Weston, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Weston is a city in Umatilla County
, Oregon
, United States
. It was originally a post office called Mitchell's Station, established in February 1867. In September 1869, T.T. Lieuallen renamed the post office after his hometown, Weston
, Missouri
. The population was 717 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Pendleton
–Hermiston
Micropolitan Statistical Area.
on October 19, 1878.
Weston is best known for its connection with novelist Nard Jones
(1904–1972), who lived in the city with his parents between 1919 and 1927, and whose first novel Oregon Detour was set in an Oregon town of 600 inhabitants called "Creston". When his novel, written according to the tenets of the New Realism
literary movement (established years before by Sherwood Anderson
, Sinclair Lewis
and others) was published in 1930, many of the residents were convinced that his characters were based on local inhabitants, and considered the work a slander against the town. While the legend that Jones was sued and ran out of town for his book is not true, members of the town made an effort to locally suppress access to the book: copies of the novel were stolen from the local library; after the novel became the subject for a high school student's book report, his English teacher removed the book from both the reading list and the high school library. According to George Venn, local literary historian, even in the 1980s, "trying to figure out or trying to remember who the 'real people' in the novel is still a local pastime."
, the city has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), all land. Weston is located at the foot of the Blue Mountains
, on Pine Creek.
of 2000, there were 717 people, 265 households, and 191 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,318.7 people per square mile (512.7/km²). There were 280 housing units at an average density of 515.0 per square mile (200.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.40% White, 3.35% Native American, 10.88% from other races
, and 2.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.76% of the population.
There were 265 households out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% were married couples
living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.2% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 97.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,905, and the median income for a family was $39,063. Males had a median income of $25,682 versus $21,625 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $13,089. About 10.0% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.2% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.
Umatilla County, Oregon
Umatilla County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is included in the 8 county definition of Eastern Oregon. The county is named for the Umatilla River. In 2010, its population was 75,889...
, 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...
. It was originally a post office called Mitchell's Station, established in February 1867. In September 1869, T.T. Lieuallen renamed the post office after his hometown, Weston
Weston, Missouri
Weston is a city in Platte County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,631 at the 2000 census.-History:Lewis and Clark Expedition camped out near the location of today's city hall...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. The population was 717 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Pendleton
Pendleton, Oregon
Pendleton is a city in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. Pendleton was named in 1868 by the county commissioners for George H. Pendleton, Democratic candidate for Vice-President in the 1864 presidential campaign. The population was 16,612 at the 2010 census...
–Hermiston
Hermiston, Oregon
As of the census of 2010, there were 16,745 people, 4,964 households, and 3,360 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,035.4 people per square mile . There were 5,383 housing units at an average density of 832.9 per square mile...
Micropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Weston was incorporated by the Oregon Legislative AssemblyOregon Legislative Assembly
The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...
on October 19, 1878.
Weston is best known for its connection with novelist Nard Jones
Nard Jones
-Life:According to Jones' self-description in "Puget Sound Profiles",he was born in Seattle and graduated with honors from Whitman College, beginning his career as a campus correspondent for the Walla Walla Daily Bulletin...
(1904–1972), who lived in the city with his parents between 1919 and 1927, and whose first novel Oregon Detour was set in an Oregon town of 600 inhabitants called "Creston". When his novel, written according to the tenets of the New Realism
New realism
Nouveau réalisme refers to an artistic movement founded in 1960 by the art critic Pierre Restany and the painter Yves Klein during the first collective exposition in the Apollinaire gallery in Milan...
literary movement (established years before by Sherwood Anderson
Sherwood Anderson
Sherwood Anderson was an American novelist and short story writer. His most enduring work is the short story sequence Winesburg, Ohio. Writers he has influenced include Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, John Steinbeck, J. D. Salinger, and Amos Oz.-Early life:Anderson was born in Clyde, Ohio,...
, Sinclair Lewis
Sinclair Lewis
Harry Sinclair Lewis was an American novelist, short-story writer, and playwright. In 1930, he became the first writer from the United States to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, "for his vigorous and graphic art of description and his ability to create, with wit and humor, new types of...
and others) was published in 1930, many of the residents were convinced that his characters were based on local inhabitants, and considered the work a slander against the town. While the legend that Jones was sued and ran out of town for his book is not true, members of the town made an effort to locally suppress access to the book: copies of the novel were stolen from the local library; after the novel became the subject for a high school student's book report, his English teacher removed the book from both the reading list and the high school library. According to George Venn, local literary historian, even in the 1980s, "trying to figure out or trying to remember who the 'real people' in the novel is still a local pastime."
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 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), all land. Weston is located at the foot of the Blue Mountains
Blue Mountains (Oregon)
The Blue Mountains are a mountain range in the western United States, located largely in northeastern Oregon and stretching into southeastern Washington...
, on Pine Creek.
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 717 people, 265 households, and 191 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 1,318.7 people per square mile (512.7/km²). There were 280 housing units at an average density of 515.0 per square mile (200.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.40% White, 3.35% Native American, 10.88% 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 2.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.76% of the population.
There were 265 households out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% 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, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.2% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 97.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,905, and the median income for a family was $39,063. Males had a median income of $25,682 versus $21,625 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 $13,089. About 10.0% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.2% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.
External links
- Oregon Blue Book listing for Weston
- Weston, Oregon Genealogy project
- Weston, R. Gess Smith