Lake Oswego, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Lake Oswego is a city located primarily in Clackamas County
in the U.S. state
of Oregon
. Small portions of the city are also located in neighboring Multnomah
and Washington
counties. Located south of Portland
surrounding the 405 acres (1.6 km²) Oswego Lake
, the town was founded in 1847 and incorporated as Oswego in 1910. The city was the hub of Oregon's brief iron industry in the late 19th century and is today an affluent suburb of Portland. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 36,619, a 3.8% increase over the 2000 population of 35,278.
once occupied the land that later became Lake Oswego, but diseases transmitted by European explorers and traders killed most of the natives. Before the influx of non-native people via the Oregon Trail
, the area between the Willamette River
and Tualatin River
had a scattering of early pioneer homesteads and farms.
, they found the land under-occupied.
Albert Alonzo Durham founded the town of Oswego in 1847, naming it
after Oswego, New York
. He built a sawmill on Sucker Creek (now Oswego Creek), the town's first industry.
In 1855, the federal government forcibly relocated the remaining Clackamas Indians to the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation
in nearby Yamhill County
.
During this early period in Oregon history, most trade proceeded from Portland
to Oregon City
via the Willamette River
, and up the Tualatin River
Valley through Tualatin
, Scholls
, and Hillsboro
. The thick woods and rain-muddied roads were major obstacles to traveling by land. Along the rivers of this area can still be seen the vestiges of river landings, ferry
stops, and covered bridge
s of this period. A landing in the city's present-day George Rogers Park is thought to have been developed by Durham around 1850 for lumber transport; another landing was near the Tryon Creek
outlet into the Willamette.
In 1865, prompted by the earlier discovery of iron ore in the Tualatin Valley
, the Oregon Iron Company
was incorporated. Within two years the first blast furnace
on the west coast
was built, patterned after the arched furnaces common in northwestern Connecticut
, and the company set out to make Oswego into the Pittsburgh
of the West. In 1878, the company was sold off to out-of-state owners and renamed the Oswego Iron Company, and in 1882, Portland financiers Simeon Gannett Reed
and Henry Villard
purchased the business and renamed it the Oregon Iron and Steel Company.
The railroad arrived in Oswego in 1886, in the form of the Portland and Willamette Valley Railway. A seven-mile-long line provided Oswego with a direct link to Portland. Prior to this, access to the town was limited to primitive roads and river boats. The railroad's arrival was a mixed blessing; locally, it promoted residential development along its path, which enabled Oswego to grow beyond its industrial roots. But nationally, the continued expansion of freight railroad system gave easy local access to cheaper and higher quality iron from the Great Lakes
region. This ultimately led to the local industry's demise.
By 1890, the industry produced 12,305 tons of pig iron
, and at its peak provided employment to around 300 men. The success of this industry greatly stimulated the development of Oswego, which by this time had four general stores, a bank, two barber shops, two hotels, three churches, nine saloons, a drugstore, and even an opera house.
The iron industry was a vital part of a strategy designed by a few Portland financiers who strove to control all related entrepreneur
ial ventures in the late 19th century. Control of shipping and railroads was held under the Oregon Steam Navigation Company
, later to become the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company. This local monopoly responded to the area's increasing demand for iron and steel, and grew to play a key role in economic history throughout the area.
The Oregon Iron and Steel Company adapted to the new century by undertaking programs in land development, selling large tracts of the 24000 acres (97.1 km²) it owned, and power, building a plant on Oswego Creek starting in 1905, and erecting power poles in subsequent years to supply power to Oswego citizens. With the water needs of the smelters tailing off, the recreational potential of the lake and town was freed to develop rapidly.
In 1910, the town of Oswego was incorporated
. The Southern Pacific Railroad
, which had acquired the P&WVR line at the end of the 19th century, widened it from narrow to standard gauge and in 1914, electrified it, providing rapid, clean, and quiet service between Oswego and Portland. The service was known as the Red Electric
.
Passenger traffic hit its peak in 1920 with 64 trains to and from Portland daily. Within nine years of the peak, passenger service ended and the line was used for intermittent freight service to Portland's south waterfront up until its abandonment in 1984. The line was preserved, however and the Willamette Shore Trolley
provides tourist rides on the line today.
