Copalis Beach, Washington
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Copalis Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. The population was 489 at the 2000 census.
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[edit] Geography
Copalis Beach is located at (47.117784, -124.178435)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 9.8 km² (3.8 mi²). 9.6 km² (3.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (2.63%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 489 people, 232 households, and 135 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 51.0/km² (132.0/mi²). There were 484 housing units at an average density of 50.5/km² (130.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 91.00% White, 0.20% African American, 4.70% Native American, 1.43% Asian, and 2.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.43% of the population.
There were 232 households out of which 21.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.4% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.67.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 19.6% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 20.0% from 25 to 44, 32.1% from 45 to 64, and 23.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $33,194, and the median income for a family was $33,807. Males had a median income of $45,694 versus $20,156 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $17,437. About 17.3% of families and 17.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.9% of those under age 18 and 16.3% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] History
The Indian tribe Copalis belonged to the coastal division of the Salishan linguistic family and occupied the area of Copalis River and the Pacific Coast between the mouth of Joe Creek and Grays Harbor. In 1805 Lewis and Clark estimated a population of 200 Copalis in 10 houses. The 5 individuals assigned to a "Chepalis" tribe in an enumeration given by Olson of the year 1888 probably refers to them.
First white people settled in the 1890's. Copalis and the beach of the same name, have become famed as the "Home of the razor clam." The fame seems justified. The community sits near the northern end of probably the greatest razor clam bed in the world for the flavor renowned variety abounds, apparently only in the Pacific Northwest, and particularly on Copalis Beach. During the commercial season, Copalis' normal population of about 350 persons, leaped four-fold.
During 1947 and 1948, commercial diggers took more than a million pounds of bi-valves from Copalis Beach, earned themselves approximately $200,000.00 and brought huge additional sums to cannery men and workers. Tourists dug thousands of pounds more. But the clam is not Copalis' only drawing card. The beach is ideal for bathers, and motorists can drive their cars along miles of hard packed sand. In fact, before the highway came, all supplies were shipped by boat to Oyehut and hauled to Copalis over the same beach.
[edit] External links
- Maps and aerial photos
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- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
