Steilacoom, Washington
Encyclopedia
Steilacoom is a town in Pierce County, Washington
, United States. The population was 5,985 at the 2010 census. Steilacoom is on the coast of Puget Sound, on a branch not visible on the map to the right. Steilacoom incorporated in 1854 and became the first incorporated town in what is now Washington State.
Based on per capita income
, one of the more reliable measures of affluence, Steilacoom ranks 61st of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked. The Steilacoom School District #1 consists of Cherrydale Primary School, Saltar's Point Elementary School, Harriet Taylor Elementary School, Anderson Island School, Chloe Clark Elementary School, Pioneer Middle School, and Steilacoom High School.
(HBC) and is an adaptation of "Tail-a-Koom", the name of an Indian chief. In 1824 HBC chief factor John Work called it "Chilacoom". Another early spelling was "Chelakom". The Town of Steilacoom says it comes from the name of the Steilacoom tribe, especially their main village in the Tacoma area, located on Chambers Bay. This village was called Scht’ləqʷəm, later anglicized as Steilacoom. William Bright
says the name comes from the Southern Coast Salish
subgroup /č'tílqʷəbš/, anglicized as "Steilacoom".
Steilacoom was founded by Lafayette Balch, a sea captain
from Maine
, and officially incorporated in 1854. It is the oldest incorporated town in Washington and has 4 individual buildings and sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, including the oldest Catholic Church
in the state and the first Protestant Church north of the Columbia River
, as well as the Steilacoom Historic District, with 68 contributing properties.
Steilacoom's main source of early prosperity was the manufacture and export of lumber
to San Francisco. When the United States Congress
established the Washington Territory
on March 2, 1853, Governor Isaac Stevens
chose Steilacoom to be the seat of Pierce County
.
Steilacoom was once the leading candidate to become the territorial capital and the one-time county seat, but lost its chance for dominance in the south Puget Sound
region when the Northern Pacific Railroad picked rival city, Tacoma
for its west coast terminus in 1873. Steilacoom has since settled into its role of suburban bedroom community.
Steilacoom had the first jail
in Washington and the first sawmill
. Steilacoom is located next to the City of Lakewood which is home to one of two major state run mental health facilities, Western State Hospital
, on the site of what was once Fort Steilacoom
. Clara Antoinette McCarty Wilt
, the University of Washington
's first graduate (1876), was born in Steilacoom.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²), of which, 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (1.43%) is water.
which departs from Steilacoom and serves Anderson and Ketron
islands.
, and 5.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.41% of the population.
There are 2,570 households out of which 27.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% are married couples living together, 9.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% are non-families. 26.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 7.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.35 and the average family size is 2.83.
In the town the age distribution of the population shows 22.8% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $46,113, and the median income for a family was $54,725. Males had a median income of $40,505 versus $34,136 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $27,124. About 6.9% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.0% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.
Pierce County, Washington
right|thumb|[[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] - Seat of Pierce CountyPierce County is the second most populous county in the U.S. state of Washington. Formed out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory...
, United States. The population was 5,985 at the 2010 census. Steilacoom is on the coast of Puget Sound, on a branch not visible on the map to the right. Steilacoom incorporated in 1854 and became the first incorporated town in what is now Washington State.
Based on per capita income
Washington locations by per capita income
Washington is the twelfth richest state in the United States of America, with a per capita income of $22,973 and a personal per capita income of $33,332 .-Washington counties ranked by per capita income:...
, one of the more reliable measures of affluence, Steilacoom ranks 61st of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked. The Steilacoom School District #1 consists of Cherrydale Primary School, Saltar's Point Elementary School, Harriet Taylor Elementary School, Anderson Island School, Chloe Clark Elementary School, Pioneer Middle School, and Steilacoom High School.
History
The origin of the name "Steilacoom" is unclear. One story is that it comes from fur traders with the Hudson's Bay CompanyHudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
(HBC) and is an adaptation of "Tail-a-Koom", the name of an Indian chief. In 1824 HBC chief factor John Work called it "Chilacoom". Another early spelling was "Chelakom". The Town of Steilacoom says it comes from the name of the Steilacoom tribe, especially their main village in the Tacoma area, located on Chambers Bay. This village was called Scht’ləqʷəm, later anglicized as Steilacoom. William Bright
William Bright
William Bright was an American linguist who specialized in Native American and South Asian languages and descriptive linguistics....
says the name comes from the Southern Coast Salish
Coast Salish
Coast Salish languages are a subgroup of the Salishan language family. These languages are spoken by First Nations or Native American peoples inhabiting the territory that is now the southwest coast of British Columbia around the Strait of Georgia and Washington state around Puget Sound...
subgroup /č'tílqʷəbš/, anglicized as "Steilacoom".
