Sherwood, Oregon

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Coordinates: 45°21′25″N, 122°50′36″W
Sherwood, Oregon
Location in Oregon
County	Washington County
Incorporated	1893
Government
- Mayor	Keith Mays
Area
- City	10.5 km² (4.1 sq mi)
- Land	10.5 km² (4.1 sq mi)
- Water	0 km² (0 sq mi)
Elevation	58.8 m (193 ft)
Population (2006)
- City	16,115
- Density	1,534.8/km² (3,930.5/sq mi)
Time zone	Pacific (UTC-8)
- Summer (DST)	Pacific (UTC-7)
Website: http://www.ci.sherwood.or.us

Sherwood is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States. It is a residential community in the Tualatin Valley southwest of Portland. The population was 11,791 at the 2000 census. The 2006 estimate is 16,115 residents.^[1]

1 History
2 Geography
3 Demographics
4 Schools
5 External links
6 References

[edit] History

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The area was inhabited by the Atfalati band of the Kalapuya people prior to western settlers arriving in 1853.^{[citation needed]}

During the early years of settlement, farmers had to grow nearly everything they needed; twice a year they would undertake the 3-day journey to Portland for staples such as sugar, salt, and syrup.

The name of the town comes from a declination of naming the town after resident J.C. Smock. In 1885, Smock gave a right-of-way on his property to the Portland and Willamette Valley railroad. He and his wife Mary Ellen Sebastian platted the town in 1889, the same year rail service began. Tradition has it that no one, not even the town's founders, liked the name "Smock Ville," and so a public meeting was held to rename the town. A prominent businessman, Robert Alexander, suggested the name "Sherwood." According to Post Office records, Alexander was from Sherwood, Michigan, and this was the town that was named after Sherwood Forest England. The U. S. Postal Department began sending mail to the Town of Sherwood, Oregon on July 5, 1891. Smock was the first postmaster. Sherwood was incorporated under Oregon Senate Bill 36 in 1893.

The main industry in the 1890s was a brick yard supplying building material to Portland. The buildings in the current day area of Old Town were built during this period. After the brickyard closed in 1895, the economy was based on fruit and vegetable canning and a tannery. Manufacturing is the city's main industry today.

The population of the city in 1911 was 350 within a 1 square mile city limit. In 2004, the population had grown to 14,050 people and 4.5 square miles.

[edit] Geography

Sherwood is located at 45°21′25″N, 122°50′36″W (45.357024, -122.843261).^GR1

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.5 km² (4.1 mi²), all land.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 11,791 people, 4,253 households, and 3,300 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,118.6/km² (2,895.5/mi²). There were 4,412 housing units at an average density of 418.5/km² (1,083.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.36% White, 0.43% African American, 0.51% Native American, 2.22% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.76% from other races, and 2.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.72% of the population.

Coffee shop in downtown Sherwood

There were 4,253 households out of which 46.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.7% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.4% were non-families. 17.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the city the population was spread out with 31.7% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 41.2% from 25 to 44, 16.4% from 45 to 64, and 5.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.9 males.

Portland State University's Population Research Center estimates the population at July 1, 2005 at 14,940.

The median income for a household in the city was $62,518, and the median income for a family was $67,277. Males had a median income of $47,920 versus $33,657 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,793. About 1.5% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Schools

There are four elementary schools, soon to be five, one middle school, soon to be two, and one high school, Sherwood High School, in Sherwood. Each elementary school holds around 600 students and the high school has an enrollment of 900.