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Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon

Portland is the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon, and county seat of Multnomah County. It is located within the Pacific Northwest, straddling the Willamette River south of its confluence with the Columbia River. Most of Portland lies in Multnomah County, though scattered adjacent parcels fall within Washington and Clackamas counties. As of the 2000 census, Portland had a total population of 529,121. The 2003 estimate of the city's population is 538,544, a growth of 1.7%. Portland is known as "The City of Roses" or "Rose City", nicknames originated during the 1905 Lewis and Clark centennial exposition. Its climate is ideal for growing roses, and the city has many rose gardens. Other nicknames for the city of Portland include "Stumptown", "Bridgetown" (due to its numerous bridges), "Puddletown" (due to the weather), and "River City" (due to its proximity to the Willamette and Columbia Rivers). Modern colloquialisms for the city include "PDX" (after the city's airport code), "P-town", and "Rip City."

History

airport code Portland started as a spot known as "The Clearing", which was on the banks of the Willamette River about halfway between Oregon City and Fort Vancouver. In 1843, William Overton saw great commercial potential for this land; his only problem was that he lacked the quarter needed to file a land claim. So, he struck a bargain with his partner Asa Lovejoy: for 25¢, Overton would share his claim to the 640-acre (2.6 km²) site. Bored with clearing trees and building roads, Overton sold his half of the claim to Francis W. Pettygrove. When it came time to name their new town, Pettygrove and Lovejoy each wanted to name it after his home town. They settled the argument with a coin toss. Pettygrove won, and named it after Portland, Maine; had Lovejoy won, he intended to name it after Boston, Massachusetts. In its early years, Portland existed in the shadow of Oregon City, the territorial capital 12 miles (19 km) upstream on the falls of the Willamette. However, Portland was located at the Willamette's head of navigation, giving it a key advantage over its older peer. It also triumphed over early rivals like Milwaukie and Sellwood. By 1850 Portland had approximately 800 inhabitants, a steam sawmill, a log cabin hotel, and a newspaper, called the Weekly Oregonian. Portland was the major port in the Pacific Northwest for much of the 19th century, until the 1890s when direct railroad access between the deepwater harbor in Seattle and points east by way of Stampede Pass were built. Goods could then be transported from the northwest coast to inland cities without needing to navigate the dangerous bar at the mouth of the Columbia River. Like other west coast ports, Portland was home to frequent acts of shanghaiing. Tunnels under city blocks stretching for blocks from the Willamette River, although built for legitimate business reasons, became known as shanghai tunnels because of their purported use in such kidnappings. Tours of them are now given.

Geography and climate

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 376.5 km² (145.4 mi²). 347.9 km² (134.3 mi²) of it is land and 28.6 km² (11.1 mi²), or 7.6%, is water. The Portland metropolitan area is located within the Willamette Valley, which follows the Willamette River and the I-5 Corridor. The valley consists of suburban municipalities sprawled around patches of farmland farther south. The further north you travel, towards Portland, the thicker the population density becomes. The vast majority of Oregon's population lives in the Willamette Valley. Interstate 5 bisects the valley and a significant number of commuters travel the I-5 Corridor daily. Portland lies on top of an extinct Plio-Pleistocene volcanic field. The Boring Lava Field includes at least 32 cinder cones and small shield volcanoes lying within a radius of 13 miles of Kelly Butte, which is approximately 4 miles east of downtown Portland. Portland's climate is temperate and seasonal. The average rainfall is approximately 35 inches per year. The summer months (June through August) mark the driest period averaging about 1 inch per month, while November through January is the rainy season, with an average about 6 inches per month. Winter low temperatures hover around 35 °F (2 °C), and summer highs rarely surpass 85 °F (29 °C). The lowest temperature ever recorded in Portland was −3 °F (−19 °C), set on February 2 1950.

The city and the region

1950 Portland is often cited as an example of a well-planned city. The credit for this starts with Oregon's proactive land-use policies, particularly the establishment of an urban growth boundary in 1974. The boundary preserved agricultural land in the mold of 19th-century farming techniques. This was atypical in an era when automobile use led many areas to neglect their core cities in favor of development along interstate highways, in suburbs, and satellite cities. Some developers and real estate investors dislike the urban growth boundary, and argue that it has brought not only benefits but the burden of high housing costs. Still, housing costs are lower than most urban areas in California and Washington, and residents enjoy many benefits of a more compact urban area, including efficient public transportation and less traffic than similarly sized cities. The Portland Development Commission also plays a role in keeping the city livable; it was created by city voters in 1958 to serve as the city’s urban renewal agency. It provides housing and economic development programs within the city. The more densely populated parts of the city proper are somewhat asymmetrical, with the west side hemmed in by the West Hills, while the flatter east side stretches on for about 170 blocks, until it meets Gresham. They extend from the beginning of East Portland, at the Willamette River, to the outer fringes of the suburbs of Gresham. Further east lies rural Multnomah County. Downtown Portland and many other parts of inner Portland have compact city blocks and narrow streets. Each block is 200 ft (60 m) square; by comparison, Seattle's city blocks are 240 by 320 feet (70 by 100 m), and Manhattan's east-west streets are divided into blocks that are from 600 to 800 feet (180 to 240 m) long. In addition, most streets are 64 feet (20 m) wide, so the combination of compact blocks and narrow streets make the downtown more pedestrian friendly. The 264 foot (80 m) long combined blocks divide one mile (1.6 km) of road into exactly 20 separate blocks. :See also: Portland metropolitan area

Portland's five "quadrants" (sic)

Portland metropolitan area As a result of a "great renumbering" on September 2, 1931, Portland is divided into five sections: Southwest, Southeast, Northwest, North and Northeast. Burnside Street is the boundary between north and south, and the Willamette River divides the eastern and western sections. North of Burnside Street, the river curves west and in place of it Williams Avenue is used as a divider. Between Williams and the river is the fifth, North, quadrant. Portland also has an unnamed "sixth" quadrant, between the "edge" of Southwest and the river, which has an east bend south of downtown. Instead of having its own name, "negative" numbers preceded by a zero are used, increasing until the river is reached.

