Tillamook, Oregon

Tillamook, Oregon
—  City  —
Tillamook Creamery and Museum
Nickname(s): Land of Many Waters; Land of Cheese, Trees, and Ocean Breeze
Location in Oregon
Coordinates: 45°27′19″N 123°50′33″W
Country WP:USCITY	United States
State	Oregon
County	Tillamook
Incorporated	1891
Government
• Mayor	Suzanne Weber
Area
• Total	1.5 sq mi (4.0 km2)
• Land	1.5 sq mi (4.0 km2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation	24 ft (7.3 m)
Population (2006)
• Total	4,675
• Density	2,818.8/sq mi (1,091.1/km2)
Time zone	Pacific (UTC-8)
• Summer (DST)	Pacific (UTC-7)
ZIP code	97141
Area code(s)	503
FIPS code	41-73700
GNIS feature ID	1151220
Website	www.tillamookor.gov

The city of Tillamook  /ˈtɪləmʊk/ is the county seat of Tillamook County, Oregon, United States. The city is located on the southeast end of Tillamook Bay on the Pacific Ocean. The population was 4,352 at the 2000 census. The 2006 estimate is 4,675 residents.

History

The city is named for the Tillamook people, a Native American tribe speaking a Salishan language who lived in this area until the early nineteenth century.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), all of it land.

Tillamook has a typical Pacific Northwest climate, receiving rainy winters and warm summers. Every winter residents prepare for the rain and storms, which almost every year flood the dairy fields and downtown. The Tillamook area is also home to five rivers, the Tillamook, Trask, Wilson, Kilchis, and the Miami just north of the city.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 4,352 people, 1,758 households, and 1,105 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,818.8 people per square mile (1,091.1/km²). There were 1,898 housing units at an average density of 1,229.3 per square mile (475.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.56% White, 0.16% African American, 1.22% Native American, 0.71% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 3.42% from other races, and 1.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.12% of the population.

There were 1,758 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.7% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the city the population dispersal was 29.2% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $29,875, and the median income for a family was $36,351. Males had a median income of $28,458 versus $20,801 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,160. About 11.8% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.2% of those under age 18 and 14.8% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Historically, the Tillamook economy has been based primarily on dairy farms. The farmland surrounding the city is used for grazing the milk cattle that supply the Tillamook County Creamery Association's production of cheese, particularly cheddar, gourmet ice cream and yogurt, and other dairy products. Approximately one million people visit the cheese factory (located north of Tillamook on Highway 101) each year.

There is also a large lumber industry that is experiencing a comeback from the replanting that followed the famous Tillamook Burn forest fires of the mid-20th century. Burned remains of some of the trees can still be found in the forests surrounding Tillamook.

Tillamook also serves tourists on their way to the ocean beaches and as a location for second homes.

Arts and culture

Museums and other points of interest

The Tillamook Air Museum, featuring over 30 combat aircraft, is located just south of the city. It is housed in a former hangar built for blimps during World War II, as part of the Naval Air Station Tillamook. The hangar is now leased by the American Blimp Corporation. The sister hangar was destroyed by fire in 1992. The hangars were built with old-growth trees and one can see the huge seamless beams inside the buildings.

Media

The city's weekly newspaper is the Headlight-Herald.

Transportation

• Tillamook Airport
• Tillamook County Transportation District
• Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad

Notable people

• Bridget Marquardt, actress and model
• Jacob Young, soap opera actor

External links

• Listing for Tillamook in the Oregon Blue Book
• Tillamook Chamber of Commerce