Steilacoom, Washington

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Steilacoom is a town in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 6,049 at the 2000 census. Steilacoom is on the coast of the Puget Sound, on a branch not visible on the map to the right. Steilacoom was the first town incorporated in Washington State. It was the birthplace of country singer Lila McCann.

Based on per capita income, one of the more reliable measures of affluence, Steilacoom ranks 61st of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked. The Steilacoom School District #1[1] consists of Cherrydale Primary School, Saltar's Point Elementary School, Harriet Taylor Elementary School, Anderson Island School, Chloe Clark Elementary School, Pioneer Middle School, and Steilacoom High School.

1 History
2 First Oberlin Congregational Church
3 Geography
4 Demographics
5 External links

[edit] History

Steilacoom was founded by Lafayette Balch, a sea captain from Maine, and officially incorporated in 1854. It is the oldest incorporated town in Washington State and has 32 buildings and sites listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, including the oldest Catholic Church in the state and the first Protestant Church north of the Columbia River. A leading candidate for territorial capital and one-time seat of Pierce County, Steilacoom lost its chance for dominance in the south Puget Sound region when the Northern Pacific railroad picked rival Tacoma instead for its west coast terminus in 1873. Steilacoom has since settled into its role of suburban bedroom community.

Steilacoom had the first jail in Washington and the first sawmill. Steilacoom is also home to one of two major state run mental health facilities, Western State Hospital, on the site of what was once Fort Steilacoom.

[edit] First Oberlin Congregational Church

Image:OberlinChurch.jpg

First Oberlin Congregational Church in Steilacoom, est. 1883

A Brief history of the Oberlin Congregational Church of Steilacoom

[2] Information is provided by Rudy Horst of the Oberlin Congregational Church in Steilacoom.

Since 1883, the Oberlin Congregational Church has served as Steilacoom's Protestant Church. The church was established and incorporated with eight charter members, including Arthur Burnell who served as the first minister. The vacant Presbyterian Mission, purchased with the help of the American Home Mission board, served as the first building. Then the name "Oberlin" was chosen and the by-laws of the church at Oberlin, Ohio, were adopted with slight amendments.

In 1902 the church membership voted to build a new church. The old church was torn down and its lumber used in the new building. It is reported that timbers from the old Methodist Episcopal Church built in 1854 were also used. The two-story frame building, complete with steeple, was dedicated on June 2 and 3, 1893 with members of the First Congregational Church in Tacoma riding the electric streetcar to Steilacoom to join in the festivities.

For many years Oberlin Church shared its minister with the congregations of nearby Lakeview and Lake City. In 1915 the church asked the Home Missionary Society for a loan of $144.00 to buy Reverend Charles Gaffney a motorcycle for traveling between Steilacoom and the other churches he served. The Reverend Herbert West became the first full time minister, serving from 1926 to 1951.

Through the lean years it was the Ladies Aid who kept the Oberlin Church operating. The various fund raisers, potlucks, bazaars, and other social events enabled the church to purchase property paint and paper the parsonage, pay the minister's salary and furnish the church.

As the community and the church continued to grow during the 1950's, the decision was made in 1960 to build a new church at the corner of Rainier and Pacific Streets. The first phase was completed in 1961, the second in 1978 with the additions of a Fellowship Hall, Sunday school rooms, offices and kitchen.

In April 1983, Oberlin Congregational Church celebrated its Centennial Year. During those 100 years, twenty-eight ministers served the congregation. Where once a small group of parishioners took turns maintaining and repairing the church building, now a paid staff of several people, carry out the church's business.

Oberlin has a membership of nearly 300 and continues to reach out to the community and the surrounding area with its message of the gospel. As Steilacoom's oldest "pioneer" corporation, it joins Washington State in its sesquicentennial celebration.

[edit] Geography

Steilacoom is located at 47°10′12″N, 122°35′40″W (47.170019, -122.594349)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 5.4 km² (2.1 mi²). 5.4 km² (2.1 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (1.43%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 6,049 people, 2,570 households, and 1,721 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,128.3/km² (2,916.9/mi²). There were 2,674 housing units at an average density of 498.8/km² (1,289.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 78.46% White, 6.70% African American, 0.84% Native American, 5.87% Asian, 0.61% Pacific Islander, 1.65% from other races, and 5.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.41% of the population.

In the town the population was spread out with 22.8% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $46,113, and the median income for a family was $54,725. Males had a median income of $40,505 versus $34,136 for females. The per capita income for the town was $27,124. About 6.9% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.0% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.