Northwest

1931 Northwest includes the Pearl District, a fairly recent name for what originally was an old warehouse area. Since the late 1980s, many of the existing warehouses, some on brownfield sites, have been converted into lofts, and new multistory condominiums have also been developed. The increasing density has attracted a mix of restaurants, brewpubs, shops, and art galleries, though in some cases pioneering tenants have been priced out of the area (see Gentrification). Its galleries sponsor artists' receptions on the first Thursday of every month, spawning similar events on other days elsewhere. Between the Pearl District and the Willamette is Portland's old Chinatown neighborhood. Its entrance is marked by a pair of lions at the corner of NW 4th and Burnside, and includes the district along the Willamette River between Burnside and Union Station. Before World War II, this area also had a Japan Town. Further west is the tiny NW 21st and 23rd Avenue neighborhood and shopping area. When Portland natives say Northwest, they often mean this area, which is also called Uptown, Nob Hill and the Alphabet District. This area has a mix of Victorian-era houses, apartment buildings from throughout the 20th century, and various businesses centered around Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center. The Portland Streetcar connects this area to downtown. Characters from The Simpsons are named from the alphabetical streets in this area—namely Ned Flanders, Reverend Lovejoy and Mayor Quimby Even further northwest lies part of what is known as Portland's West Hills, including the majority of massive Forest Park.

Southwest

Part of the West Hills is in the Southwest quadrant, which includes Washington Park, site of North America's deepest transit station, the Oregon Zoo, Hoyt Arboretum, the International Rose Test Garden, the Japanese Garden, beautiful hiking trails, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The West Hills underwent rapid expansion during the 1960s and 1970s. Southwest also includes:
- The heart of the Portland's Downtown, centered on Pioneer Courthouse Square ("Portland's living room")
- The campuses of Portland State University, Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), and Lewis & Clark College
- Neighborhoods like Lair Hill, Burlingame, Macadam, Hillsdale, and Multnomah Village, with unique residential houses and well defined commercial and retail districts.
- Various suburban neighborhoods, including Raleigh Hills, West Slope, and Garden Home
- Alpenrose Dairy, the grounds of which host track cycling and Little League sports
- The south Willamette riverfront along Macadam Avenue, over 100 acres (0.4 km²) of former industrial land. This area is undergoing redevelopment as a mixed-use, high-density neighborhood, with an anticipated 2700 residential units and 5,000 high-tech jobs after build-out.
- Portland's Gay District, centered on Stark Street, one block south of W Burnside.

North Portland

North Portland, known as NoPo to some, includes the neighborhoods of St. Johns, Cathedral Park, University Park (and the University of Portland), Overlook, Portsmouth, Kenton, Arbor Lodge, Bridgeton, Hayden Island, Piedmont, Humboldt, Eliot, and Boise [http://www.boisevoice.org/]. During World War II, a planned development named Vanport was constructed to the north of this section between the city limits and the Columbia River. It grew to be the second largest city in Oregon, but was wiped out by a disastrous flood in 1948. Columbia Villa, another wartime housing project in the Portsmouth Neighborhood, is being rebuilt; the new $150 million community will be known as New Columbia and will offer public housing, rental housing, and single family home ownership units. In 2004, a new light rail line opened along Interstate Avenue, which parallels I-5.

Northeast

Northeast contains a diverse collection of neighborhoods. For example, while Irvington and the Alameda Ridge boast some of the oldest and most expensive homes in Portland, nearby Albina is a more working-class neighborhood. Because it is so large, Northeast Portland can essentially be divided ethnically, culturally, and geographically into inner and outer sections. The inner Northeast neighborhoods that surround Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. are predominately African American, resembling typical urban inner-city environments found in most major U.S. cities. Inner Northeast includes several shopping areas, such as the Lloyd District, Alberta Arts District and Hollywood, and part of the affluent Laurelhurst neighborhood and its nearby developments. The city plan targets Lloyd District as another mixed-use area, with high-rise residential development; developers are waiting for the success of a seed project before intensive development occurs. At the base of Northeast is the Rose Quarter. It is named after the Rose Garden Arena, home of the Portland Trail Blazers, and also includes the Blazers' former home, the Memorial Coliseum. The coliseum is the home to Portland's hockey team, the Winterhawks, though they often play at the Rose Garden. The newest Rose Quarter tenants are the Lumberjax, a professional lacrosse team starting play in the winter of 2006. The city still holds the lease to the land, but the buildings were owned by private business interests until they went into receivership. The area is quite active during the teams' home games, and the city hopes to extend the activity by promoting a major increase in residential units in the quarter using zoning and tax incentives.

Southeast

Southeast stretches from the warehouses by the river, through the historic Ladd's Addition, to Hawthorne and Belmont districts. Southeast Portland residents initially tended to the blue-collar but have since evolved into a wide mix of backgrounds; it is home to several thriving subcultures including hippies, pagans, and environmentalists. The Hawthorne district is known for its beyond-the-norm hipster crowd and funky shops. Farther south, the Brooklyn, Sellwood, Woodstock, and Brentwood-Darlington neighborhoods and Eastmoreland near Reed College are close to the Willamette River. The Clackamas Town Center and Mall 205 are the largest retail centers serving the area. Between the 1920s and the 1960s, Southeast was home to Lambert Gardens. Southeast Portland also features Mt. Tabor, a park with one of the only dormant volcanos in a continental U.S. city.

People and culture

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there are 529,121 people residing in the city, organized into 223,737 households and 118,356 families. The population density is 1,521/km² (3,939.2/mi²). There are 237,307 housing units at an average density of 682.1/km² (1,766.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 77.91% White, 6.64% African American, 1.06% Native American, 6.33% Asian, 0.38% Pacific Islander, 3.55% from other races, and 4.15% from two or more races. 6.81% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. Out of 223,737 households, 24.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.1% are married couples living together, 10.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 47.1% are non-families. 34.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.3 and the average family size is 3. In the city the population is spread out with 21.1% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 34.7% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 95.9 males. The median income for a household in the city is $40,146, and the median income for a family is $50,271. Males have a reported median income of $35,279 versus $29,344 reported for females. The per capita income for the city is $22,643. 13.1% of the population and 8.5% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 15.7% of those under the age of 18 and 10.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. Oregon has a 9% income tax which tends to suppress accurate reporting. Figures delineating the income levels based on race are not available at this time. Portland is becoming increasingly diverse. Recent trends have more young people moving into the city as older, more established white families with children move to the suburbs. Although the overwhelming majority of the city's population is still White, 60% of people moving to Oregon are minorities. However, though the population of the city is increasing, the total population of children is diminishing, which has put pressure on the public school system to close schools. A recent New York Times story noted that Portland is now educating fewer children than it did in 1925, and the city will have to close the equivalent of three to four elementary schools each year for the next decade. Portland's public school system has remained rather segregated. Three of its high schools (Cleveland, Lincoln and Wilson) are over 80% white, while three other high schools (Jefferson, Madison,and Benson Polytechnic ) are all at least over 70% non-white. The remaining four schools are more ethnically balanced. The imbalance can be explained through Portland's demographic history. Prior to the Second World War, Portland had very few residents of non-European ethnicity. In 1940, Portland's African-American population was approximately 2,000 and largely consisted of railroad employees and their families. During the war-time Liberty Ship construction boom, the need for workers drew many blacks to the city. Due to institutionalized rascism in the real-estate community, this new influx of blacks was guided to specific neighborhoods, such as the Albina district and Vanport. The post-war destruction of Vanport eliminated the only integrated neighborhood, and the ghettoization of blacks into the NE quadrant of the city continued.

