| Heppner, Oregon | |
|---|---|
| — City — | |
| Heppner, Oregon from above Willow Creek Lake | |
| Nickname(s): Gateway to the Blues | |
| Location in Oregon | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Morrow |
| Incorporated | 1887 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Les Paustian |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.2 sq mi (3.2 km2) |
| • Land | 1.2 sq mi (3.2 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,955 ft (595.9 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 1,395 |
| • Density | 1,138.5/sq mi (437.9/km2) |
| Time zone | Pacific (UTC-8) |
| • Summer (DST) | Pacific (UTC-7) |
| ZIP code | 97836 |
| Area code(s) | 458 and 541 |
| FIPS code | 41-33550[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1121763[2] |
| Website | www.cityofheppner.com |
The city of Heppner is the county seat of Morrow County, Oregon, United States. It was originally called Standsbury Flat for George W. Standsbury, one of the first white settlers in the area. It was later renamed to honor Henry Heppner, a Jewish pioneer who opened the first general store there in 1873. The population was 1,395 at the 2000 census.
Heppner is part of the Pendleton–Hermiston Micropolitan Statistical Area.
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Heppner was designated the temporary county seat at the time Morrow County was created and narrowly defeated Lexington in the election held in 1886 to determine the permanent county seat. It was incorporated the following year.
Heppner was almost destroyed by a flash flood on June 14, 1903.[3] The flood was precipitated by a sudden cloudburst and accompanying hail that caused a debris dam collapse and flash flooding, notably on Willow Creek.[3] A wall of water and debris swept down the creeks and canyons and through the city. It has been estimated that 238 people (a quarter of the city's population) drowned, making it the deadliest natural disaster in Oregon's history.[3] Property damage was reported at nearly $1,000,000. The nearby cities of Ione and Lexington also sustained significant damage.[3] In 1983, the Willow Creek Dam at the outskirts of the city was finished.[3]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km2), all of it land.[4]
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,395 people, 583 households, and 398 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,138.5 people per square mile (437.9/km²). There were 660 housing units at an average density of 538.7 per square mile (207.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.70% White, 1.00% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 1.51% from other races, and 0.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.58% of the population.
There were 583 households out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.6% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 100.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,421, and the median income for a family was $42,500. Males had a median income of $37,381 versus $20,714 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,729. About 11.1% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.9% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.
Heppner is well-known in the region for its annual "A Wee Bit O'Ireland" celebration around St. Patrick's Day.[5][6]
Heppner is served by the Morrow School District, which includes Heppner Junior/Senior High School and Heppner Elementary.[7]
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