One of the land developers benefiting from sales by OI&S was Paul Murphy, whose Oswego Lake Country Club helped promote the new city as a place to "live where you play." Murphy was instrumental in developing the first water system to supply the western reaches of the city, and also played a key role in encouraging the design of fine homes in the 1930s and 1940s that ultimately would establish Oswego as an attractive place to live. In the 1940s and 1950s, continued development helped spread Oswego's residential areas.
Mass transit
service after the end of electric interurban
service was provided by Oregon Motor Stages, but that company suspended all operations following a drivers strike
in 1954. In 1955, a newly formed private company, Intercity Buses, Inc.
, began operating bus service connecting Oswego with downtown Portland
and Oregon City. This service was taken over by TriMet
in 1970.
In 1960, Oswego was renamed Lake Oswego when it annexed part of neighboring Lake Grove
.
, the city has a total area of 10.9 mi2, of which 10.4 mi2 is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) is water. That area does not include the more than 1100 acres (4.5 km²) of unincorporated land within the urban services boundary
as defined by Clackamas County.
Oswego Lake is a private lake (an expansion of an earlier natural lake, named Waluga (wild swan) by Clackamas Indians) managed by the Lake Oswego Corporation. Houses with views of Oswego Lake and lake-shore property are very expensive. The lake is navigable, with a dock at the east end where boaters can disembark and walk to the nearby businesses. The main canal from the Tualatin River was dug in the early part of the century.
Every five to ten years, the water level in the lake is lowered several feet by opening the gates on the dam and allowing water to flow into Oswego Creek and on to the Willamette River
, enabling lakefront property owners to conduct repairs on docks and boathouses. In 2010, the lake was lowered approximately 24 feet (7.3 m) to allow for construction of a new sewer line, the lowest lake level since 1962 when the original sewer line was installed.
The city extends up Mount Sylvania
and through Lake Grove
towards Tualatin
.
, house prices have increased rapidly (as of June 2006); the median value in 2000 was $296,200, over twice what it was in 1990 ($142,600).
is 3409.7 sq mi (8,831 km²). There are 15,741 housing units at an average density of 1,521.4 per square mile (587.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 91.1% White, 4.6% Asian, 0.6% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 0.7% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. 2.3% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 14,769 households out of which 32.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% are married couples
living together, 6.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% are non-families. 27.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 7.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.38 and the average family size is 2.95.
In the city the population dispersal was 24.8% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 31.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 41 years. For every 100 females there are 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 88.2 males. The median income for a household in the city is $71,597, and the median income for a family is $94,587 (These figures had risen to $76,883 and $105,763 respectively as of a 2007 estimate.) Males have a median income of $66,380 versus $41,038 for females. The per capita income
for the city is $42,166. 3.4% of the population and 2.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 2.0% of those under the age of 18 and 4.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Day-to-day operations are handled by an appointed, professional city manager. Almost all of the city's employees, which include part-time staff amounting to approximately 342 full-time equivalents, report to the city manager. This includes the police chief, fire chief, one assistant city manager, and the community development director. The biggest groups are:
The Mountain Park neighborhood, located between Oak Creek and Holly Orchard on its west side and Forest Highlands and Uplands on its east, has a homeowners' association serving the role of neighborhood association for its residents.
The following statistics summarize other aspects of civic involvement:
The Lake Oswego School District
is within the city boundaries and serves the city's approximately 7,000 students, with a ratio of 23 students per instructor. The two high school
s in the district are Lake Oswego High School
and Lakeridge High School
. There are nine elementary schools
and two junior high schools
for students in grade 7 and 8.
, an adult community (senior) center, a public golf course (self-financed), an indoor tennis center, seven outdoor tennis courts, and five picnic shelters. An additional swim park is open to those who live in the boundaries of the old Lake Grove School District. The private Oswego Lake Country Club and neighboring equestrian riding club add to the recreational amenities of the city.
Lake Oswego has one public library, part of the Library Information Network of Clackamas County
. For the past six years, the library has been rated among the top 10 libraries serving similar population sizes in the United States.
