Springfield is a city in
Lane County-National protected areas:*Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge *Siuslaw National Forest *Umpqua National Forest *Willamette National Forest -Government:...
,
OregonOregon 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 StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Located in the
Southern Willamette ValleyThe 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...
, it is within the Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. Separated from
EugeneEugene 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...
to the west, mainly by
Interstate 5In the U.S. state of Oregon, Interstate 5 traverses the state from north to south, passing through the major cities of Portland, Salem, Eugene, and Medford.-Route description:...
, Springfield is the second-most populous city in the metropolitan area after Eugene. As of the 2010 census, the city has a total population of 59,403.
The Briggs family first settled the Springfield area, arriving in 1848. The community was incorporated as a city in 1885. The city was named after a natural spring located in a field or
prairiePrairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...
within the current city boundaries. Traditionally the economy of the community was resource dependent, but since the 1990s the economy has diversified with PeaceHealth now the largest employer in the city. Public education in the city is provided by the
Springfield School DistrictSpringfield School District, also called Springfield Public Schools, is a public school district in Lane County, Oregon, United States. It serves students in Springfield and outlying areas, including Goshen, Mohawk, and Walterville.-Schools:...
. The city's most notable native son is the deceased author
Ken KeseyKenneth Elton "Ken" Kesey was an American author, best known for his novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest , and as a counter-cultural figure who considered himself a link between the Beat Generation of the 1950s and the hippies of the 1960s. "I was too young to be a beatnik, and too old to be a...
.
History
Springfield was settled when Elias and Mary Briggs and their family arrived in 1848. They were among the first party to travel to the region via the "Southern Route" by Klamath Lake, over the Cascades, into the Rogue Valley, then north to the
Willamette ValleyThe 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...
. Elias Briggs along with William Stevens ran a ferry on the nearby
Willamette RiverThe 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...
.
According to donation land claim records, Stevens was the first settler to stake a claim in the Springfield locale, arriving in October 1847. He commenced building a house with his three oldest sons, and when the house was completed in December, the rest of his family joined him on Christmas Day that year.
Another early arrival in the Springfield vicinity was Captain Felix Scott, Sr. who settled between the
McKenzieThe McKenzie River is a tributary of the Willamette River in western Oregon in the United States. It drains part of the Cascade Range east of Eugene and flows into the southernmost end of the Willamette Valley. It is named for Donald MacKenzie, a Scottish Canadian fur trader...
and Willamette rivers in 1847.
In 1854
Springfield School District No. 19Springfield School District, also called Springfield Public Schools, is a public school district in Lane County, Oregon, United States. It serves students in Springfield and outlying areas, including Goshen, Mohawk, and Walterville.-Schools:...
was formed. A small schoolhouse was built near the corner of south 7th and B streets; it served the community until the 1880s. Miss Agnes Stewart, a young woman from Pennsylvania, was the first teacher. She had arrived in Springfield via the
Lost Wagon Train of 1853The Elliott Cutoff was a covered wagon road that branched off the Oregon Trail at the Malheur River where present-day Vale, Oregon, U.S. is today. The first portion of the road was originally known as the Meek Cutoff after Stephen Meek, a former trapper who led over 1,000 emigrants into the Harney...
.
In 1871 the main line of the
Oregon and California RailroadThe Oregon and California Railroad was formed from the Oregon Central Railroad when it was the first to operate a stretch south of Portland in 1869. This qualified the Railroad for land grants in California, whereupon the name of the railroad soon changed to Oregon & California Rail Road Company...
bypassed Springfield for Eugene. The story goes that a group of prominent Eugene businessmen paid railroad financier,
Ben HolladayBenjamin "Ben" Holladay was an American transportation businessman known as the "Stagecoach King" until his routes were taken over by Wells Fargo in 1866...
, $40,000 to bypass Springfield by crossing the Willamette River near
HarrisburgHarrisburg is a city in Linn County, Oregon, United States. The population was 2,795 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
instead of Springfield. Thus began a rivalry that lasts up to the present day.
Springfield was incorporated as a city in 1885.
