Hoquiam, Washington
Encyclopedia
Hoquiam is a city in Grays Harbor County
, Washington state, United States
. The town borders the city of Aberdeen
at Myrtle Street with Hoquiam to the west. The two cities share a common economic history in lumbering and exporting but Hoquiam has maintained its independent identity. Aberdeen is more populated but the two cities have a long rivalry especially in high school sports (see Athletics).
Hoquiam (Ho'-kwee-um)or (Ho-kwim, to natives) was incorporated on May 21, 1890. Its name comes from a Native-American word meaning "hungry for wood". In 2010 the population was 8,726.
As of the 2000 census
, there were 9,097 people, 3,640 households, and 2,245 families residing in the city. The population density
is 992 people per square mile (383/km²). There are 4,023 housing units, with an average density of 438.7 per square mile (169.4/km²). The racial distribution of the city is 89.32% White, 5.75% Latino, 3.86% Native American, 1.18% Asian, 0.32% African-American, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.09% from other races
, and 3.18% from two or more races. The white population breaks down as 14.6% American
, 13.8% German
, 9.6% Irish
, 6.8% English
and 5.7% Norwegian
ancestry according to the Census 2000.
There are 3,640 households of which 31.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.8% are married couples
living together, 14.7% have a female head of house with no husband present, and 38.3% are non-families. 31.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 15.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.47 persons and the average family size is 3.09 members.
The population is aligned with 27.4% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 89.3 males.
The median household income is $29,658 and the median family income is $34,859. The median male income is $33,417 versus $23,558 for females. The per capita income
for the city is $15,089. With 19.0% of the population and 16.1% of families are below the poverty line. Of the total population, 26.5% of those under the age of 18 and 8.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
The local airport, Bowerman Airport
(KHQM), is coastal Washington's only jet-capable airport. It has a 5,000-foot (1,524 m) runway and a parallel taxiway located a stone's throw from the inlet that gives Grays Harbor its name. Hoquiam is also home to dozens of species of migratory birds which nest along the water's edge during the milder months.
, the Crimson and Gray. In 2004, the boys basketball team completed a perfect 28-0 season and won the state 2A championship. Victories included non-league wins over Lincoln High of Tacoma
, Bellevue High, two over arch rival Aberdeen High, and a win over a touring team from Australia
. It was the only game the Australians lost during their tour.
In 2006, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association
(WIAA) changed the enrollment limit for the 2A classification allowing Aberdeen to drop to 2A along with other schools in the area creating a new league. The old league football rivalry which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2006 was renewed with the 101st meeting between Hoquiam and Aberdeen on October 14. Hoquiam Grizzlies won 20-6. Although Aberdeen holds the overall record at 67-33-5 as of the 2010 season.
Hoquiam and Aberdeen High Schools also compete against each other in an annual Fall food drive, referred to as the "Food Ball" and dedicated to helping local low-income families. In this competition everyone wins regardless of which school collects the most food donations.
Since 1981, Hoquiam High School has hosted the largest distance running event on the Washington coast. The Hoquiam Grizzly Alumni Cross Country Invitational features 35+ schools and 1,000+ high school runners every October. Hoquiam also sponsors the Grizzly Alumni Wrestling tournament in January and Volleyball tournament in September.
The city was also home of the Western Baseball League
's Grays Harbor Gulls
from 1995 to 1997. They played their home games at Olympic Stadium
listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. The city is now home of the Grays Harbor Bearcats, a developmental football team of the North American Football League (NAFL).
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city covers an area of 15.6 square miles (40.4 km²), of which, 9.2 square miles (23.8 km²) is land and 6.4 square miles (16.6 km²) or (41.14%) is water.
(Köppen climate classification
Csb) that borders closely on an oceanic climate
. Outside of the mild and dry summer season, rainfall is generally very high and monthly totals of over 20 inches (508 mm) are not unknown. Snowfall is exceptionally rare and indeed does not fall most years, however in the winter of 1964/1965 as much as 40.8 inches (1 m) of snow fell in two storms.
Grays Harbor County, Washington
Grays Harbor County is a county in the state of Washington, in the United States of America. As of 2010, the population was 72,797. The county seat is at Montesano, and its largest city is Aberdeen. The county is named after a large estuarine bay near its southwestern corner...
, Washington state, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The town borders the city of Aberdeen
Aberdeen, Washington
Aberdeen is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States, founded by Samuel Benn in 1884. Aberdeen was incorporated on May 12, 1890. The city is the economic center of Grays Harbor County, bordering the cities of Hoquiam and Cosmopolis...
at Myrtle Street with Hoquiam to the west. The two cities share a common economic history in lumbering and exporting but Hoquiam has maintained its independent identity. Aberdeen is more populated but the two cities have a long rivalry especially in high school sports (see Athletics).
Hoquiam (Ho'-kwee-um)or (Ho-kwim, to natives) was incorporated on May 21, 1890. Its name comes from a Native-American word meaning "hungry for wood". In 2010 the population was 8,726.
Demographics
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...
, there were 9,097 people, 3,640 households, and 2,245 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...
is 992 people per square mile (383/km²). There are 4,023 housing units, with an average density of 438.7 per square mile (169.4/km²). The racial distribution of the city is 89.32% White, 5.75% Latino, 3.86% Native American, 1.18% Asian, 0.32% African-American, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.09% 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 3.18% from two or more races. The white population breaks down as 14.6% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 13.8% German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 9.6% 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...
