore of the Columbia river and the Pacific Ocean, became the only continental US military installation attacked in World War II, when submarine I-25 of the Imperial Japanese Navy fired 17 rounds at the base June 21, 1942. The submarine escaped when the order was given not to return fire with the 10-inch (250 mm) shore guns. This was done to so that the base position was not given away. While the damage caused was slight (reportedly only a baseball backstop was damaged and a powerline severed), the presence of the enemy ship sowed panic along the Pacific coast of the United States.
In 1975, Clatsop County commissioners considered seceding from Oregon, and become a part of Washington. The movement was based on disagreements residents of the county had with then-Governor Bob Straub. The movement was created after Alumax Corporation changed their plans of building a plant in the county. Some residents, including two county commissioners, blamed the Oregon Governor for the movement of the plant. The State of Washington's Governor, Daniel J. Evans, said the county was not welcome in the state. Clatsop County commissioners later abandoned the idea.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,084 square miles (2,810 km2), of which 829 square miles (2,150 km2) is land and 255 square miles (660 km2) (24%) is water. The highest point is Saddle Mountain at 3,283 feet (1,001 m), part of the Northern Oregon Coast Range.
Adjacent counties
- Columbia County (east)
- Pacific County, Washington (north)
- Wahkiakum County, Washington (north)
- Tillamook County (south)
- Washington County (southeast)
Major highways
- Oregon Route 26
- Oregon Route 30
- Oregon Route 101
National protected areas
- Julia Butler Hansen National Wildlife Refuge (part)
- Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Parks (part)
- Lewis and Clark National Wildlife Refuge
- Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge (part)
Demographics
Historical population | |||
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Census | Pop. | %± | |
1850 | 462 | — | |
1860 | 498 | 7.8% | |
1870 | 1,255 | 152.0% | |
1880 | 7,222 | 475.5% | |
1890 | 10,016 | 38.7% | |
1900 | 12,765 | 27.4% | |
1910 | 16,106 | 26.2% | |
1920 | 23,030 | 43.0% | |
1930 | 21,124 | −8.3% | |
1940 | 24,697 | 16.9% | |
1950 | 30,776 | 24.6% | |
1960 | 27,380 | −11.0% | |
1970 | 28,473 | 4.0% | |
1980 | 32,489 | 14.1% | |
1990 | 33,301 | 2.5% | |
2000 | 35,630 | 7.0% | |
2010 | 37,039 | 4.0% | |
2020 | 41,072 | 10.9% | |
2021 (est.) | 41,810 | 12.9% | |
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020 |
2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 37,039 people, 15,742 households, and 9,579 families living in the county. The population density was 44.7 inhabitants per square mile (17.3/km2). There were 21,546 housing units at an average density of 26.0 per square mile (10.0/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 90.9% white, 1.2% Asian, 1.0% American Indian, 0.5% black or African American, 0.2% Pacific islander, 3.3% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 7.7% of the population.
Of the 15,742 households, 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 39.2% were non-families, and 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.85. The median age was 43.2 years.
Communities
Cities
- Astoria (county seat)
- Cannon Beach
- Gearhart
- Seaside
- Warrenton
- Nehalem
Census-designated places
Unincorporated communities
- Arch Cape
- Bradwood
- Brownsmead
- Carnahan
- Clifton
- Elsie
- Fern Hill
- Fort Stevens
- Grand Rapids
- Hamlet
- Hammond
- Jewell
- Jewell Junction
- Knappa
- Lukarilla
- Melville
- Miles Crossing
- Mishawaka
- Navy Heights
- Necanicum
- Oklahoma Hill
- Olney
- Skipanon
- Sunset Beach
- Surf Pines
- Svensen
- Svensen Junction
- Taylorville
- Tolovana Park
- Tongue Point Village
- Uniontown
- Vinemaple
- Wauna
Economy
The principal industries of Clatsop County are manufacturing, travel (primarily tourism), and trade. Fishing and timber are still important but contribute proportionally less to the county's employment and income than they used to. The county's average nonfarm employment was 17,480 in 2007. About 30% of the lands within the county boundaries belong to the state of Oregon, as part of the state forests. The Port of Astoria was created in 1914 to support trade and commerce.
Tourism
Astoria, Oregon, the county seat, has multiple tourist attractions including the Astoria Riverfront Trolley, Fort Clatsop, the Uppertown Firefighters Museum, and Columbia River Maritime Museum. Seaside, Oregon, noted as Oregon's oldest ocean resort community.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Clatsop para niños