Clatsop County, Oregon
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Clatsop County is a county located in the state of Oregon. The county was named for the Clatsop tribe of Native Americans, who lived along the coast of the Pacific Ocean prior to European settlement. As of 2000, the population is 35,630.
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Economy
The principal industries of Clatsop County are fishing, lumber, and agriculture. About 30% of the lands within the county boundaries belong to the state of Oregon, as part of the state forests. The Port of Astoria was created in 1914 to support trade and commerce.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,809 km² (1,085 mi²). 2,143 km² (827 mi²) of it is land and 667 km² (258 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 23.74% water.
Adjacent Counties
- Columbia County, Oregon - (east)
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 35,630 people, 14,703 households, and 9,454 families residing in the county. The population density is 17/km² (43/mi²). There are 19,685 housing units at an average density of 9/km² (24/mi²). The racial makeup of the county is 93.14% White, 0.52% Black or African American, 1.03% Native American, 1.21% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 1.64% from other races, and 2.30% from two or more races. 4.48% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 14,703 households out of which 28.50% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.60% are married couples living together, 9.70% have a female householder with no husband present, and 35.70% are non-families. 29.50% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.70% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.35 and the average family size is 2.88.
In the county, the population is spread out with 23.70% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 25.30% from 25 to 44, 26.60% from 45 to 64, and 15.60% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 40 years. For every 100 females there are 97.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 95.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county is $36,301, and the median income for a family is $44,575. Males have a median income of $32,153 versus $22,479 for females. The per capita income for the county is $19,515. 13.20% of the population and 9.10% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 16.80% of those under the age of 18 and 8.00% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
History
The Lewis and Clark Expedition stayed for the winter of 1805-6 in the area of the future county at Fort Clatsop. Astoria, Oregon's oldest city, was established as a fur trading post in 1811 and named after John Jacob Astor.
Clatsop County was created from the northern and western portions of the original Twality District on June 22, 1844. Until the creation of Vancouver County five days later, Clatsop County extended north across the Columbia into present-day Washington. The Provisional and Territorial Legislatures further altered Clatsop County's boundaries in 1845 and 1853.
Before 1850 most of Clatsop County's government activity occurred in Lexington, a community located where Warrenton is now. However, commercial and social activities came to center on Astoria as that city grew, and an election in 1854 chose Astoria to be the new county seat.
Fort Stevens, located near the peninsula formed by the south shore of the Columbia river and the Pacific Ocean, became the only continental US military installation attacked in World War II, when when submarine I-25 of the Imperial Japanese Navy fired 17 rounds at the base June 21, 1942, then escaped before the 10-inch shore guns could return fire. While the damage caused was slight (reportedly only a baseball backstop was damaged and a powerline severed), the presence of the enemy ship sowed panic along the Pacific coast of the United States.
Cities and towns
| State of Oregon | 
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| Regions Columbia River Gorge and Plateau | Eastern Oregon | Inland Empire | Mt. Hood Corridor | Oregon Coast | Western Oregon | Willamette Valley | |||
| Counties | Largest cities (full list) | ||
| Baker | Benton | Clackamas | Clatsop | Columbia | Coos | Crook | Curry | Deschutes | Douglas | Gilliam | Grant | Harney | Hood River | Jackson | Jefferson | Josephine | Klamath | Lake | Lane | Lincoln | Linn | Malheur | Marion | Morrow | Multnomah | Polk | Sherman | Tillamook | Umatilla | Union | Wallowa | Wasco | Washington | Wheeler | Yamhill | Albany | Beaverton | Bend | Corvallis | Eugene | Grants Pass | Gresham | Hillsboro | Keizer | Lake Oswego | McMinnville | Medford | Milwaukie | Oregon City | Portland | Salem | Springfield | Tigard | Tualatin | West Linn | ||