Sweet Home, Oregon

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Sweet Home, Oregon
Location in Oregon
Location in Oregon
Coordinates: 44°24′2″N, 122°42′57″W
County Linn County
Incorporated 1893
Mayor Craig Fentiman
Area  
 - City 14.9 km²  (5.8 sq mi)
 - Land 13.8 km²  (5.3 sq mi)
 - Water 1.1 km² (0.4 sq mi)
Elevation 163.68 m  (537 ft)
Population  
 - City (2000) 8,016
 - Density 580.7/km² (0.4/sq mi)
Time zone Pacific (UTC-8)
 - Summer (DST) Pacific (UTC-7)
Website: http://www.ci.sweet-home.or.us

Sweet Home is a city in Linn County, Oregon, United States. The population was 8,016 at the 2000 census.

Contents

[edit] History

The Sweet Home Valley of the South Santiam River was first settled in 1851. By 1865 a freight wagon and livestock toll road extended from the Sweet Home Valley across the Santiam Pass of the Cascade Mountains to Camp Polk in Central Oregon. The Santiam Wagon Road was a vital means of supplying livestock and goods from the Willamette Valley to Central Oregon and transporting wool from east of the Cascade Mountains back to Western Oregon woolen mills. The wagon road collected tolls until around 1921. Competition with railroads that extended south from the Columbia River into Central Oregon and the newly opened McKenzie River Pass highway in the 1930's made the wagon road obsolete by around 1939. Later, US Highway 20 was constructed across much the same route as the Santiam Wagon Road. In the 1990's, efforts began to restore abandoned sections of the Santiam Wagon Road to hiking and other recreational activities.

The first community in this Sweet Home Valley was named Buckhead after the name of the Buckland saloon on nearby Ames Creek. Another community a short distance from Buckhead was called Mossville. By the 1880's the two communities had expanded towards each other and the combined village was named Sweet Home. The City of Sweet Home was incorporated in 1893. By the 1980's Sweet Home had expanded to include the community of Foster.

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.9 km² (5.8 mi²). 13.8 km² (5.3 mi²) of it is land and 1.1 km² (0.4 mi²) of it (7.64%) is water.

Sweet home is located near the junction of Oregon State Route 228 and U.S. Route 20.

The Sweet Home region is rich in arsenic, presenting a problem for the residents using the drinking water there. [citation needed]

Sweet home has also expanded to incorporate the community of Holley.

[edit] Demographics

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 8,016 people, 3,063 households, and 2,131 families residing in the city. The population density was 580.7/km² (1,504.4/mi²). There were 3,347 housing units at an average density of 242.5/km² (628.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.64% White, 0.25% Black or African American, 1.66% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 1.00% from other races, and 2.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.09% of the population.

There were 3,063 households out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.4% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.9% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,030, and the median income for a family was $35,833. Males had a median income of $32,866 versus $20,833 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,548. About 14.0% of families and 17.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.1% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Economy

There are 16 manufacturing companies in Sweet Home. [citation needed]

[edit] Weather facts

Monthly Ave. Low: 33°F Monthly Ave. High: 80°F Hottest Month August Coldest Month January Driest Month July Wettest Month November Average annual precipitation: 51.770"

[edit] Population

Total Housing Units 1970 1980 1990 2000 City of Sweet Home 1,672 2,620 2,834 3,380

[edit] Media

[edit] Points of interest

  • Green Peter Dam
  • Oregon Jamboree
  • Quartzville Back Country Byway

[edit] External links

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