Media

The Oregonian is the major daily newspaper in Portland. The Willamette Week is a major alternative weekly publication distributed throughout the metro area. Other local weekly papers in the area include the Portland Tribune (a twice-weekly), The Portland Mercury, the Oregon Herald, and the The Asian Reporter, a weekly newspaper covering both international and local Asian news. Portland Monthly is a monthly news and news and culture magazine. The Business Journal of Portland also covers many business-news-related stories. BarFly Magazine [http://www.barflymag.com] is a popular weekly periodical covering the city's nightlife and bar scene. Portland is well served by television and radio. The metro area is the 23rd largest Designated Market Area (DMA) in the U.S., consisting of 1,086,900 homes and 0.992% of the U.S. market. The major network television affiliates include KOIN 6 (CBS), KATU 2 (ABC), KGW 8 (NBC), KPTV 12 (FOX), KWBP 32 (WB), and KPDX 49 (UPN).

Parks and outdoor attractions

UPN Portland is proud of its parks and its legacy of preserving open spaces. In fact, it has one of the highest parks-per-capita ratios among cities in the United States. Forest Park is the largest wilderness park within city limits in the United States, with over 5,000 acres (20 km²). Portland is also home to Mill Ends Park, the world's smallest park (being a two-foot-diameter circle, its area is only about 0.3 square meters). Washington Park [http://www.parks.ci.portland.or.us/Parks/Washington.htm] is just west of downtown, and is home to the Oregon Zoo, the Portland Japanese Garden, and the International Rose Test Garden. Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park runs along west bank of the Willamette for the length of downtown. The 37-acre (150,000 m²) park was built in 1974 after Harbor Drive was removed and now plays host to large events throughout the year. Portland's downtown also features two groups of contiguous city blocks dedicated for park space; they are referred to as the North and South Park Blocks. Portland is also home to Portland Classical Chinese Garden, an authentic representation of a Suzhou-style walled garden. Local construction workers provided the site preparation and foundation, and dozens of workers from Suzhou, using material from China, constructed its walls and other structures, including a tea house. The only state park in the area is Tryon Creek State Park; its creek still has a run of steelhead. Nestled within the park is the Tryon Life Community Farm [http://www.tryonfarm.org/], an aspiring urban ecovillage and educational center. Portlandia, a statue on the west side of the Portland Building, is the second-largest hammered-copper statue in the U.S.

Beer

Portland and certain other Oregon cities (like Hood River and Bend) are well-known for their good beer. It is often said that Portland is the home of the microbrew revolution. Some illustrate Portlanders' interest in the beverage by an offer made in 1888, when local brewer Henry Weinhard volunteered to pump beer from his brewery into the newly dedicated Skidmore Fountain. However, the renown for quality beer dates to the 1980s, when microbreweries and brewpubs began to pop up all over the city. Their growth was supported by the abundance of local ingredients, including two-row barley, over a dozen varieties of hops, and the pure water from Bull Run and other watersheds of nearby Mount Hood. Today, with 33 breweries within the city limits, Portland is home to more craft brewers than any other city in the world. The McMenamin brothers alone have over thirty brewpubs, distilleries and wineries scattered throughout the metropolitan area, many in renovated theaters and other old buildings otherwise destined for demolition. Other notable Portland brewers include Widmer Brothers, Bridgeport Brewing Company and the MacTarnahan's Brewing Company. In 1999, "beerhunter" and author Michael Jackson called Portland a candidate for the beer capital of the world because the city boasted more breweries than Cologne, Germany. Portland hosts a number of festivals throughout the year in celebration of beer. One of them, the Oregon Brewers Festival, is the largest gathering of independent craft brewers in North America.

Sports

Cologne, Germany Portland has one major league, professional sports team, as well as several minor league teams. The Portland Trail Blazers are a basketball team that play in Rose Garden Arena. The Trail Blazers won their only NBA Championship in 1977. The team has several players in the Basketball Hall of Fame, including Dražen Petrović, Bill Walton, Lenny Wilkens, and Clyde Drexler ("The Glide"). The city concidered bidding for the Montreal Expos Major League Baseball team when they needed to relocate, but governmental reasons and the lack of a monetary backer made the city withdraw. The city is also home to the Portland Beavers, a Triple-AAA team for the San Diego Padres; the Portland Winterhawks, an ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League; and the Portland Timbers, of the United Soccer Leagues, a second-tier professional soccer team in the U.S. The Portland Beavers and Portland Timbers play in PGE Park (formerly Civic Stadium), and the Winterhawks play in Rose Garden Arena. The Portland Lumberjax is also a professional lacrosse team, scheduled to begin play in 2006 in the National Lacrosse League. Portland is also an annual circuit on the Champ Car World Series. Skiing is particularly popular with Portlanders. The area is served by a number of resorts located on nearby Mount Hood, including Timberline, which allows skiing year round. The only other resort in North America with summer skiing is Whistler in British Columbia. Local Alpenrose Dairy is host to the yearly Little League Softball World Series.

Infrastructure

Government

The city of Portland is governed by a mayor, four city commissioners and an auditor, who are each elected citywide to serve four-year terms. The city council consists of the mayor (Tom Potter as of 2005) and commissioners. The auditor does not have a vote on the city council or direct city operations, but provides checks and balances in the commission form of government and accountability for the use of public resources. In addition, the auditor gives access to information for all Council members and the public and issues reports on various matters of city government. Portland and its surrounding metropolitan area are also served the Metropolitan Service District, the nation's only directly elected regional government. Metro's charter includes land use and transportation planning, solid waste management, and map development. It also owns and operates the Oregon Convention Center, Oregon Zoo, Portland Center for Performing Arts, and Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center.