:
Yoshikawa
, Japan
Clackamas County, Oregon
Clackamas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county was named after the Native Americans living in the area, the Clackamas Indians, who were part of the Chinookan people. As of 2010, the population was 375,992...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. Small portions of the city are also located in neighboring Multnomah
Multnomah County, Oregon
Multnomah County is one of 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. Though smallest in area, it is the most populous as its county seat, Portland, is the state's largest city...
and Washington
Washington County, Oregon
- Major highways :* Interstate 5* Interstate 205* U.S. Route 26* Oregon Route 6* Oregon Route 8* Oregon Route 10* Oregon Route 47* Oregon Route 99W* Oregon Route 210* Oregon Route 217* Oregon Route 219-Demographics:...
counties. Located south of Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
surrounding the 405 acres (1.6 km²) Oswego Lake
Oswego Lake
Oswego Lake is a privately owned lake in Clackamas County, Oregon that is completely surrounded by the city of Lake Oswego. Though the lake is naturally occurring , it is considered a reservoir because of the concrete dam that has increased its size to .-Geologic history:The lake is a former...
, the town was founded in 1847 and incorporated as Oswego in 1910. The city was the hub of Oregon's brief iron industry in the late 19th century and is today an affluent suburb of Portland. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 36,619, a 3.8% increase over the 2000 population of 35,278.
Early history
The Clackamas IndiansClackamas Indians
The Clackamas Indians are a tribe of Native Americans of the U.S. state of Oregon who traditionally lived along the Clackamas River in the Willamette Valley. Lewis and Clark estimated their population at 1800 in 1806...
once occupied the land that later became Lake Oswego, but diseases transmitted by European explorers and traders killed most of the natives. Before the influx of non-native people via the Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
, the area between the Willamette River
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
and Tualatin River
Tualatin River
The Tualatin River is a tributary of the Willamette River located in Oregon in the United States. The river is approximately long, and it drains a fertile farming region called the Tualatin Valley southwest and west of Portland at the northwest corner of the Willamette Valley...
had a scattering of early pioneer homesteads and farms.
19th century
As settlers arrived, encouraged by the Donation Land Claim Act of 1850 and the subsequent Homestead ActHomestead Act
A homestead act is one of three United States federal laws that gave an applicant freehold title to an area called a "homestead" – typically 160 acres of undeveloped federal land west of the Mississippi River....
, they found the land under-occupied.
Albert Alonzo Durham founded the town of Oswego in 1847, naming it
Oregon Geographic Names
Oregon Geographic Names is an authoritative compilation of the origin and meaning of place names in the U.S. state of Oregon. , the book is in its seventh edition and is compiled and edited by Lewis L. McArthur, who took over from his father, Lewis A. McArthur, as of the fourth edition...
after Oswego, New York
Oswego, New York
Oswego is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 18,142 at the 2010 census. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York"...
. He built a sawmill on Sucker Creek (now Oswego Creek), the town's first industry.
In 1855, the federal government forcibly relocated the remaining Clackamas Indians to the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation
Grand Ronde Indian Reservation
The Grand Ronde Community is an Indian reservation located on several non-contiguous sections of land in southwestern Yamhill County and northwestern Polk County, Oregon, United States, about east of Lincoln City, near the community of Grand Ronde...
in nearby Yamhill County
Yamhill County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Siuslaw National Forest *Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 84,992 people, 28,732 households, and 21,376 families residing in the county. The population density was 119 people per square mile . There were 30,270...
.
During this early period in Oregon history, most trade proceeded from Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
to Oregon City
Oregon City, Oregon
Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon...
via the Willamette River
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
, and up the Tualatin River
Tualatin River
The Tualatin River is a tributary of the Willamette River located in Oregon in the United States. The river is approximately long, and it drains a fertile farming region called the Tualatin Valley southwest and west of Portland at the northwest corner of the Willamette Valley...
Valley through Tualatin
Tualatin, Oregon
Tualatin is a city located primarily in Washington County in the U.S. state of Oregon. A small portion of the city is also located in neighboring Clackamas County. It is a southwestern suburb in the Portland Metropolitan Area that is located south of Tigard...
, Scholls
Scholls, Oregon
Scholls, Oregon is an unincorporated community in Washington County, Oregon, United States. It is located along the southern shore of the Tualatin River, near the intersection of Oregon Routes 210 and 219. Scholls is located approximately seven miles north of Newberg, seven miles west of Tigard,...
, and Hillsboro
Hillsboro, Oregon
Hillsboro is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and is the county seat of Washington County. Lying in the Tualatin Valley on the west side of the Portland metropolitan area, the city is home to many high-technology companies, such as Intel, that compose what has become known as the...
