Elgin, Oregon
| Elgin, Oregon | |
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| — City — | |
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| Nickname(s): Jewel of the Blue Mountains | |
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| Coordinates: 45°33′56″N 117°55′16″W / 45.56556°N 117.92111°WCoordinates: 45°33′56″N 117°55′16″W / 45.56556°N 117.92111°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Union |
| Incorporated | 1891 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | John Stover |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.0 sq mi (2.6 km2) |
| • Land | 1.0 sq mi (2.6 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,670 ft (813.82 m) |
| Population (2007) | |
| • Total | 1,685 |
| • Density | 1,675.9/sq mi (654.1/km2) |
| Time zone | Pacific (UTC-8) |
| • Summer (DST) | Pacific (UTC-7) |
| ZIP code | 97827 |
| Area code(s) | 541 |
| FIPS code | 41-22550[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1141733[2] |
Elgin is a city in Union County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1,654 at the 2000 census. The 2007 estimate is 1,685 residents.[3] The community is named after the Lady Elgin, a ship lost on Lake Michigan.
The city is known for the Elgin Opera House, originally dedicated in 1912.[4]
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[edit] History
The area of Elgin was previously called "Fish Trap" and "Indian Valley." The city was platted in 1886 following the washout of Ruckles Road over the Blue Mountains, which caused investors to leave nearby Summerville for Elgin.[5]
By 1887 Elgin had general stores, a livery, a hotel, and a church, as well as a nearby sawmill, which continues as a more modern Boise Cascade mill.[6] Between 1887 and 1908, the area around Elgin had 35 sawmills, most transportable water-driven whipsaws (vertical reciprocating saws).[7] Local landowners would sell the trees for 50 centers per thousand board feet, which is about how much the sawmills could handle in a day.[7] Log transportation cost about two dollars per thousand board feet, and a mill could sell the processed lumber for $6–10 per thousand board feet.[7]
Growth increased with the arrival of the railroad in 1890, and Elgin was incorporated by the Oregon Legislative Assembly on February 18, 1891.[8]
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.0 square mile (2.6 km2), all land.[9]
Elgin is located at the junction of State Highways 82 and 204.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,654 people, 638 households, and 444 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,675.9 people per square mile (645.1/km²). There were 699 housing units at an average density of 708.3 per square mile (272.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.16% White, 0.06% African American, 0.73% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.36% Pacific Islander, 1.03% from other races, and 0.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.33% of the population.
There were 638 households out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.5% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.4% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.4% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,449, and the median income for a family was $35,529. Males had a median income of $31,250 versus $17,500 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,861. About 8.8% of families and 14.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.5% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] References
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ PSU:Population Research Center
- ^ Joe Fitzgibbon. Elgin Opera House in the Oregon Encyclopedia
- ^ Bailey, Barbara Ruth (1982). Main Street: Northeastern Oregon. Oregon Historical Society. p. 87. ISBN 0875950736.
- ^ Bailey, Barbara Ruth (1982). Main Street: Northeastern Oregon. Oregon Historical Society. p. 106. ISBN 0875950736.
- ^ a b c Deumling, Dietrich (1972-05). The roles of the railroad in the development of the Grande Ronde Valley (masters thesis). Flagstaff, Arizona: Northern Arizona University. p. 61. OCLC 4383986.
- ^ Baker, Frank C. (1891). "Special Laws". The Laws of Oregon, and the Resolutions and Memorials of the Sixteenth Regular Session of the Legislative Assembly Thereof (Salem, Oregon: State Printer): 774. http://books.google.com/?id=Yr2wAAAAIAAJ&dq=oregon%20legislature%20hillsboro%20incorporation&pg=PA774.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
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[edit] External links
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