Education

The public schools in the city are governed by the Portland Public School District, which consists of about 100 public schools with grades K through 12, as well as 50 special needs sites. The number of students in the school district is approximately 53,000. Portland's Lincoln High School is notable as it is the oldest public high school west of the Mississippi River, built in 1869. The school also boasts several famous alumni, including Singer-songwriter Elliott Smith, Matt Groening (creator of The Simpsons) and astronaut S. David Griggs. Another notable school is Benson Polytechnic High founded by Simon Benson. It claims to be "The Nation's Finest Professional/Technical School". Outlying areas of Portland retained their own school districts after those regions were annexed by the City of Portland. Parkrose School District covers most of northeastern Portland beyond the I-205. Centennial and David Douglas districts serve far southeast neighborhoods, including Rockwood and Powellhurst. Parts of Portland neighborhoods in the West Hills belong to the Beaverton School District. Riverdale School District also serves the metropolitan area. The region also has several private schools, including Catlin Gabel School, Central Catholic High School [http://www.centralcatholichigh.org/], Jesuit High School, The Northwest Academy, Oregon Episcopal School, and St. Mary's Academy [http://www.stmaryspdx.org/]. There are also several colleges and universities in the area. One of the major public institutions in the city is Portland State University, with an enrollment of approximately 24,000 (graduate & undergraduate). Private colleges include the University of Portland, Pacific University, Concordia University, Marylhurst University, Lewis & Clark College, George Fox University, Linfield College, Reed College, Cascade College, Capstone College, and Warner Pacific College. Oregon Health & Science University is the major medical school in the area. Other schools concentrating on various areas of the medical sciences include the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine, the National College of Naturopathic Medicine, and Western States Chiropractic College. Art schools in Portland include the Art Institute of Portland and Pacific Northwest College of Art. The Concorde Career Institute and Multnomah Bible College are also located in the city, as well as the Oregon National Primate Research Center, a major research center involving the study of primates. The Portland area has three community college districts. The Portland Community College district has three campuses in the city—Cascade, Rock Creek, and Sylvania—as well as the Southeast Center and Metropolitan Workforce Training Center. The Mount Hood Community College district is east of I-205 in Gresham. The Clackamas Community College district serves the south end of the metropolitan area and Southeast Portland from it's campus in Oregon City. Clark College (in Vancouver, Washington) is also located in the area.

Transportation

Clark College The Portland metropolitan area has the typical transportation services common to major U.S. cities, though Oregon's emphasis on proactive land-use planning and transit-oriented development within the urban growth boundary means that commuters have multiple well-developed options. In fact, Portland is well-known for its comprehensive public transportation system. TriMet operates most of the region's buses and the Metropolitan Area Express, or MAX, light rail system, which connects the city and suburbs. 5th and 6th avenues are the Portland Transit Mall, an exclusive bus-only right of way running north/south through downtown. For the most part, Portland's streets are arranged in a traditional grid-like pattern, with a few diagonal streets connecting various sections of the city and suburbs, and numerous bridges across the Willamette and Columbia rivers. I-5 connects Portland to Sacramento, California, in the south and Seattle, Washington, in the north. I-405 forms a loop with I-5 around the central downtown area of the city and I-205 is a beltway on the east side which connects to the airport. US 26 supports commuting within the metro area and continues to the Pacific Ocean westward and Mount Hood and beyond eastward. US 30 travels to the east of the city, through Gresham, Oregon, and eastern suburbs, and connects to I-84, traveling towards Boise, Idaho. Portland's main airport is Portland International Airport, located twenty minutes by car or light rail northeast of downtown. Portlanders have other transportation alternatives. The Portland Streetcar operates from the southern waterfront, through Portland State University north to nearby homes and shopping districts. The city is particularly supportive of urban bicycling and has been recognized by the League of American Bicyclists among others for its network of paths and other bicycle-friendly services. Car sharing through Flexcar is also available to residents of downtown and nearby neighborhoods. Commuter rail planning is being finalized, and an aerial tram connecting the southwest waterfront and Oregon Health Science University (OHSU) is currently under construction.

Sister cities

Portland has ten sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International: Ashkelon (Israel), Bologna (Italy), Kaohsiung (Taiwan), Khabarovsk (Russia), Mutare (Zimbabwe), Sapporo (Japan), Suzhou (China), Ulsan (South Korea), Guadalajara (Mexico), and Corinto (Nicaragua).

References

- Stewart Holbrook, The Far Corner. Comstock Editions ISBN 0-89174-043-0 (1952).
- E. Kimbark MacColl, The Shaping of a City: Business and Politics in Portland, Oregon 1885 to 1915. Portland: Georgian Press, 1976.
- E. Kimbark MacColl, The Growth of a City: Power and Politics in Portland, Oregon 1915 to 1950. Portland: Georgian Press, 1979. ISBN 0960340815

External links

- [http://www.portlandonline.com/ Official City Government Website]
- [http://www.metro-region.org/ Official Metro Government Website]
- [http://www.pova.com/ Portland Oregon Visitors Association]
- [http://www.traveloregon.com/regions/portland.html Oregon Tourism Commission: Portland]
- [http://pdxartwork.blogspot.com/ Portland Public Artwork]
- [http://www.portlandground.com/ Photographs of Portland Neighborhoods]
- [http://www.trimet.org/ Tri-Met] - Public Transportation System
- [http://www.oregonlive.com/ OregonLive] - Website for the The Oregonian newspaper
- [http://www.portlandducks.com/ Portland Ducks - Land and Water Tours]
- [http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/pqr/ National Weather Service Portland office]

Portland Wiki Sites

- WikiWikiWeb installed by Howard Cunningham from Beaverton
-
- [http://www.ourlaurelhurst.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page Laurelhurst Neighborhood]
- [http://www.portlandneighborhood.com Information About Portland's Neighborhoods] Category:Cities in Oregon Category:Clackamas County, Oregon Category:Coastal cities Category:County seats in Oregon Category:Multnomah County, Oregon Category:New Urbanism Portland, Oregon ja:ポートランド (オレゴン州)

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the fifty states (four of which officially favor the term commonwealth) which, together with the District of Columbia and Palmyra Atoll (an uninhabited incorporated unorganized territory), form the United States of America. The separate state governments and the U.S. federal government share sovereignty, in that an "American" is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of residence. The United States Constitution allocates power between the two levels of government in general terms; the general idea is that by ratifying the Constitution, each state has transferred certain aspects of its sovereign powers to the federal government while retaining the remainder for itself. The tasks of education, health, transportation, and other infrastructure are generally the responsibility of the states. Over time, the Constitution has been amended, and the interpretation and application of its provisions have changed. The general tendency has been toward centralization, with the federal government playing a much larger role than it once did.