. The thick woods and rain-muddied roads were major obstacles to traveling by land. Along the rivers of this area can still be seen the vestiges of river landings, ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
stops, and covered bridge
Covered bridge
A covered bridge is a bridge with enclosed sides and a roof, often accommodating only a single lane of traffic. Most covered bridges are wooden; some newer ones are concrete or metal with glass sides...
s of this period. A landing in the city's present-day George Rogers Park is thought to have been developed by Durham around 1850 for lumber transport; another landing was near the Tryon Creek
Tryon Creek
Tryon Creek is a tributary of the Willamette River in the U.S. state of Oregon. Part of the drainage basin of the Columbia River, its watershed covers about in Multnomah and Clackamas counties...
outlet into the Willamette.
In 1865, prompted by the earlier discovery of iron ore in the Tualatin Valley
Tualatin Valley
The Tualatin Valley is a farming and suburban region southwest of Portland, Oregon in the United States. The valley is formed by the meandering Tualatin River, a tributary of the Willamette River at the northwest corner of the Willamette Valley, east of the Northern Oregon Coast Range...
, the Oregon Iron Company
Oregon Iron Company
The Oregon Iron Company was an iron smelting company located in what is now Lake Oswego, Oregon. The company was established in 1865, and in 1867, became the first company in the United States to smelt iron west of the Rocky Mountains...
was incorporated. Within two years the first blast furnace
Blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore and flux are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions...
on the west coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
was built, patterned after the arched furnaces common in northwestern Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, and the company set out to make Oswego into the Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
of the West. In 1878, the company was sold off to out-of-state owners and renamed the Oswego Iron Company, and in 1882, Portland financiers Simeon Gannett Reed
Simeon Gannett Reed
Simeon Gannett Reed was an American businessman and entrepreneur in Oregon. A native of Massachusetts, he made a fortune primarily in the transportation sector in association with William S. Ladd...
and Henry Villard
Henry Villard
Henry Villard was an American journalist and financier who was an early president of the Northern Pacific Railway....
purchased the business and renamed it the Oregon Iron and Steel Company.
The railroad arrived in Oswego in 1886, in the form of the Portland and Willamette Valley Railway. A seven-mile-long line provided Oswego with a direct link to Portland. Prior to this, access to the town was limited to primitive roads and river boats. The railroad's arrival was a mixed blessing; locally, it promoted residential development along its path, which enabled Oswego to grow beyond its industrial roots. But nationally, the continued expansion of freight railroad system gave easy local access to cheaper and higher quality iron from the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
region. This ultimately led to the local industry's demise.
By 1890, the industry produced 12,305 tons of pig iron
Pig iron
Pig iron is the intermediate product of smelting iron ore with a high-carbon fuel such as coke, usually with limestone as a flux. Charcoal and anthracite have also been used as fuel...
, and at its peak provided employment to around 300 men. The success of this industry greatly stimulated the development of Oswego, which by this time had four general stores, a bank, two barber shops, two hotels, three churches, nine saloons, a drugstore, and even an opera house.
The iron industry was a vital part of a strategy designed by a few Portland financiers who strove to control all related entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
ial ventures in the late 19th century. Control of shipping and railroads was held under the Oregon Steam Navigation Company
Oregon Steam Navigation Company
The Oregon Steam Navigation Company was an American company incorporated in 1860 in Washington with partners J. S. Ruckle, Henry Olmstead, and J. O. Van Bergen...
, later to become the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company. This local monopoly responded to the area's increasing demand for iron and steel, and grew to play a key role in economic history throughout the area.
20th century
In 1910, the town of Oswego was incorporated
Municipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. Municipal incorporation occurs when such municipalities become self-governing entities under the laws of the state or province in which...
. The Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
, which had acquired the P&WVR line at the end of the 19th century, widened it from narrow to standard gauge and in 1914, electrified it, providing rapid, clean, and quiet service between Oswego and Portland. The service was known as the Red Electric
Red Electric
The Red Electric was an interurban passenger train service operated by the Southern Pacific Railroad in the Willamette Valley of the U.S. state of Oregon from 1914 to 1929. The service got its name from the bright red color of its cars. Despite its short history, among West Coast interurbans it was...
.
