Albany, Oregon

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Albany, Oregon
settlement_type = City
nickname =
motto =


imagesize =
image_caption =




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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in Oregon


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Oregon
subdivision_type2 = Counties
subdivision_name2 = Linn, Benton
government_type =
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Dan Bedore
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = 1864
area_magnitude =
area_total_sq_mi = 16.1
area_total_km2 = 41.6
area_land_sq_mi = 15.9
area_land_km2 = 41.1
area_water_sq_mi = 0.2
area_water_km2 = 0.5
area_urban_sq_mi =
area_urban_km2 =
area_metro_sq_mi =
area_metro_km2 =
population_as_of = 2007
population_note =
population_total = 47470 (est)
population_metro =
population_urban =
population_density_km2 = 993.3
population_density_sq_mi = 2571.8
timezone = Pacific
utc_offset = -8
timezone_DST = Pacific
utc_offset_DST = -7
latd = 44 |latm = 37 |lats = 49 |latNS = N
longd = 123 |longm = 5 |longs = 46 |longEW = W
elevation_m = 64.1
elevation_ft = 210
website = [http://www.cityofalbany.net www.cityofalbany.net]
postal_code_type = ZIP codes
postal_code = 97321-97322
area_code = 541
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 41-01000GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1116796GR|3
footnotes =

Albany is a city in Benton and Linn Counties in the western part of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in the Willamette Valley and is the county seat of Linn County.GR|6 As of the 2000 census, the city population was 42,280 making it the 12th largest city in Oregon. The population estimate as of 2007 is 47,470. [http://www.pdx.edu/media/p/r/prcCertifiedRelease_07_web_cities.pdf PSU:Population Research Center] ]

History

The city is located at the confluence of the Calapooia River and the Willamette River.Up until the 19th century, the area was inhabited by Kalapuya, a Penutian-speaking Native American people who lived in the middle Willamette Valley.Fact|date=March 2007

The Kalapuya called the area "Takenah", from a word describing the "deep pool where the Calapooia River meets the Willamette River" (and could humorously be translated to "hole in the ground").cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Albany Firsts
work =
publisher = City of Albany, Oregon
date =
url = http://www.ci.albany.or.us/about/history-firsts.php
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-04-18 ] The name may have referred to a location near the confluence of the Calapooia where the current had cut a hole near the bank. cite book
last = McArthur
first = Lewis A.
authorlink = Lewis A. McArthur
coauthors = Lewis L. McArthur
title = Oregon Geographic Names
origyear = 1928
edition = Seventh Edition
year = 2003
publisher = Oregon Historical Society Press
location = Portland, Oregon
id = ISBN 0-87595-277-1
pages = 12] A variation of the place name can also be written as "Tekenah".

The first European settler inside the current city limits of Albany arrived in 1846. Albany was founded by the brothers Walter and Thomas Monteith, a family of early prominence in the area, in 1848, when they bought the claim to the townsite from squatter Hiram Smeed for $400 and a horse. They named the city "Albany", after their hometown in New York.cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = illustrating Four Treatments in Oregon
work =
publisher = National Park Service
date =
url = http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/workingonthepast/case_studies/monteith1.htm
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-02-06 ]

The Monteiths built the first frame house in Albany in 1849. The Monteith House was considered the finest house in Oregon at the time. They opened a general store in their parlor the same year. The first school was built in 1851, and in 1852, the first steamboat arrived and the first flour mill was built.

In 1849, the town of Takenah was established near Albany, and in 1854, the Oregon Legislative Assembly gave the name Takenah to both towns. The name Albany was restored by the legislature in 1855.

Albany post office was established on January 81850 and renamed to "New Albany" on November 41850. The name was changed back to Albany in 1853.

Although Albany replaced the community of Calapooia near Sweet Home as the county seat in 1853,Corning, Howard M. "Dictionary of Oregon History". Binfords & Mort Publishing, 1956.] it was not until 1864 that Albany was incorporated as a city.

In the 1970s Albany attempted to extend its city limits to cover the land to include a zirconium processing plant of Wah Chang Corporation. Wah Chang responded in 1974 by sponsoring a vote to incorporate the desired properties as Millersburg.

Geography and climate

Albany lies in the central part of Oregon's most populated region, the Willamette Valley. Though most of Albany falls within Linn County a portion of it rests on the west side of the Willamette River in Benton County.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.1 square miles. 15.9 sq mi of it is land and 0.2 sq mi of it (1.18%) is water. Albany has 21.7 square miles within the Urban Growth Boundary. [http://www.cityofalbany.net/about/statistics.php]

The climate in Albany ranges from 30/45°F (average daily low/high) in January to 52/84°F in August.Fact|date=May 2008

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 42,280 people, 16,108 households, and 10,808 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,571.8/sq mi. There were 17,374 housing units at an average density of 1,093.8/sq mi. The racial makeup of the city was 91.68% White, 0.53% African American, 1.22% Native American, 1.14% Asian, 0.21% Pacific Islander, 2.65% from other races, and 2.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.09% of the population.

