Estacada, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Estacada is a city in Clackamas County
, Oregon
, United States, about 30 miles southeast of Portland
. The population was 2,695 at the 2010 census.
dam on the nearby Clackamas River
that was to supply Portland
with electricity. At the time, the river was relatively inaccessible by road, forcing the Oregon Power Railway Company to build a railway to the vicinity of the river to transport crews to the river for the construction of the dam. After the construction of the Hotel Estacada, the town became a weekend destination on the railroad line for residents of Portland. During the week, the train carried freight and work crews to and from Portland. Following the development of the dams, the city became a hub for the logging
industry. In the early 20th century, a trolley line connected the town with downtown Portland. The railway line has been removed and there is no longer rail service to Estacada.
region of modern-day Texas
threw the name in a hat and it won, but somehow the final o became an a.
Another theory states that:
, the city has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²), of which, 1 square miles (2.6 km²) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) (3.67%) is water.
Outside the city limits the land is mainly farmland, extending from the Springwater
area to the south, Eagle Creek
to the west, and the Mount Hood National Forest
to the north and east.
flows by the city, which drains into the Willamette River
, thence the Columbia
. There are four dams on the Clackamas River in the immediate vicinity of Estacada: River Mill Dam, Faraday Dam (a diversionary dam), Cazadero Dam, and North Fork Dam. Harriet Dam is further upstream. The original Cazadero Dam
was destroyed by the Christmas flood of 1964
and reconstructed as Faraday Dam; the current Cazadero Dam is between Faraday and North Fork, http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=Cazadero+Dam,+Estacada,+Clackamas,+Oregon+97023&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1600&bih=748&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=Cazadero+Dam&gl=us&ei=CCq-TcGkAZT0swOZlKzeBQ&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CBcQ8gEwAA. The dams are currently operated by Portland General Electric
.
of 2000, there were 2,371 people, 850 households, and 591 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,259.6 people per square mile (871.9/km²). There were 886 housing units at an average density of 844.4 per square mile (325.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.86% White, 0.17% African American, 1.43% Native American, 1.77% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 9.91% from other races
, and 1.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.78% of the population.
There were 850 households out of which 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples
living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.4% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.6% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $39,200, and the median income for a family was $46,445. Males had a median income of $37,269 versus $22,267 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,049. About 10.1% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.8% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.
. As the timber industry has declined, the economy of the city has been depressed in recent years. However, a thriving arts community has been building up over the years.
, and River Mill Elementary, Clackamas River Elementary, Estacada Junior High, and Estacada High School
in Estacada.
The Estacada Public Library is part of the Library Information Network of Clackamas County
.
.
's route 30 from Clackamas stops at Estacada City Hall Monday through Saturday. Sandy Area Metro
(SAM) extends bus service from City Hall to Sandy on weekdays, with connections to Gresham, connecting with TriMet lines and MAX light rail there.
Clackamas County, Oregon
Clackamas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county was named after the Native Americans living in the area, the Clackamas Indians, who were part of the Chinookan people. As of 2010, the population was 375,992...
, 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, about 30 miles 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...
. The population was 2,695 at the 2010 census.
History
The Estacada post office opened in February 1904 and the city was incorporated in May 1905. The community formed as a camp for workers building a hydroelectricHydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
dam on the nearby Clackamas River
Clackamas River
The Clackamas River is an approximately tributary of the Willamette River in northwestern Oregon, in the United States. As it drains an area of about , the Clackamas passes through mostly forested and rugged mountainous terrain in its upper reaches, and passes through agricultural and urban areas...
that was to supply 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...
with electricity. At the time, the river was relatively inaccessible by road, forcing the Oregon Power Railway Company to build a railway to the vicinity of the river to transport crews to the river for the construction of the dam. After the construction of the Hotel Estacada, the town became a weekend destination on the railroad line for residents of Portland. During the week, the train carried freight and work crews to and from Portland. Following the development of the dams, the city became a hub for the 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...
industry. In the early 20th century, a trolley line connected the town with downtown Portland. The railway line has been removed and there is no longer rail service to Estacada.
Name
The origin of the city's name is disputed. One explanation is that the city's name is a corruption of the name of a local resident, Esther Katie. There is no evidence that she existed. The more prosaic explanation is that someone with knowledge of the Llano EstacadoLlano Estacado
Llano Estacado , commonly known as the Staked Plains, is a region in the Southwestern United States that encompasses parts of eastern New Mexico and northwestern Texas, including the South Plains and parts of the Texas Panhandle...
region of modern-day Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
threw the name in a hat and it won, but somehow the final o became an a.
Another theory states that:
Geography
According to the United States 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 city has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²), of which, 1 square miles (2.6 km²) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) (3.67%) is water.