Albert WalkerAlbert Shield Walker, was the first mayor of Springfield, Oregon in 1885 and a blacksmith.In 1868, William Walker's son Albert Shields Walker married Sarah "Lizzie" Higgins and at this time the Walker household contained William, Polly, son Albert and wife Lizzie and their infant son Alva, and...
, a blacksmith in town, was Springfield's first mayor.
In May 1992 the municipality became the first in the United States to include
anti-gayLGBT rights opposition refers to active opposition to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender civil rights. Organizations influential in LGBT rights opposition frequently challenge judicial rulings, and legislative initiatives, and dispute findings that sexual orientation is an immutable...
legislation its city charter after a campaign by the Oregon Citizens Alliance. A state law later however prevented anti-gay ordinances from being enforced.
Economy
For years, the economy of Springfield hinged on the lumber industry, with the largest employer being
WeyerhaeuserWeyerhaeuser is one of the largest pulp and paper companies in the world. It is the world's largest private sector owner of softwood timberland; and the second largest owner of United States timberland, behind Plum Creek Timber...
Company. Weyerhaeuser opened its Springfield complex in 1949, and after years of aggressive logging was forced to downsize as old growth lumber became less available. In the 1990s, the Weyerhaeuser sawmill and veneer (plywood) plants closed, and the paper plant was downsized. Springfield has now developed a more diversified economy, and the largest employers are now PeaceHealth, which recently opened a new hospital,
Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBendSacred Heart Medical Center RiverBend is a hospital in Springfield, Oregon, United States. It is one of two Sacred Heart facilities in the Eugene-Springfield area owned by PeaceHealth. The other facility, Sacred Heart Medical Center University District, is in Eugene. The new facility is home to a...
,
McKenzie-Willamette Medical CenterMcKenzie-Willamette Medical Center is an acute care hospital located in Springfield, Oregon, United States. Opened in 1955, it serves the Lane County area. McKenzie-Willamette is investor-owned, and accredited by The Joint Commission...
, and PeaceHealth Laboratories.
Ken KeseyKenneth Elton "Ken" Kesey was an American author, best known for his novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest , and as a counter-cultural figure who considered himself a link between the Beat Generation of the 1950s and the hippies of the 1960s. "I was too young to be a beatnik, and too old to be a...
's brother Chuck, and Chuck's wife Sue started the Springfield Creamery in 1960, and the business survives today based partly on sales of their flagship product, Nancy's Yogurt, developed from recipes of Nancy Hamren. In the 1970s, the Creamery staved off bankruptcy with the help of the rock band the
Grateful DeadThe Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
, who over time held a series of 10 benefit concerts on behalf of the creamery.
The city of Springfield is surrounded by filbert (
hazelnutCorylus avellana, the Common Hazel, is a species of hazel native to Europe and western Asia, from the British Isles south to Iberia, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, north to central Scandinavia, and east to the central Ural Mountains, the Caucasus, and northwestern Iran. It is an important component of...
) orchards. The production has declined over time as fields have been developed into housing. Until recently the city has sponsored an annual Filbert Festival in early August as a general summer celebration, featuring music, food, and family fun; this was canceled in 2007 due to withdrawal of a key sponsor, and the future for the festival is presently uncertain. Filbert harvesting occurs in October. 98% of American filbert production is harvested in the Willamette Valley.
Healthcare
Springfield is home to two hospitals,
McKenzie-Willamette Medical CenterMcKenzie-Willamette Medical Center is an acute care hospital located in Springfield, Oregon, United States. Opened in 1955, it serves the Lane County area. McKenzie-Willamette is investor-owned, and accredited by The Joint Commission...
and PeaceHealth's
Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBendSacred Heart Medical Center RiverBend is a hospital in Springfield, Oregon, United States. It is one of two Sacred Heart facilities in the Eugene-Springfield area owned by PeaceHealth. The other facility, Sacred Heart Medical Center University District, is in Eugene. The new facility is home to a...
.