Legal relationship

At the time of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain in 1776, the 13 colonies became 13 independently sovereign states, which became fourteen in 1777 with the formation of the Vermont Republic; for a brief period, they were in effect legally separate nations. But upon the adoption of the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, the states became a single sovereign political entity as defined by international law, empowered to levy war and to conduct international relations, albeit with a very loosely structured and inefficient central government. After the failure of the union under the Articles of Confederation, the thirteen states joined the modern union via ratification of the United States Constitution, beginning in 1789. Under Article IV of the Constitution, which outlines the relationship between the states, the Congress has the power to admit new states to the union. The states are required to give "full faith and credit" to the acts of each other's legislatures and courts, which is generally held to include the recognition of legal contracts, marriages, criminal judgments, and - at the time - slave status. The states are guaranteed military and civil defense by the federal government, which is also required to ensure that the government of each state remains a republic. The Constitution is silent on the issue of the secession of a state from the union. The Articles of Confederation had stated that the earlier union of the colonies "shall be perpetual", and the preamble to the Constitution states that Constitution was intended to "form a more perfect union". In 1860 and 1861, several states attempted to secede, but were brought back into the Union by force of arms during the Civil War. Subsequently, the federal judicial system, in the case of Texas v. White, established that states do not have the right to secede without the consent of the other states.
- Four of the states bear the formal title of Commonwealth: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. In these cases, this is merely a name and has no legal effect. However, the United States has non-state areas called commonwealths (Puerto Rico and the Northern Marianas) which do have a legal status different from the states.
- States are free to organize their judicial systems differently from the federal judiciary, as long as due process is protected. See state supreme court for more information. For example, most lawsuits in the state of New York are filed in the Supreme Court, and then appealed to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. The highest court in New York is the Court of Appeals.
- The joint resolution which admitted the Republic of Texas to the Union as a state guaranteed Texas the right to divide itself up into up to 5 states. This clause may be redundant, however, as any such state would arguably require Congressional approval, just as when Maine was split off from Massachusetts; it may also be unconstitutional, as reducing the equal suffrage of the other states in the United States Senate.

List of states

The states, with their U.S. postal abbreviations, traditional abbreviations, capitals and largest cities, are as follows. For a complete list of non-state dependent areas and other territory under control of the U.S., see United States dependent areas. State names speak to the circumstances of their creation. (See the lists of U.S. state name etymologies and U.S. county name etymologies for more detail.)
- Southern states on the Atlantic coast originated as British colonies named after British monarchs: Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, and Maryland. Some northeastern states, also former British colonies, take their names from places in the British Isles: New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York.
- Many states' names are those of Native American tribes or are from Native American languages: Kansas, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Connecticut, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, the Dakotas, Mississippi, Texas, Utah, and others.
- Because they are on territories previously controlled by Spain or Mexico, many states in the southeast and southwest have Spanish names. They include Colorado, New Mexico, Florida, and Nevada.
- Because it was previously a French colony, Louisiana is named after the Louis XIV (King of France at the time).
- The origins of the names of California, Oregon, Idaho, and Rhode Island are unknown, although various theories exist.

Trivia

Names

- "Georgia" can refer to either a U.S. state or to an independent country in the Caucasus.
- The name "New York" can refer to any one of three geographical levels: a state, a city in that state, or a county (coterminous with the borough of Manhattan) in that city.
- "Washington" is a state, a city corresponding to the District of Columbia (and thus not part of any state), and a number of cities and counties in various states. See the list of places named for George Washington.
- The state of Washington is the only state named after a U.S. President (or after a person born within the area now comprising the U.S., for that matter).
- The official name of Rhode Island is "the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations."
- Only two states have state capitals named for the state (however, such name-sharing occurs commonly with states and provinces in some other countries, where the state or province actually often takes its name from a capital city): Oklahoma, with capital Oklahoma City, and Indiana, with capital Indianapolis (which means Indiana City). Iowa City, Iowa was the first state capital of Iowa but the capital was later moved to Des Moines, Iowa.
- Maine is the only state with a one-syllable name.

Geography

- Colorado and Wyoming are bounded by two circles of latitude and two meridians each, i.e. they appear to be rectangles in a cylindrical map projection.
- Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming are the only states whose borders are made up of only straight lines (taking meridians and circles of latitude as straight lines) and, thus, the only states whose borders completely ignore natural features.
- Every state—except Hawaii, which has no land boundaries—has straight lines as at least part of its boundaries. These are usually combined with rivers (see river borders of U.S. states), ridge lines and other natural boundaries. Pennsylvania and Delaware are unique in that their common border is an arc of a circle, see The Twelve-Mile Circle.
- The lower peninsula of Michigan is shaped like a mitten; Louisiana is shaped like a boot.
- Alaska, Florida, Idaho, Maryland, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia have panhandles.
- Alabama, Missouri, New Mexico and Mississippi have bootheels.
- Alaska and Hawaii are the only states that are not physically connected to other states; Maine is the only state that borders only one other state. Missouri and Tennessee each border eight other states, the most for any state.
- Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah are the only four states to share a common border, known as the "Four Corners."
- Appearances given by the stereographic projection to the contrary, Minnesota is the northernmost of the forty-eight contiguous United States, as a northern spur of the state contains a portion of Lake of the Woods. At one time it was thought that Lake of the Woods contained the headwaters of the Mississippi River (now known to be at Lake Itasca).
- Alaska is the northernmost state and the westernmost state. Some would argue that it is also the easternmost state, as the Aleutian island chain crosses the 180º line of longitude.

Grouping of the states in regions

Alaska, The South and The Northeast. Note that Alaska and Hawaii are shown at different scales, and that the Aleutian Islands and the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are omitted from this map.]] States may be grouped in regions; there are endless variations and possible groupings, as most states are not defined by obvious geographic or cultural borders. For further discussion of regions of the U.S., see the list of regions of the United States.

State lists

References

External links

- [http://factfinder.census.gov/bf/_lang=en_vt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTPH1R_US9S_geo_id=01000US.html Tables with areas, populations, densities and more (in order of population)]
- [http://factfinder.census.gov/bf/_lang=en_vt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTPH1_US9_geo_id=01000US.html Tables with areas, populations, densities and more (alphabetical)]
- [http://www.usnewspapers.org US Newspapers by State]
- [http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0854966.html Origin of State Names] United States, States of the Category:Subdivisions of the United States
- U.S. State ja:アメリカ合衆国の地方行政区画 ko:미국의 주 simple:List of U.S. states th:มลรัฐของสหรัฐอเมริกา zh-min-nan:Bí-kok ê hêng-chèng-khu

Multnomah County, Oregon

Multnomah County (IPA: ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon, the smallest in area but the largest in population due to Portland, the county seat and largest city in Oregon. The county was named after a Native American people first recorded in the journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Mulknomans, who lived in a village on the east side of present-day Sauvie Island and are considered to be part of the Chinook tribe. It is also possible that Multnomah is a corruption of nematlnomaq, meaning down river. As of 2001, the county population is 665,810.