Steilacoom was founded by Lafayette Balch, a sea captain
Captain (nautical)
A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
from Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, and officially incorporated in 1854. It is the oldest incorporated town in Washington and has 4 individual buildings and sites 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...
, including the oldest Catholic Church
Steilacoom Catholic Church
The Steilacoom Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic church in Steilacoom, Washington, USA. It was originally built in 1855 near Fort Steilacoom, but was moved to its present location in 1864...
in the state and the first Protestant Church north of the Columbia River
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...
, as well as the Steilacoom Historic District, with 68 contributing properties.
Steilacoom's main source of early prosperity was the manufacture and export of lumber
Lumber
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....
to San Francisco. When the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
established the Washington Territory
Washington Territory
The Territory of Washington was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 8, 1853, until November 11, 1889, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Washington....
on March 2, 1853, Governor Isaac Stevens
Isaac Stevens
Isaac Ingalls Stevens was the first governor of Washington Territory, a United States Congressman, and a brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War until his death at the Battle of Chantilly...
chose Steilacoom to be the seat of Pierce County
Pierce County, Washington
right|thumb|[[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] - Seat of Pierce CountyPierce County is the second most populous county in the U.S. state of Washington. Formed out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory...
.
Steilacoom was once the leading candidate to become the territorial capital and the one-time county seat, but lost its chance for dominance in the south Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
region when the Northern Pacific Railroad picked rival city, 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...
for its west coast terminus in 1873. Steilacoom has since settled into its role of suburban bedroom community.
Steilacoom had the first jail
Jail
A jail is a short-term detention facility in the United States and Canada.Jail may also refer to:In entertainment:*Jail , a 1966 Malayalam movie*Jail , a 2009 Bollywood movie...
in Washington and the first sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
. Steilacoom is located next to the City of Lakewood which is home to one of two major state run mental health facilities, Western State Hospital
Western State Hospital (Washington State)
Western State Hospital is a psychiatric hospital located at 9601 Steilacoom Boulevard SW in Lakewood, Washington, which is a suburb of Tacoma. Administered by the Washington Department of Social and Health Services , it is the largest mental facility west of the Mississippi River, with 806 beds,...
, on the site of what was once Fort Steilacoom
Fort Steilacoom
For the adjacent park, see Fort Steilacoom ParkFort Steilacoom was founded by the U.S. Army in 1849 near Lake Steilacoom. It was among the first military fortifications built by the U.S. north of the Columbia River in what was to become Washington...
. Clara Antoinette McCarty Wilt
Clara Antoinette McCarty Wilt
Clara Antoinette McCarty Wilt was the first graduate of the University of Washington and the first woman superintendent of the Pierce County School District.-Early life:...
, the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
's first graduate (1876), was born in Steilacoom.
Geography
Steilacoom is located at 47°10′12"N 122°35′40"W (47.170019, -122.594349).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 town has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²), of which, 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (1.43%) is water.
Transportation
Pierce County maintains a Steilacoom-Anderson Island FerrySteilacoom-Anderson Island Ferry
The Steilacoom-Anderson Island ferry is a ferry route in southern Puget Sound which is owned and operated by Pierce County, Washington. The route also serves Ketron Island. There are 10 to 14 runs per day, depending on the day of the week. Four runs per day run on a triangular route run from...
which departs from Steilacoom and serves Anderson and Ketron
Ketron Island
Ketron Island is an island in southern Puget Sound in Pierce County in the state of Washington, USA. It lies between the mainland near the city of Steilacoom and Anderson Island near the extreme south end of Puget Sound...
islands.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,049 people, 2,570 households, and 1,721 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,916.9 people per square mile (1,128.3/km²). There were 2,674 housing units at an average density of 1,289.4 per square mile (498.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 78.46% White, 6.70% African American, 0.84% Native American, 5.87% Asian, 0.61% Pacific Islander, 1.65% from other racesRace (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 5.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.41% of the population.
There are 2,570 households out of which 27.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% are married couples living together, 9.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% are non-families. 26.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 7.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.35 and the average family size is 2.83.
In the town the age distribution of the population shows 22.8% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $46,113, and the median income for a family was $54,725. Males had a median income of $40,505 versus $34,136 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 town was $27,124. About 6.9% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.0% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.