Government
Springfield has a council–manager form of government. The current mayor of Springfield is Christine Lundberg, and the city manager is Gino Grimaldi. The city council comprises members from 6 wards. The current council members are:
- Ward 1: Sean Van Gordon
- Ward 2: Hillary Wylie
- Ward 3: Sheri Moore
- Ward 4: Dave Ralston
- Ward 5: Marilee Woodrow
- Ward 6: Joe Pishioneri
Public safety
Springfield is served by the
Springfield Police DepartmentThe Springfield Police Department serves residents of Springfield, Oregon, the ninth largest city in Oregon, and second largest city in Lane County. The Springfield Police Department is a city law enforcement agency that handles 9-1-1 calls whithin the city of Springfield...
.
Springfield Fire and Life Safety protect the property, life, and environment of the people of Springfield.
Geography
According to the
United States Census BureauThe 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 14.4 square miles (37.3 km²), all of it land.
The
McKenzie RiverThe McKenzie River is a tributary of the Willamette River in western Oregon in the United States. It drains part of the Cascade Range east of Eugene and flows into the southernmost end of the Willamette Valley. It is named for Donald MacKenzie, a Scottish Canadian fur trader...
passes by Springfield's northern limits.
Neighborhoods
Springfield has no official neighborhood designations. Unofficial neighborhood areas include:
- Gateway area
- Glenwood
Glenwood, Lane County, Oregon is an unincorporated community in Lane County, Oregon, United States. Located between the cities of Springfield and Eugene, on the route of the former Pacific Highway, which is now named Franklin Boulevard...
- North Springfield
- Thurston
Thurston is a neighborhood in the eastern part of Springfield, Oregon, United States on Oregon Route 126. Before being annexed by Springfield, it was formerly an unincorporated community with its own post office. The earliest land claims in the Thurston area by white settlers were in 1851...
- Washburne Historic District, listed on the 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...
Demographics
2000 Census data
As of the
censusA 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 52,864 people, 20,514 households, and 13,477 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,670.7 people per square mile (1,417.4/km²). There were 21,500 housing units at an average density of 1,492.9 per square mile (576.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.64% White, 0.71% African American, 1.38% Native American, 1.11% Asian, 0.31% Pacific Islander, 3.09% from
other racesRace 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 3.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.91% of the population. There were 20,514 households out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% were
married couplesMarriage 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, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the city, the population was 27.2% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $33,031, and the median income for a family was $38,399. Males had a median income of $30,973 versus $22,511 for females. The
per capita incomePer 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 $15,616. About 14.8% of families and 17.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.5% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.
Library
The Springfield Public Library, in the Springfield
city hallIn local government, a city hall, town hall or a municipal building or civic centre, is the chief administrative building of a city...
, serves Springfield.
Cultural venues
The Richard E. Wildish Community Theater on Main Street in downtown Springfield, a complete renovation of the historic McKenzie Theater, opened in December 2006. The theater seats 284 people and is designed to host music concerts and recitals, dance, drama, festivals and small musicals. The Springfield Renaissance Development Corporation spearheaded the six-year renovation project, completed at a cost of $3.1 million.
Education
There are 15 elementary, 5 middle, and 4 high schools in the
Springfield School DistrictSpringfield School District, also called Springfield Public Schools, is a public school district in Lane County, Oregon, United States. It serves students in Springfield and outlying areas, including Goshen, Mohawk, and Walterville.-Schools:...
, making it one of the largest in the state. The largest public high schools, by enrollment, are
Thurston High SchoolThurston High School is a public high school located in the Thurston area of Springfield, Oregon, United States.-Academics:In 2008, 80% of the school's seniors received their high school diploma...
and
Springfield High SchoolSpringfield High School was the first public high school in Springfield, Oregon, United States. It is one of four high schools in the Springfield School District.-Academics:In 2008, 78% of the school's seniors received their high school diploma...
.
Pioneer Pacific CollegePioneer Pacific College is an American private, post-secondary school in Oregon. Primarily offering Associate's degrees and certificate programs, the for profit school operates four campuses with the main branch in Wilsonville. Founded in 1981, academic programs include health care, business,...
also has a campus in the Gateway area of Springfield.