History

Multnomah County was created on December 22, 1854. It was the thirteenth county created in Oregon Territory. The land was taken from the eastern portion of Washington and the northern part of Clackamas counties. The borders have remained relatively unchanged to the present. Multnomah County was created when the people living in Portland found it difficult to travel to Hillsboro to conduct business at the county seat of Washington County. They also thought that they were paying too much in taxes to support the farmers in the rural areas surrounding Portland. In 1854, Portland businessmen petitioned the Territorial Legislature for a new county and Multnomah County was created at the subsequent session. The City of Portland was chartered in 1851 and made the county seat in 1854. The Multnomah County Commissioners met for the first time on January 17, 1855. At various times in the 20th century, an initiative has been placed on the county ballot to merge Portland with the county government. None of these proposals have been approved.

Since 2000

In the 2000 presidential election, Multnomah played the decisive role in determining who won the state's electoral votes. It was one of eight counties carried by Al Gore; he carried the county by more than 104,000 votes. That large margin more than offset the nearly 100,000-vote advantage that George W. Bush had earned among Oregon's 35 other counties. Faced with decreasing government revenues due to a recession in the local economy, voters approved a three-year local income tax (Measure 26-48) on May 20, 2003 to prevent further cuts in schools, police protection, and social services. Multnomah County was one of the few local governments in Oregon to approve such a tax increase. In May 2003, the Multnomah County Department of Human Services named Klingon on a list of 55 languages for which it might conceivably need interpreters; this story was circulated out-of-context as an urban legend claiming that the department was looking to hire a Klingon interpreter. County Chair Diane Linn called the listing the "result of an overzealous attempt to ensure that our safety net systems can respond to all customers and clients." Diane Linn On March 2, 2004, Multnomah County Chair Linn announced the county would begin granting licenses for same-sex marriages, pursuant to a legal opinion issued by its attorney deeming such marriages lawful under Oregon law. Her announcement was supported by four other commissioners, but criticised by Lonnie Roberts, who represents the eastern part of Multnomah county and was left out of the decision. [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/03/02/state2223EST7030.DTL] [http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/front_page/1078318717116670.xml] Within a few days, several groups joined to file a lawsuit to halt the county's action. For details on what happened next, see the Oregon-specific section of same-sex marriage in the United States.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,206 km² (466 mi²). 1,127 km² (435 mi²) of it is land and 79 km² (30 mi² or 6.53%) of it is water. The county includes Mount Tabor, an extinct volcano, and its northern eastern border forms the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge.

Demographics

As of the 2000 census ², there are 660,486 people in the county, organized into 272,098 households and 152,102 families. The population density is 586/km² (1,518/mi²). There are 288,561 housing units at an average density of 256/km² (663/mi²). The racial makeup of the county is 79.16% White, 5.70% Asian, 5.67% Black or African American, 1.03% Native American, 0.35% Pacific Islander, 4.03% from other races, and 4.07% from two or more races. 7.51% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 272,098 households out of which 26.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% are married couples living together, 10.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 44.1% are non-families. 32.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.37 and the average family size is 3.03. In the county, the population is spread out with 22.30% under the age of 18, 10.30% from 18 to 24, 33.80% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 11.10% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 98.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 96.10 males. The median income for a household in the county is $41,278, and the median income for a family is $51,118. Males have a median income of $36,036 versus $29,337 for females. The per capita income for the county is $22,606. 12.70% of the population and 8.20% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 15.40% of those under the age of 18 and 9.80% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Economy

The principal industries of Multnomah County are manufacturing, transportation, wholesale and retail trade, and tourism. Since Oregon does not have a sales tax, it attracts shoppers from southern Washington. The Port of Portland, established in 1891 and combined with the City of Portland's Commission of Public Docks in 1973, ranks third in total waterborne commerce on the West Coast. Portland is one of the five largest auto import ports in the nation and is the West Coast's leading exporter of grain and lumber. The Port of Portland is also responsible for Portland International Airport, which is in the county.

Tourism

The county is home to a number of Portland-area attractions and venues, including Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Portland Art Museum, Memorial Coliseum, Oregon Convention Center, Rose Garden, Washington Park, Oregon Zoo, International Rose Test Garden, Japanese Gardens and Pittock Mansion. It is also home to the scenic Columbia River Highway, Multnomah Falls, and Oxbow Park.

Major highways

- Interstate 5
- Interstate 84
- Interstate 205
- Interstate 405
- U.S. Highway 26
- U.S. Highway 30
- U.S. Highway 99

Cities and towns

- Fairview
- Gresham
- Maywood Park
- Portland
- Troutdale
- Wood Village

External links

- [http://www.co.multnomah.or.us/ County website]
- [http://www.multcolib.org/ County's Library website]
- [http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/county/cpmultnomahhome.html Multnomah County History] from the Oregon State Archives
- [http://multdems.org Multnomah Democratic Party] Category:Oregon counties ja:マルトノマ郡 (オレゴン州)

Willamette River

The Willamette River (pronounced "wil-LAM-met") is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately 240 mi (386 km) long, in northwestern Oregon in the United States. Flowing northward between the Coastal Range and Cascade Range, the river and its tributaries form a basin called the Willamette Valley containing the largest population centers of Oregon, including Portland, which sits along both sides of the river near its mouth on the Columbia. Its lush valley is fed by prolific rainfall on the western side of the Cascades, forming one of the most fertile agricultural regions of North America that was the destination for many if not most of the emigrants along the Oregon Trail. The river was an important transportation route throughout much of the early history of the state, furnishing a means of conveying the vast timber and agricultural resources of the state to the outside world.