Outside the city limits the land is mainly farmland, extending from the Springwater
Springwater, Oregon
Springwater is an unincorporated rural community in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States, about three miles south of Estacada on Oregon Route 211. So-named since pioneer days, it was one of the first places on the upper Clackamas River to have a post office. Springwater post office ran from...
area to the south, Eagle Creek
Eagle Creek, Oregon
Eagle Creek is an unincorporated community in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. It is located seven miles southwest of Sandy, seven miles north of Estacada, and five miles southeast of Carver, at the junction of Oregon Routes 224 and 211, on the Clackamas River.-Background and history:The...
to the west, and the Mount Hood National Forest
Mount Hood National Forest
The Mount Hood National Forest is located east of the city of Portland, Oregon, and the northern Willamette River valley. The Forest extends south from the Columbia River Gorge across more than of forested mountains, lakes and streams to the Olallie Scenic Area, a high lake basin under the slopes...
to the north and east.
Hydro projects
The Clackamas RiverClackamas River
The Clackamas River is an approximately tributary of the Willamette River in northwestern Oregon, in the United States. As it drains an area of about , the Clackamas passes through mostly forested and rugged mountainous terrain in its upper reaches, and passes through agricultural and urban areas...
flows by the city, which drains into 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...
, thence the Columbia
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...
. There are four dams on the Clackamas River in the immediate vicinity of Estacada: River Mill Dam, Faraday Dam (a diversionary dam), Cazadero Dam, and North Fork Dam. Harriet Dam is further upstream. The original Cazadero Dam
Cazadero Dam
Cazadero Dam was a dam on the Clackamas River, near the city of Estacada, Oregon, United States. It was destroyed by flood in 1965 and replaced with the Faraday Dam.-External links:* from University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections...
was destroyed by the Christmas flood of 1964
Christmas flood of 1964
The Christmas flood of 1964 was a major flood that took place in the Pacific Northwest of the United States between December 18, 1964 and January 7, 1965, spanning the Christmas holiday.Considered a 100-year flood,...
and reconstructed as Faraday Dam; the current Cazadero Dam is between Faraday and North Fork, http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=Cazadero+Dam,+Estacada,+Clackamas,+Oregon+97023&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1600&bih=748&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=Cazadero+Dam&gl=us&ei=CCq-TcGkAZT0swOZlKzeBQ&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CBcQ8gEwAA. The dams are currently operated by Portland General Electric
Portland General Electric
Portland General Electric is an electrical utility based in Portland in the U.S. state of Oregon. It distributes electricity to customers in parts of Multnomah, Clackamas, Marion, Yamhill, Washington, and Polk counties - half of the inhabitants of Oregon...
.
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 2,371 people, 850 households, and 591 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 2,259.6 people per square mile (871.9/km²). There were 886 housing units at an average density of 844.4 per square mile (325.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.86% White, 0.17% African American, 1.43% Native American, 1.77% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 9.91% 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 1.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.78% of the population.
There were 850 households out of which 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% 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, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.4% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.6% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $39,200, and the median income for a family was $46,445. Males had a median income of $37,269 versus $22,267 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 $17,049. About 10.1% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.8% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
After the building of the dams, the primary base for Estacada's economy has been lumberLumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
. As the timber industry has declined, the economy of the city has been depressed in recent years. However, a thriving arts community has been building up over the years.
Education
The Estacada is served by the Estacada School District, which includes Eagle Creek Elementary School in Eagle CreekEagle Creek, Oregon
Eagle Creek is an unincorporated community in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. It is located seven miles southwest of Sandy, seven miles north of Estacada, and five miles southeast of Carver, at the junction of Oregon Routes 224 and 211, on the Clackamas River.-Background and history:The...
, and River Mill Elementary, Clackamas River Elementary, Estacada Junior High, and Estacada High School
Estacada High School
Estacada High School is a public high school in Estacada, Oregon, United States.-History:Estacada High School began in 1905 when grade 9 and 10 classes were first taught in the Estacada Grade School, a small building on the west side of Main Street, across from the site of the current elementary...
in Estacada.
The Estacada Public Library is part of the Library Information Network of Clackamas County
Library Information Network of Clackamas County
Libraries in Clackamas County is a consortium of the public libraries of Clackamas County, Oregon. It was established in 1977 when the first county-wide funding levy was approved by county voters...
.
Media
The Estacada News is a weekly newspaper owned and operated by the Pamplin Media GroupPamplin Media Group
The Pamplin Media Group is a media conglomerate owned by Robert B. Pamplin, Jr. and operating primarily in the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon....
.
Bus
TriMetTriMet
TriMet, more formally known as the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, is a public agency that operates mass transit in a region that spans most of the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon...
's route 30 from Clackamas stops at Estacada City Hall Monday through Saturday. Sandy Area Metro
Sandy Area Metro
Sandy Area Metro is a small public transit system operated by the city government of Sandy, Oregon.One SAM route provides service between Sandy and the Portland suburb of Gresham, where riders can use TriMet to travel to most of the Portland metropolitan area...
(SAM) extends bus service from City Hall to Sandy on weekdays, with connections to Gresham, connecting with TriMet lines and MAX light rail there.
External links
- Entry for Estacada in the Oregon Blue BookOregon Blue BookThe 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...
- Estacada/Clackamas River Area Chamber of Commerce
- Estacada history page, with many old photos