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Lake Oswego (IPA: ) is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. (Small parts of the city extend into Multnomah County to the north and Washington County to the west.*) It is located south of Portland and surrounds the private 405-acre (1.6 km²) Oswego Lake. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 35,278. Lake Oswego is notable for its reputation as one of the most affluent suburbs of Portland. In 2000, the city had a median income of $71,597, up from $57,499 in 1990. Additionally, like the rest of the Portland metropolitan area, house prices have grown rapidly (as of June 2006); the median value in 2000 was $296,200, over twice what it was in 1990 ($142,600). The city has some of the highest valued real estate in the state, particularly the homes overlooking the lake.
Early history The Clackamas Indians had occupied the land now known as Lake Oswego, but diseases transmitted by European explorers and traders decimated the tribes. Prior to the influx of population via the Oregon Trail, the area between the Willamette River and Tualatin River had a scattering of early pioneer homesteads and farms. 19th century As settlers arrived, encouraged by the Donation Land Claim Act of 1850 and the subsequent Homestead Act, they found the land under-occupied. Albert Alonzo Durham founded the town of Oswego in 1847, naming it after his New York birthplace. He also built a saw mill on Sucker Creek (now Oswego Creek), the town's first industry. In 1855, the federal government forcibly relocated the remaining Clackamas Indians to the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation in nearby Yamhill County. During this early period in Oregon history, most trade proceeded from Portland to Oregon City via the Willamette River, and up the Tualatin River Valley through Tualatin, Scholls, and Hillsboro. The thick woods and rain-muddied roads were major obstacles to traveling by land. Along the rivers of this area can still be seen the vestiges of river landings, ferry stops, and covered bridges of this period. A landing in the city's present-day George Rogers Park is thought to have been developed by Durham around 1850 for lumber transport; another landing was near the Tryon Creek outlet into the Willamette. In 1865, prompted by the earlier discovery of iron ore in the Tualatin Valley, the Oregon Iron Company was incorporated. Within two years the first blast furnace on the west coast was built, patterned after the arched furnaces common in northwestern Connecticut. Other companies such as the Oswego Iron Company and Oregon Iron and Steel Company (OI&S) followed, collectively intent on making Oswego into the Pittsburgh of the West. The railroad arrived in Oswego in 1886, in the form of the Portland and Willamette Valley Railroad (P&WVR). A seven-mile-long line provided Oswego with a direct link to Portland. Prior to this, access to the town was limited to primitive roads and river boats. The railroad's arrival was a mixed blessing; locally, it promoted residential development along its path, which enabled Oswego to grow beyond its industrial roots. But nationally, the continued expansion of freight railroad system gave easy local access to cheaper and higher quality iron from the Great Lakes region. This ultimately led to the local industry's demise. By 1890, the industry had the capacity to produce 12,305 tons of pig iron, and at its peak provided employment to around 300 men. The success of this industry greatly stimulated the development of Oswego, which by this time had four general stores, a bank, two barber shops, two hotels, three churches, nine saloons, a drugstore, and even an opera house. The iron industry was a vital part of a strategy designed by a few Portland financiers who strove to control all related entrepreneurial ventures in the late 1800s. Control of shipping and railroads was held under the Oregon Steam Navigation Company, later to become the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company. This local monopoly responded to the area's increasing demand for iron and steel, and grew to play a key role in economic history throughout the area. (See also Simeon Gannett Reed, Henry Villard.) 20th century OI&S adopted to the new century by undertaking programs in land development, selling large tracts of the 24,000 acres (97 km²) it owned, and power, building a plant on Oswego Creek starting in 1905, and erecting power poles in subsequent years to supply power to Oswego citizens. With the water needs of the smelters tailing off, the recreational potential of the lake and town was freed to develop rapidly. Oswego incorporated in 1910. The Southern Pacific Railroad, which had acquired the P&WVR line at the end of the 19th century, widened it from narrow to standard gauge and in 1914 electrified it, providing rapid, clean, and quiet service between Oswego and Portland. Passenger traffic hit its peak in 1920 with 64 trains to and from Portland daily. Within nine years of the peak, passenger service ended and the line was used for intermittent freight service to Portland's south waterfront up until its abandonment in 1984. The line was preserved, however and the Willamette Shore Trolley provides tourist rides on the line today. One of the land developers benefitting from sales by OI&S was Paul Murphy, whose Oswego Lake Country Club helped promote the new city as a place to "live where you play." Murphy was instrumental in developing the first water system to supply the western reaches of the city, and also played a key role in encouraging the design of fine homes in the 1930s and 1940s that ultimately would establish Oswego as an attractive place to live. In the 1940s and 1950s, continued development helped spread Oswego's residential areas. In 1960, Oswego annexed part of neighboring Lake Grove and was renamed Lake Oswego. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 28.4 km² (10.9 mi²). 26.8 km² (10.4 mi²) of it is land and 1.6 km² (0.6 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 5.57% water. Oswego Lake is a private artificial lake managed by the Lake Oswego Corporation. * A house with a view of Oswego Lake, or better yet a house that backs onto the lake, is likely to be very expensive and much sought after. This lake is navigable, and on a weekend, many small boats may be found plying its waters. There is a dock at the east end of the lake, where boaters can dock, disembark and go to the nearby movie theater or a nearby restaurant. Canals extending from the lake were dug by Chinese immigrants in the early part of the century. Once a year, the water level in the lake is lowered by allowing water to flow through the canals to the Willamette River. Demographics As of the census of 2000, there are 35,278 people in the city, organized into 14,769 households, and 9,658 families. The population density is 1,316.0/km² (3,409.7/mi²). There are 15,741 housing units at an average density of 587.2/km² (1,521.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 97.13% White, 0.57% Asian, 0.05% Black or African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 0.71% from other races, and 2.47% from two or more races. 2.32% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 14,769 households out of which 32.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% are married couples living together, 6.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% are non-families. 27.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 7.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.38 and the average family size is 2.95. In the city the population is spread out with 24.8% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 31.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 41 years. For every 100 females there are 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 88.2 males. The median income for a household in the city is $71,597, and the median income for a family is $94,587. Males have a median income of $66,380 versus $41,038 for females. The per capita income for the city is $42,166. 3.4% of the population and 2.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 2.0% of those under the age of 18 and 4.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. City government The city has a council-manager form of government, which vests policy-making authority in an elected, volunteer city council. The council consists of a mayor and six councilors, all of whom are elected at-large and serve four-year terms. Day-to-day operations are handled by an appointed, professional city manager. Almost all of the city's employees, which include part-time staff amounting to approximately 330 full-time equivalents, report to the city manager. This includes the police chief, fire chief, two assistant city managers, and the community development director. The biggest groups are: Civic involvement Neighborhood associations play a formal role for citizen involvement in the city government's land-use planning and other activities. A neighborhood association's role is governed by state and city law. As of February 2005, there are nineteen recognized neighborhood associations, with four more in the process of formation. From west to east, north to south, they are: The Mountain Park neighborhood, located between Oak Creek and Holly Orchard on its west side and Forest Highlands and Uplands on its east, has a homeowner's association serving the role of neighborhood association for its residents. The following statistics summarize other aspects of civic involvement: Neighborhood associations Public schools There are nine elementary schools and two secondary schools in the Lake Oswego School District. There are 305 school instructors responsible for 7,163 students. This amounts to an average of 23 students per instructor. There is a rivalry between the two high schools: Lake Oswego High School (which serves the north side of the lake) and Lakeridge High School (which serves the south side). Cultural and recreational facilities The city maintains 573 acres (2.3 km²) of parks and open spaces. This includes 24 developed parks, one amphitheater, one swim park, one water sports center on the Willamette River, a community center, a public golf course (self-financed), an indoor tennis center, seven outdoor tennis courts, and five picnic shelters. The private Oswego Country Club and neighboring equestrian riding club add to the recreational amenities of the city. Sister cities Lake Oswego has two sister cities: Sources: * * | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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