West Linn, Oregon

Infobox Settlement
official_name = West Linn, Oregon
settlement_type = City
nickname =
motto = City of Hills, Trees and Rivers

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imagesize = 250px
image_caption = West Linn City Hall

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image_

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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 = County
subdivision_name2 = Clackamas
government_type =
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Norm King
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = 1913
area_magnitude =
area_total_sq_mi = 7.9
area_total_km2 = 20.5
area_land_sq_mi = 7.4
area_land_km2 = 19.1
area_water_sq_mi = 0.5
area_water_km2 = 1.3
area_urban_sq_mi =
area_urban_km2 =
area_metro_sq_mi =
area_metro_km2 =
population_as_of = 2006
population_note =
population_total = 24180
population_metro =
population_urban =
population_density_km2 = 1163.1
population_density_sq_mi = 3013.7
timezone = Pacific
utc_offset = -8
timezone_DST = Pacific
utc_offset_DST = -7
latd = 45 |latm = 21 |lats = 55 |latNS = N
longd = 122 |longm = 38 |longs = 28 |longEW = W
elevation_m = 32
elevation_ft = 105
website = [http://westlinnoregon.gov westlinnoregon.gov]
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 97068
area_code = 503
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 41-80150GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1128884GR|3
footnotes =

West Linn is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. Now a prosperous southern suburb of Portland, West Linn has a history of early development, prompted by the opportunity to harvest energy from the Willamette Falls. It was named after Senator Dr. Lewis Fields Linn of Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, who had advocated the American occupation of Oregon as a counterclaim to the British. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 22,261. The 2006 estimate is 24,180 residents. [http://www.pdx.edu/media/p/r/PRC_Certified_Cities_2006.pdf PSU:Population Research Center] ]

History

Major Robert Moore arrived in 1839 having been the senior member of the first attempt to create an American colony in Oregon, the Peoria Party. His title stems from his military service in the War of 1812, where he served in the Pennsylvania militia, possibly as a battlefield surgeon. Sometime after journeying around the Willamette Valley and Columbia Basin, Moore bought title to approx. 1,000 acres (4 km²) on the west side of Willamette Falls, across the Willamette River from Oregon City, from a local Native American chief named Wanax-ha, on which he platted a town known as the "Robin's Nest" in early 1843. He also filed a provisional claim with the then government of the Oregon Country, not knowing if his unique transaction would be honored by the eventual governing laws. The later Territorial Legislature of Oregon voted to rename it Linn City on December 22, 1845 as a memorial to Senator Dr. Lewis Fields Linn after whom Linn County is also named. Dr. Linn was a neighbor and family friend of the Moores from their time as settlers in the early Missouri Territory.

For many years Linn City was an intense political and commercial rival to the adjacent town of Oregon City, but it suffered a series of natural and manmade setbacks, including Moore's death in September 1857. A great flood put an end to the pioneer settlement in November, 1861, dispersing many of the surviving family members throughout the Pacific Northwest. Decades later, however, the seminal village site was redeveloped as a locked canal and industrial complex; the descendant companies still function to this day.

The current West Linn, incorporated in 1913 and merged with the adjacent town of Willamette in 1916, includes the former townsites/developments of Bolton, Multnomah City, Sunset City, and West Oregon City. Willamette had priorly been incorporated as a town in 1908. [ [http://www.westlinntidings.com/news/story.php?story_id=121442031931979700 photographing HISTORY] ]

Recent events

In the early 2000s, West Linn politics were marked by conflict between advocates of fairly strict constraints on growth and their more pro-growth adversaries. From the November 2000 to the November 2004 elections, a strict constraint advocate, David Dodds, held office as Mayor and was supported by a city council generally having similar thinking and which included current (2004-?) Mayor Norm King. In the 2004 elections, however, this group was swept out of office by a different slate led by Mayor Norm King and former city manager Scott Burgess. With other like-minded city councilors they brought a more aggressive approach to city planning. The King council also referred several measures allowing annexation of "island" properties within the city limits. The Dodds-led city government also hired John Ellison as police chief. Chief Ellison was quickly embroiled in controversy as several police officers left the force and accepted employment elsewhere. In 2005, after two and a half years on the job Mayor King accepted Mr. Ellison's resignation.

A number of embezzlement cases were discovered by the new administration and council in 2006, [ [http://www.westlinntidings.com/news/story.php?story_id=115637115086588100 WL needs a few good managers ] ] with the largest involving the embezzlement of $1.4 million by the finance manager, [ [http://www.westlinntidings.com/news/story.php?story_id=116001108116061600 City cheat pleads guilty ] ] who was on a first-name basis with the staff of the Spirit Mountain Casino, about 50 miles away. Although Oregon law requires that municipal accounts be audited yearly, the City of West Linn had discontinued these audits in 2002. Regular audits are only now being reinstated, after the completion of a forensic auditor's investigation into the missing funds. [http://www.ci.west-linn.or.us/Information/CityDocuments/NewsReleases/Forensicaudit.pdf]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.9 square miles (20.5 km²), of which, 7.4 square miles (19.1 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (6.57%) is water.

West Linn is located between the Willamette and Tualatin rivers with hills rising, sometimes rapidly, from the river banks. The area near the two rivers was, generally speaking, settled first, with later development climbing the more inland hills. Barrington Heights is an inland area of expansive mansions whereas the Willamette District, near the spot where the Tualatin river flows into the Willamette river, features older homes and commercial buildings, some of which are historic.

The Nature Conservancy maintains the Camassia Natural Area in central West Linn. [ [http://nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/oregon/preserves/art6795.html Camassia Natural Area] ] The area features fields of camas, an important food source for the local Native Americans, and a diverse array of other plants, including rare species.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 22,261 people, 8,161 households, and 6,275 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,013.7 people per square mile (1,163.1/km²). There were 8,697 housing units at an average density of 1,177.4/sq mi (454.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.32% White, 0.54% African American, 0.35% Native American, 2.91% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.74% from other races, and 2.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.87% of the population.

There were 8,161 households out of which 41.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.5% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.1% were non-families. 18.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the city the population was spread out with 29.0% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 7.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $72,010, and the median income for a family was $83,252. Males had a median income of $61,458 versus $38,733 for females. The per capita income for the city was $34,671. About 2.9% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

Media

*"West Linn Tidings"

Notable residents

* Steve Blake [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/13/AR2007071302255.html Guard Steve Blake Returning to Blazers - washingtonpost.com] ] - Basketball player
* Darlene Hooley - United States Congresswoman
* Fred Jones - Basketball player for the New York Knicks
* Cade McNown - Football player
* Anthony Newman - Football player
* Joel PrzybillaFact|date=September 2008 - Basketball player
* Brandon Roy [ [http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2003298624_kelley11.html?syndication=rss] ] - Basketball player
* Mitch Williams [ [http://www.westlinntidings.com/sports/story.php?story_id=115221003060644000 West Linn High inducts first Hall of Fame] ] - Baseball player

References

External links

* [http://westlinnoregon.gov City of West Linn]
* [http://www.westlinnchamber.com/ West Linn Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.westlinnartscommission.org/ West Linn Arts Commission]
* [http://bluebook.state.or.us/local/cities/sy/westlinn.htm Oregon Blue Book listing for West Linn]