Passenger traffic hit its peak in 1920 with 64 trains to and from Portland daily. Within nine years of the peak, passenger service ended and the line was used for intermittent freight service to Portland's south waterfront up until its abandonment in 1984. The line was preserved, however and the Willamette Shore Trolley
Willamette Shore Trolley
The Willamette Shore Trolley is a heritage railroad or heritage streetcar which operates along the west bank of the Willamette River between Portland and Lake Oswego in Oregon. The right-of-way is owned by group of local-area governments who purchased it in 1988 in order to preserve it intact for...
provides tourist rides on the line today.
One of the land developers benefiting from sales by OI&S was Paul Murphy, whose Oswego Lake Country Club helped promote the new city as a place to "live where you play." Murphy was instrumental in developing the first water system to supply the western reaches of the city, and also played a key role in encouraging the design of fine homes in the 1930s and 1940s that ultimately would establish Oswego as an attractive place to live. In the 1940s and 1950s, continued development helped spread Oswego's residential areas.
Mass transit
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
service after the end of electric interurban
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
service was provided by Oregon Motor Stages, but that company suspended all operations following a drivers strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
in 1954. In 1955, a newly formed private company, Intercity Buses, Inc.
Blue Bus lines (Oregon)
The “Blue Bus” lines was a group of four affiliated privately owned public transportation companies that provided bus transit service in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area in the 1950s and 1960s. The name was unofficial but was in common use in the 1960s, and variations included "Blue Bus...
, began operating bus service connecting Oswego with downtown Portland
Downtown Portland
Downtown Portland, the city center of Portland, Oregon, United States, is located on the west bank of the Willamette River. It is in the northeastern corner of the southwest section of the city and is where most of the city's high-rise buildings are found....
and Oregon City. This service was taken over by TriMet
TriMet
TriMet, more formally known as the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, is a public agency that operates mass transit in a region that spans most of the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon...
in 1970.
In 1960, Oswego was renamed Lake Oswego when it annexed part of neighboring Lake Grove
Lake Grove, Oregon
Lake Grove is a neighborhood of Lake Oswego, Oregon, United States, located west of Oswego Lake, south of Mountain Park , east of Interstate 5, and north of Rivergrove....
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 10.9 mi2, of which 10.4 mi2 is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) is water. That area does not include the more than 1100 acres (4.5 km²) of unincorporated land within the urban services boundary
Urban growth boundary
An urban growth boundary, or UGB, is a regional boundary, set in an attempt to control urban sprawl by mandating that the area inside the boundary be used for higher density urban development and the area outside be used for lower density development.An urban growth boundary circumscribes an...
as defined by Clackamas County.
Oswego Lake is a private lake (an expansion of an earlier natural lake, named Waluga (wild swan) by Clackamas Indians) managed by the Lake Oswego Corporation. Houses with views of Oswego Lake and lake-shore property are very expensive. The lake is navigable, with a dock at the east end where boaters can disembark and walk to the nearby businesses. The main canal from the Tualatin River was dug in the early part of the century.
Every five to ten years, the water level in the lake is lowered several feet by opening the gates on the dam and allowing water to flow into Oswego Creek and on to the Willamette River
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
, enabling lakefront property owners to conduct repairs on docks and boathouses. In 2010, the lake was lowered approximately 24 feet (7.3 m) to allow for construction of a new sewer line, the lowest lake level since 1962 when the original sewer line was installed.
The city extends up Mount Sylvania
Mount Sylvania
Mount Sylvania is an extinct volcano, part of the Boring Lava Field, on the outskirts of Portland, Oregon. The parts of the mountain are within the cities of Portland, Lake Oswego, and Tigard...
and through Lake Grove
Lake Grove, Oregon
Lake Grove is a neighborhood of Lake Oswego, Oregon, United States, located west of Oswego Lake, south of Mountain Park , east of Interstate 5, and north of Rivergrove....
towards Tualatin
Tualatin, Oregon
Tualatin is a city located primarily in Washington County in the U.S. state of Oregon. A small portion of the city is also located in neighboring Clackamas County. It is a southwestern suburb in the Portland Metropolitan Area that is located south of Tigard...
.
Demographics
Lake Oswego is one of the most affluent suburbs of Portland. In 2000, the city had a median household income of $71,597, up from $57,499 in 1990. Additionally, as in the rest of the Portland metropolitan areaMetropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
, house prices have increased rapidly (as of June 2006); the median value in 2000 was $296,200, over twice what it was in 1990 ($142,600).