Notable people
Author
Ken KeseyKenneth Elton "Ken" Kesey was an American author, best known for his novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest , and as a counter-cultural figure who considered himself a link between the Beat Generation of the 1950s and the hippies of the 1960s. "I was too young to be a beatnik, and too old to be a...
moved to Springfield at a young age, and graduated from
Springfield High SchoolSpringfield High School was the first public high school in Springfield, Oregon, United States. It is one of four high schools in the Springfield School District.-Academics:In 2008, 78% of the school's seniors received their high school diploma...
before moving on to the nearby
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 :...
. After some years of wandering (described in
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid TestThe Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test is a work of literary journalism by Tom Wolfe, published in 1968. Using techniques from the genre of hysterical realism and pioneering new journalism, the "nonfiction novel" tells the story of Ken Kesey and his band of Merry Pranksters...
by
Tom WolfeThomas Kennerly "Tom" Wolfe, Jr. is a best-selling American author and journalist. He is one of the founders of the New Journalism movement of the 1960s and 1970s.-Early life and education:...
), Ken bought a farm in nearby
Pleasant HillPleasant Hill is an unincorporated community in Lane County, Oregon, United States. As of July 2007, Pleasant Hill has a total population of 5,665.- History :...
and remained a prominent local celebrity until his death in 2001.
The Simpsons
Matt Groening sent a plaque to the city of Springfield that stated, in part "Yo to Springfield, Oregon - the real Springfield." Many fans of the
TVTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
show
The SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
believed Springfield, Oregon as representative of the Springfield of the show, because
Matt GroeningMatthew Abram "Matt" Groening is an American cartoonist, screenwriter, and producer. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell as well as two successful television series, The Simpsons and Futurama....
is from Oregon (specifically
PortlandPortland 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 city was voted on as one of the sixteen possible Springfields across the nation, and took third to host the premiere of
The Simpsons MovieThe Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons. The film was directed by David Silverman, and stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress...
.
See also
- Peter DeFazio
Peter Anthony DeFazio is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1987. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes Eugene, Springfield, Roseburg and part of Corvallis. As Oregon's most senior member of Congress, he is the dean of Oregon's House of Representatives delegation...
, U.S. Representative
- Bill Dellinger, Olympic athlete and former University of Oregon track coach
- Kip Kinkel
Kipland Philip "Kip" Kinkel is an American spree killer. In May 1998, at the age of 15, he murdered his parents and engaged in a school shooting at Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon that left two students dead and 22 others wounded...
, school shooter
- Eric Millegan
Eric Millegan is an American actor, primarily known for his work on the Fox series Bones in which he played Dr. Zack Addy. Millegan is openly gay, and was out before being cast as Zack Addy in Bones.-Biography:...
, Broadway and television actor
- Howard W. Robertson
Howard W. Robertson is an American poet.- Life :Robertson was born in Eugene, Oregon. He married Margaret Collins on August 10, 1991, and has two daughters and two sons. He received a B.A. in Russian and an M.A. in Comparative Literature from the University of Oregon as well as an M.S.L.S...
, poet
- Travis Smith
Travis William Smith is a former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched five seasons in Major League Baseball for the Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, and Florida Marlins. He also pitched one season for the SK Wyverns of the Korea Baseball Organization.Smith played...
, MLB player for the Milwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, St. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, Atlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, and the Florida MarlinsThe Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
- Robert W. Straub
Robert William "Bob" Straub , was an American politician and businessman in the state of Oregon. A native of California, he settled in Eugene, Oregon, where he entered politics. A Democratic politician, he served in the Oregon State Senate, as the Oregon State Treasurer, and one term as the 31st...
, Oregon governor
- Theodore Sturgeon
Theodore Sturgeon was an American science fiction author.His most famous novel is More Than Human .-Biography:...
, science fiction author
- Diane Downs
Elizabeth Diane Frederickson Downs is an American convicted murderer. She shot her three children, killing one, and then told police a stranger had attempted to carjack her and had shot the children. After her conviction in 1984, she was sentenced to life in prison.Downs briefly escaped in 1987...
, child killer
External links
44.053064°N 122.991052°W