There were 16,108 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $39,409, and the median income for a family was $46,094. Males had a median income of $36,457 versus $24,480 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,570. About 9.3% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.1% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Albany is known as the "rare metals capital of the world", producing zirconium, hafnium and titanium. [ [http://www.netl.doe.gov/careers/community.html NETL: Careers and Fellowships - NETL Community ] ]

Albany is also known as the "grass seed capital of the world". [ [http://www.lee.net/funfacts/ Lee Enterprises Inc.: publishing, newspapers, online, shoppers, classified, specialty publications ] ] Other crops produced include corn, beans, mint, strawberries, and hazelnuts.

The decline of the timber industry and the outsourcing of manufacturing jobs has left Albany with a very high unemployment rate.Fact|date=June 2007

In 2006 PepsiCo purchased 243 acres within the city for a planned Gatorade and Propel manufacturing plant, but the company has placed those plans on hold citing declining growth in production.cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Pepsi officials tell Albany new plant is on ice
work =
publisher = Associated Press
date =
url = http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2007/05/pepsi_officials_tell_albany_ne.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-05-10 ]

Education

Albany is the home of Linn-Benton Community College, and is served by the Greater Albany Public School District, including West Albany High School, and South Albany High School.

The Albany Collegiate Institute was founded in 1867 and served as Albany's higher education institute for 70 years before it was moved to Portland, Oregon and renamed Lewis and Clark College

Transportation

Albany is adjacent to Interstate 5, while Oregon Route 99E runs through it in a north and south direction and U.S. Route 20 runs through it in an east and west direction.

Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Albany from its station at 10th Avenue SW on two routes. Long-haul train route the Coast Starlight (with service from Los Angeles to Seattle) stops in Albany daily in both directions. Amtrak Cascades commuter trains operate between Vancouver, British Columbia and Eugene, Oregon, and serve Albany several times daily in both directions.

Public transportation within Albany is provided by Albany Transit System (ATS). Connections to Corvallis, Oregon are provided by bus service via the Linn-Benton Loop and the Valley Retriever Thruway inter-county bus systems. ATS, the Linn-Benton Loop, and the Valley Retriever all provide bus service to and from the Amtrak station.

Mass media

Newspaper

The primary media outlet is the daily newspaper "Albany Democrat-Herald".

Radio

*KRKT-FM (99.9FM) is a country radio station.
*HOPE (107.9FM) is a Christian contemporary music radio station.
*KGAL (1580 AM) is a news/talk radio station.
*KSHO (920 AM) is an oldies radio station.

Sites of interest

ites

*The Thomas and Walter Monteith House - Originally constructed near the Calapooia River, the Monteith house is one of the oldest buildings in Albany. It has been relocated twice, most recently to downtown Albany where is serves as a museum and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

*The Albany Regional Museum features exhibits about Albany history housed in a historic building originally built by S.E. Young in 1887. [cite web |url= http://www.armuseum.com |title=Albany Regional Museum]

*Historic Downtown Albany includes antique stores, restaurants, Albany Civic Theater, and one of the oldest Carnegie libraries still being used as a library. As of December 2006, a carousel was under construction. [cite web |url= http://www.albanybrassring.com |title= Albany Brass Ring] Downtown Albany is a National Historic District.

*Albany Civic Theater, one of the oldest civic theaters in Oregon, has operated continuously since the opening of its first production on March 2 1951. [ [http://www.albanycivic.org/ Albany Civic Theater] ]

Events

*Northwest Art and Air Festival - An annual festival held at Timber Linn Park.

*River Rhythms - An annual concert series at Montieth Riverpark. The concerts stay in early july and run through mid august.

*Willamette River Festival

*Veterans Day parade - Albany host one of the larges Veterans Day parade in the western United States.

Notable residents

*A Dream Too Late - Christian rock band
*Brad Carter a member of PLA, an American phreaking group
*Daveigh Chase - actress
*Falling Up - Christian rock band
*Gary the Retard - Howard Stern personality
*Kay Roth - Owner of the Philomath Bulletin
*Kutless - Christian rock band
*The Send - Christian rock band
*Mae Yih - Chinese American politician who was the first Asian American member of the Oregon Legislative Assembly

ister cities

Albany has two sister cities [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Oregon Sister Relationships
work =
publisher = Oregon Economic and Community Development Department
date =
url = http://www.econ.state.or.us/oregontrade/sistercities.htm
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-03-03 ] :

*flagicon|Australia Albany, Western Australia, Australia
*flagicon|Japan Tatsuno, Japan

ee also

*Albany Parks & Recreation

References

External links

* [http://www.cityofalbany.net/ City of Albany]
* [http://www.albanychamber.com/ Albany Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.albanyvisitors.com/ Albany Visitors Association]
* [http://bluebook.state.or.us/local/cities/ad/albany.htm Oregon Blue Book entry for Albany]