2000 Census data
As of the census of 2000, there are 35,278 people in the city, organized into 14,769 households, and 9,665 families. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
is 3409.7 sq mi (8,831 km²). There are 15,741 housing units at an average density of 1,521.4 per square mile (587.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 91.1% White, 4.6% Asian, 0.6% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 0.7% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. 2.3% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 14,769 households out of which 32.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% are married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% are non-families. 27.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 7.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.38 and the average family size is 2.95.
In the city the population dispersal was 24.8% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 31.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 41 years. For every 100 females there are 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 88.2 males. The median income for a household in the city is $71,597, and the median income for a family is $94,587 (These figures had risen to $76,883 and $105,763 respectively as of a 2007 estimate.) Males have a median income of $66,380 versus $41,038 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city is $42,166. 3.4% of the population and 2.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 2.0% of those under the age of 18 and 4.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
City government
The city has a council-manager form of government, which vests policy-making authority in an elected, volunteer city council. The council consists of a mayor and six councilors, all of whom are elected at-large and serve four-year terms.Day-to-day operations are handled by an appointed, professional city manager. Almost all of the city's employees, which include part-time staff amounting to approximately 342 full-time equivalents, report to the city manager. This includes the police chief, fire chief, one assistant city manager, and the community development director. The biggest groups are:
- police and fire departments, consisting of about 50 people each,
- the library, parks, and recreation departments, consisting of about 70 people total, and
- about 80 people throughout the engineering, planning, and maintenance departments.
Civic involvement
Neighborhood associations play a formal role for citizen involvement in the city government's land-use planning and other activities. A neighborhood association's role is governed by state and city law. As of February 2005, there are 20 recognized neighborhood associations: Blue Heron ¤, Bryant ¤, Country Club-North Shore ¤, Evergreen ¤, First Addition, Forest Highlands, Glenmorrie, Hallinan, Holly Orchard, Lake Forest, Lake Grove, Lakewood ¤, McVey-South Shore ¤, Oak Creek, Old Town, Palisades ¤, Rosewood, Uplands, Waluga, and Westridge. (Associations including lakefront property are marked with a ¤ symbol.)The Mountain Park neighborhood, located between Oak Creek and Holly Orchard on its west side and Forest Highlands and Uplands on its east, has a homeowners' association serving the role of neighborhood association for its residents.
The following statistics summarize other aspects of civic involvement:
- Registered voters: 23,061
- Citizen advisory boards: 10
- Community volunteers: 500 plus
- Citizens trained for community emergency response teams: 487
Public schools
Lake Oswego School District
The Lake Oswego School District is a public school district serving Lake Oswego, Oregon, United States, a suburb 10 miles south of Portland. The district comprises 13 primary and secondary schools with a total enrollment of 6,896 as of 2005...
is within the city boundaries and serves the city's approximately 7,000 students, with a ratio of 23 students per instructor. The two high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
s in the district are Lake Oswego High School
Lake Oswego High School
Lake Oswego High School is a public high school in Lake Oswego, Oregon. LOHS is accredited through the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges.-History:...
and Lakeridge High School
Lakeridge High School
Lakeridge High School is a public high school located in Lake Oswego, Oregon and opened in 1971.-Academics:In 1987, Lakeridge High School was honored in the Blue Ribbon Schools Program, the highest honor a school can receive in the United States....
. There are nine elementary schools
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
and two junior high schools
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
for students in grade 7 and 8.
Cultural and recreational facilities
The city maintains 573 acres (2.3 km²) of parks and open spaces. This includes 24 developed parks, one amphitheater, one swim park, one water sports center on the Willamette RiverWillamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
, an adult community (senior) center, a public golf course (self-financed), an indoor tennis center, seven outdoor tennis courts, and five picnic shelters. An additional swim park is open to those who live in the boundaries of the old Lake Grove School District. The private Oswego Lake Country Club and neighboring equestrian riding club add to the recreational amenities of the city.
Lake Oswego has one public library, part of the Library Information Network of Clackamas County
Library Information Network of Clackamas County
Libraries in Clackamas County is a consortium of the public libraries of Clackamas County, Oregon. It was established in 1977 when the first county-wide funding levy was approved by county voters...
. For the past six years, the library has been rated among the top 10 libraries serving similar population sizes in the United States.