Description

The Willamette rises in three separate forks in the mountains south and southeast of Eugene, at the southern end of the Willamette Valley. The Middle Fork and North Fork rise on the western side of the Cascades between Three Sisters south to Diamond Peak, with the Middle Fork receiving the North Fork northwest of Oakridge and flowing northwest through the mountains to the southern end of the Willamette Valley. The Coast Fork rises in the lower mountains south of Cottage Grove, flowing north to join the Middle Fork 2 mi (3.2 km) southeast of Eugene. From Eugene, the combined river flows NNW across the plain of the southern Willamette Valley to Corvallis, then follows a zigzag course past Albany and around the isolated hills in the central valley, passing west of downtown Salem. From Salem it flows north in a meandering course across the northwest plain of the valley, reaching the hills at Newberg, where it turns sharply ENE along the hills, passing through an opening in the hills at Oregon City, the location of the Falls of the Willamette and the head of navigation. From Oregon City it flows northwest, past Lake Oswego and Milwaukie on the south edge of Portland, then passing between east and west Portland, where it is spanned by a series of urban bridges. Downstream of downtown Portland it flows northwest through the industrial port area of Portland Harbor, then splitting into two channels around Sauvie Island, both of which hook around to enter the Columbia from the west, with the main channel entering on the north edge of Portland and the smaller Multnomah Channel entering approximately 15 mi (24 km) NNW at St.Helens. The river's many tributaries drain the surrounding valley and well as portions of the Cascades and the Coastal Range. Downstream from the confluence of its forks, it is joined by McKenzie on the north side of Eugene, and by the Long Tom River from the southwest approximately 10 mi (16 km) south of Corvallis. It is joined by the Calapooia from the southeast 5 mi (8 km) northeast of Corvallis. It is joined by the Santiam from the east and the Luckiamute from the west within 1 mi (1.6 km) of each other approximately 5 mi (8 km) north of Albany. It is joined by the Yamhill from the west at Dayton, by the Molalla from the southeast near Canby, by the Tualatin from the west at West Linn, and by the Clackamas from the southeast at Gladstone. The river forms part of the boundary of the following counties: Benton, Linn, Polk, Marion, Yamhill and Clackamas. Tributaries of the Willamette River also drain some or all of Lane, Washington and Multnomah counties. Although riverboats navigated the upstream part of the Willamette into the first decades of the 20th century, currently there is little commercial traffic on the river above the Willamette Falls. The Willamette Falls Locks allow boat traffic, primarily recreational vessles, around the falls. The river is crossed by serveral ferries along its route in the Willamette Valley. Image:pdx.jpg

Environmental issues

The Portland Harbor section of the Willamette River between downtown Portland and its terminus at the Columbia River is heavily polluted from years of industrial development of the river and its banks. Historical and current activities have included shipbuilding, creosote manufacture, and transfer and storage of petroleum products. State studies in the 1990s identified a wide variety of pollutants in the river bottom, including heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and pesticides. As a result of these studies, this section of the river was designated a Superfund site in 2000, involving the federal Environmental Protection Agency in cleanup of the river bottom. As of 2005, cleanup and containment of the pollutants is underway and is expected to be completed by 2006.

Crossings of the Willamette

Many bridges and a few ferries span the Willamette River, including the following (from south to north)

External links

- [http://www.deq.state.or.us/nwr/PortlandHarbor/ph.htm Portland Harbor DEQ cleanup] - Oregon state Department of Environmental Quality
- [http://www.willamette-riverkeeper.org Willamette Riverkeeper] - Working to protect and restore the Willamette River. Category:Rivers of Oregon

Washington County Oregon

Image:Map of Oregon highlighting Washington County.png

Washington County is a county located in the state of Oregon. Originally called Twality, the Territorial Legislature renamed this county for the first president of the United States, George Washington on September 3, 1849. As of the 2000 census, Washington County is home to 445,342 residents. The county seat is Hillsboro.

Economy

Washington County is centered on a fertile plain that attracted farmers before the first wagon trains. In 1997, orchards covered 8,403 acres (34 km²) of the county's lands and 1,163 acres (4.7 km²) were devoted to vineyards. The development of a large electronics industry during the last two decades is the dominating factor of the economy of this county. Intel, Oregon's largest private employer, has here its largest concentration of employees outside of its California home. Agriculture is still a major industry in Washington County, as are lumber, manufacturing, and food processing. Washington County is the location for the corporate headquarters of Nike, the only corporation based in Oregon large enough to be included in the Fortune 500 list. Until it was acquired by IBM, Sequent Computer Systems was headquartered right next door to Nike. The facility is now host to a number of software groups for IBM, including one of its Linux Technology Centers.

Geography

Located to the west of Portland, this county has a total area of 1,881 km² (726 mi²). 1,874 km² (724 mi²) of it is land and 7 km² (3 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.36% water.

Adjacent Counties

- Tillamook County, Oregon - (west)
- Columbia County, Oregon - (north)
- Multnomah County, Oregon - (east)
- Clackamas County, Oregon - (southeast)
- Yamhill County, Oregon - (south)
- Clatsop County, Oregon - (northwest)

Major highways

- Interstate 5
- Interstate 205
- U.S. Highway 26
- Oregon Highway 99W
- Oregon Highway 217

Demographics

As of the census ² of 2000, there are 445,342 people, 169,162 households, and 114,015 families residing in the county. The population density is 238/km² (615/mi²). There are 178,913 housing units at an average density of 95/km² (247/mi²). The racial makeup of the county is 82.19% White, 1.15% Black or African American, 0.65% Native American, 6.68% Asian, 0.30% Pacific Islander, 5.86% from other races, and 3.17% from two or more races. 11.17% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 169,162 households out of which 35.60% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.50% are married couples living together, 9.00% have a female householder with no husband present, and 32.60% are non-families. 24.70% of all households are made up of individuals and 6.70% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.61 and the average family size is 3.14. In the county, the population is spread out with 26.90% under the age of 18, 9.30% from 18 to 24, 34.10% from 25 to 44, 20.90% from 45 to 64, and 8.80% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 33 years. For every 100 females there are 99.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 97.00 males. The median income for a household in the county is $52,122, and the median income for a family is $61,499. Males have a median income of $43,304 versus $31,074 for females. The per capita income for the county is $24,969. 7.40% of the population and 4.90% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 8.30% of those under the age of 18 and 5.30% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

History

The Provisional Legislature created Washington County as Twality District on July 5, 1843, as one of the original four districts of the Oregon territory along with Clackamas, Champooick (later Marion), and Yamhill counties. Columbia, later known as Hillsboro, was selected as the county seat in 1850. Washington County obtained its present boundaries in 1854 with the creation of Columbia County to the north and Multnomah County to the east. The construction of Canyon Road to Beaverton helped Portland to consolidate its position as the primary port of Oregon, and defeat the rival efforts of settlements as Oregon City and Milwaukie. Washington county has been a stronghold of the Republican Party, who have consistently registered a majority of voters as members ever since its creation, despite Washington County's evolution from a farming economy to a suburb of Portland. In November of 2004, the County and the city of Beaverton agreed to a plan where the city would annex both unincorporated residential neighborhoods as well as high-value areas of land. This would result with Cedar Hills, Garden Home, Raleigh Hills, West Slope being incorporated by 2010, and the communities of Aloha, Bethany, and Cedar Mill at some point after that.