, 6.8% 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...
and 5.7% Norwegian
Norwegians
Norwegians constitute both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegian people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in United States, Canada and Brazil.-History:Towards the end of the 3rd...
ancestry according to the Census 2000.
There are 3,640 households of which 31.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.8% are 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, 14.7% have a female head of house with no husband present, and 38.3% are non-families. 31.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 15.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.47 persons and the average family size is 3.09 members.
The population is aligned with 27.4% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 89.3 males.
The median household income is $29,658 and the median family income is $34,859. The median male income is $33,417 versus $23,558 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 is $15,089. With 19.0% of the population and 16.1% of families are below the poverty line. Of the total population, 26.5% of those under the age of 18 and 8.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Community
Hoquiam is the home of the Loggers' Playday, celebrated with a parade and logging competition every September, in which loggers from around the world come to participate.The local airport, Bowerman Airport
Bowerman Airport
Bowerman Airport , also known as Bowerman Field, is a public use airport located west of the central business district of Hoquiam, a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. It is owned by the Port of Grays Harbor...
(KHQM), is coastal Washington's only jet-capable airport. It has a 5,000-foot (1,524 m) runway and a parallel taxiway located a stone's throw from the inlet that gives Grays Harbor its name. Hoquiam is also home to dozens of species of migratory birds which nest along the water's edge during the milder months.
Athletics
The main sports team in the town is the Hoquiam High School GrizzliesHoquiam High School
Hoquiam High School, located within the in Hoquiam, Washington, is a comprehensive high school which first opened in 1891. Hoquiam serves as the third largest high school in Grays Harbor County, Washington; covering the city of Hoquiam and unincorporated parts of northern Grays Harbor County...
, the Crimson and Gray. In 2004, the boys basketball team completed a perfect 28-0 season and won the state 2A championship. Victories included non-league wins over Lincoln High of Tacoma
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
, Bellevue High, two over arch rival Aberdeen High, and a win over a touring team from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It was the only game the Australians lost during their tour.
In 2006, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association
Washington Interscholastic Activities Association
The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association is the governing body of athletics and activities for secondary education schools in the state of Washington...
(WIAA) changed the enrollment limit for the 2A classification allowing Aberdeen to drop to 2A along with other schools in the area creating a new league. The old league football rivalry which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2006 was renewed with the 101st meeting between Hoquiam and Aberdeen on October 14. Hoquiam Grizzlies won 20-6. Although Aberdeen holds the overall record at 67-33-5 as of the 2010 season.
Hoquiam and Aberdeen High Schools also compete against each other in an annual Fall food drive, referred to as the "Food Ball" and dedicated to helping local low-income families. In this competition everyone wins regardless of which school collects the most food donations.
Since 1981, Hoquiam High School has hosted the largest distance running event on the Washington coast. The Hoquiam Grizzly Alumni Cross Country Invitational features 35+ schools and 1,000+ high school runners every October. Hoquiam also sponsors the Grizzly Alumni Wrestling tournament in January and Volleyball tournament in September.
The city was also home of the Western Baseball League
Western Baseball League
The Western Baseball League was an independent baseball league based in the Western United States and Western Canada. It's member teams were not associated with any Major League Baseball teams. It operated from 1995 to 2002....
's Grays Harbor Gulls
Grays Harbor Gulls
The Grays Harbor Gulls were a minor league baseball team located in Hoquiam, Washington. The team played in the independent Western Baseball League, and was not affiliated with any Major League Baseball team. Their home stadium was Olympic Stadium. A few of the players that signed were two...
from 1995 to 1997. They played their home games at Olympic Stadium
Olympic Stadium (Hoquiam)
Olympic Stadium is a stadium in Hoquiam, Washington which opened in 1938. The City of Hoquiam first got the idea for an all-wood stadium in the early 1930s when it applied for a Civil Works Administration grant. In 1932, the grant was approved. Construction began in early 1938 with the stadium...
listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The city is now home of the Grays Harbor Bearcats, a developmental football team of the North American Football League (NAFL).
Geography
Hoquiam is located at 46°58′49"N 123°53′8"W (46.980332, -123.885506), at the mouth of the Hoquiam RiverHoquiam River
The Hoquiam River is a stream in the U.S. state of Washington. It has three main tributaries, the East Fork, West Fork, and Middle Fork Hoquiam Rivers. The main stem Hoquiam River is formed by the confluence of the West and East Forks. The Middle Fork is a tributary of the West Fork.Most of the...
.
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 covers an area of 15.6 square miles (40.4 km²), of which, 9.2 square miles (23.8 km²) is land and 6.4 square miles (16.6 km²) or (41.14%) is water.
Climate
Hoquiam experiences a Mediterranean climateMediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
(Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Csb) that borders closely on an oceanic climate
Oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
. Outside of the mild and dry summer season, rainfall is generally very high and monthly totals of over 20 inches (508 mm) are not unknown. Snowfall is exceptionally rare and indeed does not fall most years, however in the winter of 1964/1965 as much as 40.8 inches (1 m) of snow fell in two storms.