Notable people
This is a partial list of notable residents, past and present, of Lake Oswego:- LaMarcus AldridgeLaMarcus AldridgeLaMarcus Nurae Aldridge is an American professional basketball player with the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers. He is a , 240-pound power forward/center and is one of Portland's two team captains, with the other being Brandon Roy....
(1985– ), NBA player for the Portland Trail Blazers - Allen AlleyAllen AlleyAllen Alley is a businessman and Chairman of the Oregon Republican Party. He unsuccessfully ran for Oregon State Treasurer in 2008 and the Republican nomination for Governor of Oregon in 2010.-Early life:...
(1954– ), Founder of Pixelworks, Republican nominee for Oregon State Treasurer in 2008, Republican candidate for Oregon Governor in 2010 - Jon ArnettJon ArnettJon Dwane Arnett was a first-team All-American out of USC and Manual Arts High School.-College career:Arnett was the multiple recipient of the W.J. Voit Memorial Trophy as the outstanding football player on the Pacific Coast. Arnett won the Voit Trophy in both 1954 and 1955...
, NFL player and member of the College Football Hall of Fame - Daniel BaldwinDaniel BaldwinDaniel Leroy Baldwin is an American actor, producer and director. He is the second oldest of the four Baldwin brothers, all of whom are actors. Daniel Baldwin is known for his role as Detective Beau Felton in the popular NBC TV series Homicide: Life on the Street...
(1960– ), film actor, producer, and director - J. J. Birden (1965– ), NFL wide receiver
- Walter F. BrownWalt BrownWalter Frederick Brown is an American politician and was the presidential candidate of the Socialist Party USA in the 2004 elections. Brown became a socialist in 1948. He served as Democratic member of the Oregon State Senate from 1975 to 1987. Brown also served as a Socialist Party of Oregon...
(1926– ), Navy Commander JAGC, Judge, State Senator, 2004 Presidential candidate for the Socialist Party USA - Terry DischingerTerry DischingerTerence Gilbert "Terry" Dischinger is a retired American basketball player in the NBA. He currently practices orthodontics.-High school career:...
(1940– ), basketball gold medalist in the 1960 Olympics and NBA player from 1962–1973 and orthodontist - Chris DudleyChris DudleyChristen Guilford "Chris" Dudley is a retired American basketball player who played 16 years and 886 games in the NBA for five different teams. A journeyman center, he was known primarily for his defensive skill as a rebounder and shot blocker...
(1965– ), NBA player from 1987–2003 and 2010 Republican nominee for Governor of Oregon - Mike Dunleavy, Jr.Mike Dunleavy, Jr.Michael Joseph "Mike" Dunleavy, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association...
(1980– ), NBA player for the Indiana Pacers - Mike EricksonMike EricksonMike Erickson is a businessman and politician in the U.S. state of Oregon. He ran unsuccessfully for two different seats in the Oregon House of Representatives in 1988 and 1992, and was the Republican nominee for the United States House of Representatives in Oregon's 5th congressional district in...
(1963– ), businessman and candidate for U.S. Congress in 2006 and 2008 - Rudy FernándezRudy Fernández (basketball)Rodolfo "Rudy" Fernández y Farrés is a Spanish professional basketball player. He is a 6'6" tall shooting guard/small forward who is currently signed to the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, though he will play for Real Madrid until the current NBA lockout ends...
(1985– ), NBA player for the Portland Trail Blazers (2008–2011) - Stu InmanStu InmanStu Inman was an American executive and interim coach in the National Basketball Association. He was selected in the 6th round of the 1950 NBA Draft from San Jose State University by the Chicago Stags; however, he did not play in the NBA.In 1970, Inman was one of several people who started the...
(1926–2007), co-founder of the Portland Trail Blazers - Neil LomaxNeil LomaxNeil Vincent Lomax is a former American football quarterback.-College career:Lomax was a standout college player at Portland State University, going from fifth-string freshman quarterback on partial scholarship to emergency starter to NCAA legend...
(1959– ), NFL quarterback 1981–1988 - Kevin Love (1988– ), NBA player for Minnesota Timberwolves and former UCLA Bruin
- Stan LoveStan Love (basketball)Stanley S. Love is a retired American basketball player. A 6' 9" forward, Love graduated from Morningside High School, Inglewood, California, then played collegiately for the University of Oregon Ducks from 1968 to 1971.Love was the 9th pick in the 1971 NBA Draft, chosen by the Baltimore Bullets...