Cities

- Banks
- Beaverton
- Cornelius
- Durham
- Forest Grove
- Gaston
- Hillsboro
- King City
- North Plains
- Sherwood
- Tigard
- Tualatin

Communities

- Aloha
- Bonny Slope
- Cedar Hills
- Cedar Mill
- Garden Home-Whitford
- Metzger
- Oak Hills
- Orenco
- Raleigh Hills
- Rockcreek
- West Haven-Sylvan
- West Slope

Category:Oregon counties

United States 2000 Census

The United States Census of year 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census. This was the twenty second federal census and the largest peacetime effort in the history of the United States. The U.S. resident population includes the total number of people in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The Bureau also enumerated the residents of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; its population was 3,808,610, an 8.1 percent increase over the number from a decade earlier.

Population profile

In an introduction to a more detailed population profile (see references below), the Census Bureau highlighted the following facts about U.S population dynamics:
- 75.1 percent of respondents said they were White and no other race;
- Hispanics - who may belong to any race - accounted for 12.5 percent of the U.S. population, up from 9 percent in 1990;
- Between 1990 and 2000, the population aged 45 to 54 grew by 49 percent and those aged 85 and older grew 38 percent;
- Women outnumber men two to one among those aged 85 and older;
- Almost one in five adults had some type of disability in 1997 and the likelihood of having a disability increased with age;
- Families (as opposed to men or women living alone) still dominate American households, but less so than they did thirty years ago;
- Since 1993, both families and nonfamilies have seen median household incomes rise, with "households headed by a woman without a spouse present" growing the fastest;
- People in married-couple families have the lowest poverty rates;
- The poor of any age are more likely than others to lack health insurance coverage;
- The number of elementary and high school students in 2000 fell just short of the all-time high of 49 million reached in 1970;
- Improvements in educational attainment cross racial and ethnic lines; and
- The majority (51%) of U.S. households have access to computers; 41% have Internet access.

Population breakdown

The most-populous state in the country was California (33,871,648); the least populous was Wyoming (493,782). The state that gained the most numerically since the 1990 census was California, up 4,111,627. Nevada had the highest percentage growth in population, climbing 66.3 percent (796,424 people) since 1990.

Changes in population

Regionally, the South and West picked up the bulk of the nation's population increase, 14,790,890 and 10,411,850, respectively. This meant that the mean center of U.S. population moved to Phelps County, Missouri. The Northeast grew by 2,785,149; the Midwest, by 4,724,144. Image:2000-census-percent-change.jpg Image:2000-census-numeric-change.jpg

Languages spoken at home

The Modern Language Association provides a website with overviews and detailed data about the locations and numbers of speakers of thirty languages and seven groups of less commonly spoken languages in the United States. Languages other than English are spoken at home by 46,951,595 respondents or 17.88% of people who are at least five years old. Below are the top languages spoken at home. Percentage is with respect to the number of people reported language other than English. Languages that contribute over 1% are listed. #Spanish or Spanish Creole (59.85%) #French or French Creole (4.47%) #Chinese (4.31%) #German (2.95%) #Tagalog (2.61%) #Vietnamese (2.15%) #Italian (2.15%) #Korean (1.90%) #Russian (1.50%) #Polish (1.42%) #Arabic (1.31%) #Portuguese or Portuguese Creole (1.20%) #Japanese (1.02%) (Note that our ranking differs from the MLA website because we combine French and French Creole.)

Reapportionment

The results of the census are used to determine how many congressional districts each state is apportioned. Congress defines the formula, in accordance with Title 2 of the U.S. Code, to reapportion among the states the 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives. The apportionment population consists of the resident population of the fifty states, plus the overseas military and federal civilian employees and their dependents living with them who could be allocated to a state. Each member of the House represents a population of about 647,000. The populations of the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico are excluded from the apportionment population because they do not have voting seats in the U. S. House of Representatives. Since 1790 Census, the first census, the decennial count has been the basis for the United States representative form of government. In 1790, each member of the House represented about 34,000 residents. Since then, the House has more than quadrupled in size, and each member represents about 19 times as many constituents. Image:2000-census-reapportionment.jpg

External links and references

United States Census Bureau web pages

- [http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html Census 2000 gateway]
- [http://www.census.gov/population/www/pop-profile/profile2000.html Population Profile of the United States: 2000]
- [http://www.census.gov/population/pop-profile/2000/profile2000.ppt Population Profile Introductory slide show], in MS Powerpoint format
- [http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/ State and County QuickFacts], the most requested information
- [http://factfinder.census.gov American FactFinder], for population, housing, economic, and geographic data

Other 2000 census websites

- [http://www.mla.org/census_main MLA Language Map] from the Modern Language Association
- [http://people.howstuffworks.com/census.htm How the Census Works] Category:Demographics of the United States Category:National censuses

Stumptown

"Stumptown" is a nickname for Portland, Oregon, coined in a period of phenomenal growth in the city after 1847. Portland was growing so rapidly that the stumps of trees cut down to make way for roads were left until manpower could be spared to remove them. In some areas, the stumps remained for so long that locals painted them white to make them more visible, and used them to cross the street without sinking into the mud. Stumptown Coffee is an independent coffee roaster and retailer located in Portland, Oregon. The chain's flagship store on SE 45th and Division opened in 1999, and two other stores have since opened in Portland. The coffee is remarkable for the strength and thickness of its "standard" brew, probably owing to a policy of serving French pressed coffee for its standard brew. The Stumptown Comics Fest is an annual celebration of comic art, held also in Portland. Special guest exhibitors have included Derek Kirk Kim (Same Difference, and Other Stories), R Stevens (Diesel Sweeties), and local Portlanders such as Shannon Wheeler (Too Much Coffee Man).

External links

- [http://www.stumptowncoffee.com Stumptown Coffee]
- [http://www.pdxcomix.com/ Stumptown Comics Fest] Category:Portland, Oregon

River City

Fiction

- River City (television series) is a soap opera produced by BBC Scotland.
- River City is a fictional city set in Iowa in The Music Man.
- River City is a fictional city in American and European versions of River City Ransom, a Nintendo video game released in 1989.

Places

River city is also a nickname for many cities including:
- Austin, Texas (USA)
- Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan (Indonesia)
- Brisbane, Queensland (Australia)
- Chongqing (China)
- Jacksonville, Florida (USA)
- Louisville, Kentucky (USA)
- Portland, Oregon (USA)
- Richmond, Virginia (USA)
- Sacramento, California (USA)
- San Antonio, Texas (USA)
- Grand Rapids, Michigan (USA)
- Wanganui (New Zealand)
- Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada) :This list is incomplete. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it

Portland International Airport

:For the airport of Portland, Maine, see Portland International Jetport :For the drug