Nehalem, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Nehalem is a city in Tillamook County
, Oregon
, United States
. Incorporated in 1889, the city is located on the Nehalem River
at Nehalem Bay
of the Pacific Ocean
. It is bisected by U.S. Route 101
. The population was 203 at the 2000 census.
Indians. They were also known as the Tillamook.
Nehalem was once a thriving logging
community, but with the decline of the logging industry, the local economy has drastically declined. The city used to stretch out over the river on log planks, where a lumber mill once cut the logs that came down a railroad track on the Nehalem River
. Wood pilings that held up this railroad track can still be found in the North Fork Nehalem River. On the front face of Nehalem Elementary school there is an original facade which says "Union High School" from when the area was more populous and could support both an elementary school and a high school. Currently there is an elementary school and a community pool with a small annex which hosts a few classes for Tillamook Community College.
The city suffers from occasional floods. The flood of 1997 in particular was very severe; especially to local dairy farms.
The Portland
band Everclear
has a song, "Nehalem", on their Sparkle and Fade
album about life in the small town.
Nehalem was the location for the HGTV Dream Home
contest in 2000 where a lucky contestant won a furnished home and an automobile.
, the city has a total area of 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²), all of it land.
The business district of the city runs for one block along Highway 101
with the Nehalem River
running alongside. All the buildings are raised up to avoid the flooding from the river. Nehalem has one traffic signal.
of 2000, there were 203 people, 84 households, and 58 families residing in the city. The population density
was 860.6 people per square mile (326.6/km²). There were 121 housing units at an average density of 513.0 per square mile (194.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.03% White, and 1.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.48% of the population.
There were 84 households out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.0% were married couples
living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.8% were non-families. 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.1% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 22.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 107.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $40,250, and the median income for a family was $47,679. Males had a median income of $30,000 versus $27,813 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,408. About 9.0% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.5% of those under the age of eighteen and 3.0% of those sixty five or over.
Tillamook County, Oregon
Tillamook County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county is named for the Tillamook, a Native American tribe who were living in the area in the early 19th century at the time of European American settlement. In 2010, the county's population was 25,250...
, 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...
. Incorporated in 1889, the city is located on the Nehalem River
Nehalem River
The Nehalem River is a river on the Pacific coast of northwest Oregon in the United States, approximately long. It drains part of the Northern Oregon Coast Range northwest of Portland, originating on the east side of the mountains and flowing in a loop around the north end of the range near the...
at Nehalem Bay
Nehalem Bay
The Nehalem Bay is a bay formed by the confluence of the Nehalem River into the Pacific Ocean in northern Oregon.The city of Nehalem is situated on US Highway 101 between Garibaldi in the south and Cannon Beach in the north....
of the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. It is bisected by U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101 in Oregon
In the U.S. state of Oregon, U.S. Route 101, a major north–south U.S. Highway, runs through the state along the coastline near the Pacific Ocean. In Oregon, it runs from the Oregon–California border, south of Brookings, to the Oregon–Washington border on the Columbia River, between Astoria,...
. The population was 203 at the 2000 census.
History
Nehalem was named for the NehalemTillamook (tribe)
The Nehalem or Tillamook are a Native American tribe from Oregon of the Salish linguistic group. The name "Tillamook" is a Chinook term meaning "people of Nekelim " and is also spelled Calamox, Gillamooks and Killamook....
Indians. They were also known as the Tillamook.
Nehalem was once a thriving 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...
community, but with the decline of the logging industry, the local economy has drastically declined. The city used to stretch out over the river on log planks, where a lumber mill once cut the logs that came down a railroad track on the Nehalem River
Nehalem River
The Nehalem River is a river on the Pacific coast of northwest Oregon in the United States, approximately long. It drains part of the Northern Oregon Coast Range northwest of Portland, originating on the east side of the mountains and flowing in a loop around the north end of the range near the...
. Wood pilings that held up this railroad track can still be found in the North Fork Nehalem River. On the front face of Nehalem Elementary school there is an original facade which says "Union High School" from when the area was more populous and could support both an elementary school and a high school. Currently there is an elementary school and a community pool with a small annex which hosts a few classes for Tillamook Community College.
The city suffers from occasional floods. The flood of 1997 in particular was very severe; especially to local dairy farms.
The 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...
band Everclear
Everclear (band)
Everclear is a rock band formed in Portland, Oregon in 1992 best known for their radio hits spanning more than a decade. For most of its existence, Everclear has consisted of Art Alexakis , Craig Montoya , and Greg Eklund . Eklund replaced original drummer Scott Cuthbert in 1994...
has a song, "Nehalem", on their Sparkle and Fade
Sparkle and Fade
Sparkle and Fade is the second album by Everclear, released on May 23, 1995. It was their first album to be released exclusively on Capitol Records; their previous effort, World of Noise, was re-released on Capitol after its introduction through the Portland, Oregon based label, Tim/Kerr...
album about life in the small town.
Nehalem was the location for the HGTV Dream Home
HGTV Dream Home
The HGTV Dream Home is the American cable network Home & Garden Television's annual project house and sweepstakes, held since 1997. The sweepstakes commences with a January 1 television special showcasing the fully furnished, custom-built home valued in excess of one million dollars; viewers are...
contest in 2000 where a lucky contestant won a furnished home and an automobile.
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 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²), all of it land.
The business district of the city runs for one block along Highway 101
U.S. Route 101 in Oregon
In the U.S. state of Oregon, U.S. Route 101, a major north–south U.S. Highway, runs through the state along the coastline near the Pacific Ocean. In Oregon, it runs from the Oregon–California border, south of Brookings, to the Oregon–Washington border on the Columbia River, between Astoria,...
with the Nehalem River
Nehalem River
The Nehalem River is a river on the Pacific coast of northwest Oregon in the United States, approximately long. It drains part of the Northern Oregon Coast Range northwest of Portland, originating on the east side of the mountains and flowing in a loop around the north end of the range near the...
running alongside. All the buildings are raised up to avoid the flooding from the river. Nehalem has one traffic signal.
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 203 people, 84 households, and 58 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 860.6 people per square mile (326.6/km²). There were 121 housing units at an average density of 513.0 per square mile (194.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.03% White, and 1.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.48% of the population.
There were 84 households out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.0% 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 29.8% were non-families. 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.1% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 22.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 107.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $40,250, and the median income for a family was $47,679. Males had a median income of $30,000 versus $27,813 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 $15,408. About 9.0% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.5% of those under the age of eighteen and 3.0% of those sixty five or over.
External links
- Entry for Nehalem 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...
- Nehalem profile from the Oregon Economic & Community Development Department