(1949– ), NBA player 1971–1975 and father of Kevin Love - Merrill A. McPeakMerrill A. McPeakMerrill Anthony "Tony" McPeak was the 14th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. He retired from the service on November 1, 1994.-Education:McPeak was born in Santa Rosa, California...
(1936– ), former U.S.A.F. chief of staff - Bart Miadich (1976- ), Major League Baseball pitcher 2001–2006
- Patrick MillsPatrick MillsPatrick "Patty" Sammie Mills is an Indigenous Australian professional basketball player who plays as a point guard for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers....
1988– ), NBA player for the Portland Trail Blazers (2009– ) - Linus PaulingLinus PaulingLinus Carl Pauling was an American chemist, biochemist, peace activist, author, and educator. He was one of the most influential chemists in history and ranks among the most important scientists of the 20th century...
(1901–1994), Winner of two Nobel prizes, in peace and chemistry. Author, educator. - Julianne PhillipsJulianne PhillipsJulianne Phillips is an American model and actress. She is the ex-wife of Bruce Springsteen.-Biography:Born in Chicago, Illinois, Phillips was raised in the Portland suburb of Lake Oswego, Oregon, the daughter of insurance broker, William Phillips, and wife, Ann Phillips. She was the youngest of...
(1960– ), model, actress, co-star of 1990s TV series Sisters - Richard ReadRichard ReadRichard Read is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist and a senior staff writer for The Oregonian newspaper in Portland, Oregon.-Early life:...
(1957- ), Two-time Pulitzer prize winner, reporter for The Oregonian - Mike RichardsonMike Richardson (publisher)Mike Richardson is an American writer, film producer and the founder of Dark Horse Comics, a comic book publication company based in Milwaukie, Oregon.-Career:...
, co-founder/publisher of Dark Horse Comics - Don SchollanderDon SchollanderDonald Arthur Schollander is a former Olympic swimmer for the United States. He won total of five gold medals and one silver medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics...
(1946– ) Olympic swimming gold medalist in 1964 and 1968 - Henry SelickHenry SelickHenry Selick is an American stop motion director, producer and writer who is best known for directing The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach and Coraline...
(1952) American director and animator: The Nightmare Before ChristmasThe Nightmare Before ChristmasThe Nightmare Before Christmas, often promoted as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, is a 1993 stop motion musical fantasy film directed by Henry Selick and produced/co-written by Tim Burton. It tells the story of Jack Skellington, a being from "Halloween Town" who opens a portal to...
, CoralineCoralineCoraline is a horror/fantasy novella by British author Neil Gaiman, published in 2002 by Bloomsbury and Harper Collins. It was awarded the 2003 Hugo Award for Best Novella, the 2003 Nebula Award for Best Novella, and the 2002 Bram Stoker Award for Best Work for Young Readers... - William Stafford (1914–1993), American poet and U.S. poet laureate 1970–1971
- Drew StantonDrew StantonDrew Emeric Stanton is a quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He played collegiately for the Michigan State Spartans.-Early life:...
(1984– ), NFL quarterback for the Detroit Lions - Michael StutesMichael StutesMichael Christopher Stutes is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies.Stutes is a graduate of Lake Oswego High School in 2004, where he was a classmate of basketball player Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves...
(1984– ), MLB relief pitcher for the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League... - Nathan Farragut TwiningNathan Farragut TwiningNathan Farragut Twining, KBE was a United States Air Force General, born in Monroe, Wisconsin. He was Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force from 1953 until 1957...
(1897–1982), Chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1957–1960
Sister cities
Lake Oswego has one sister cityTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
:
Yoshikawa
Yoshikawa, Saitama
is a city located in Saitama, Japan.As of May 1, 2011, the city had an estimated population of 66,773, with 25,194 households and a density of 2,111.73 persons per km². The total area is 31.62 km².The city incorporated as a city on April 1, 1996...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
External links
- Historic photos of Lake Oswego from the City of Lake Oswego
- Lake Oswego from the Oregon Blue BookOregon Blue BookThe Oregon Blue Book is the official directory and fact book for the U.S. state of Oregon copyrighted by the Oregon Secretary of State and published by the Office of the Secretary's Archives Division. As Governor Ted Kulongoski notes in his introduction for the 2005–2006 edition, it "provides...