Multnomah County, Oregon
Encyclopedia
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. In 2010, the county's population was 735,334.
The county was likely named
after Native American
people first recorded in the journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
, Mulknomans
, who lived in a village on the east side of present-day Sauvie Island
. (An alternative theory holds that Multnomah is a corruption of nematlnomaq, meaning down river.)
) was created on December 22, 1854, formed out of the eastern part of Washington
and the northern part of Clackamas
counties. Its creation was a result of a petition earlier that year by businessmen in Portland complaining of the inconvenient location of the Washington County seat in Hillsboro
and of the share of Portland tax revenues leaving the city to support Washington County farmers. County commissioners met for the first time on January 17, 1855.
According to an Oregonian
article, the entire county council was recalled in 1924.
There has long been a movement to merge the county with the city of Portland. In 1968, the Oregon Legislative Assembly
referred a bill, Ballot Measure 5, to voters that would amend the state constitution to allow for consolidated city-county
governments when the population is over 300,000. The 1968 voters' pamphlet noted that Multnomah County would be the only county in Oregon affected by the measure and voters approved the referendum in the 1968 general election. Since the approval of Measure 5 in 1968, an initiative
to merge the county with Portland
has been considered and placed on the county ballot several times.
The merger would have formed a consolidated city-county
government like that of San Francisco, California. None of these proposals has been approved.
carried the county by more than 104,000 votes, enough to offset the nearly 100,000-vote advantage that George W. Bush
had earned among Oregon's 35 other counties. The Democratic tilt was repeated in 2004, when John Kerry won by 181,000 votes, and in 2008 when Barack Obama won by 204,000 votes.
In February 2001, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners unanimously accepted the recommendation of the Library Advisory Board
and authorized the library to enter into a lawsuit to stop the Children's Internet Protection Act
. The US Supreme Court ultimately decided in 2003 that the law was constitutional in US v. ALA
. However, the library chose to turn down $104,000 per year of federal funding under CIPA to be able to continue to offer unfiltered Internet access.
Faced with decreasing government revenues due to a recession in the local economy, voters approved a three-year local income tax (Measure 26-48) on May 20, 2003 to prevent further cuts in schools, police protection, and social services. Multnomah County was one of the few local governments in Oregon to approve such a tax increase.
On March 2, 2004, Multnomah County Chair Linn announced the county would begin granting licenses for same-sex marriages
, pursuant to a legal opinion issued by its attorney deeming such marriages lawful under Oregon law. Her announcement was supported by three other commissioners (Serena Cruz, Lisa Naito & Maria Rojo de Steffey), but criticized by Lonnie Roberts, who represents the eastern part of Multnomah county and was left out of the decision. Within a few days, several groups joined to file a lawsuit to halt the county's action; see Same-sex unions in Oregon
.
Elected Officials
Appointed Officials
Map of Multnomah County legislative districts
, the county has a total area of 466 square miles (1,206.9 km²), of which 435 square miles (1,126.6 km²) is land and 79 square miles (204.6 km²) (6.53%) is water.
The county includes a number of extinct volcanoes in the Boring Lava Field
. The Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge
forms the eastern portion of the county's northern border.
, transportation, wholesale
and retail
trade, and tourism
. Since Oregon does not have a sales tax
, it attracts shoppers from southwest Washington.
The Port of Portland
, established in 1891 and combined with the City of Portland's Commission of Public Docks in 1971, ranks third in total waterborne commerce on the West Coast, and 31st in the nation for total tonnage according to the 2009 American Association of Port Authorities
' Port Industries Statistics. Portland is one of the five largest auto import ports in the nation and is the West Coast's leading exporter of grain and lumber. The Port of Portland is also responsible for Portland International Airport
in the Northeast section of Portland, the Troutdale Airport a few miles east of PDX in Multnomah County, the Hillsboro Airport
to the west in Washington County, and Mulino Airport to the south in Clackamas County.
The Multnomah County Library
has a small impact on the county budget: the county library, which supplies Internet service to area libraries, turns down $104,000 per year in federal funding starting in 2004, to obviate the need to comply with the Children's Internet Protection Act
so as to maintain unfiltered Internet access.
, Portland Art Museum
, Memorial Coliseum, Oregon Convention Center
, Rose Garden, Washington Park, Oregon Zoo
, International Rose Test Garden
, Portland Classical Chinese Garden, Portland Japanese Garden
, and Pittock Mansion
.
It is also home to the Historic Columbia River Highway, Multnomah Falls
, and Oxbow Regional Park
.
, used in mental health programs throughout the U.S.
is 1,518 people per square mile (586/km²). There are 288,561 housing units at an average density of 663 per square mile (256/km²). The racial makeup of the county is 79.16% White, 5.70% Asian, 5.67% Black or African American, 1.03% Native American, 0.35% Pacific Islander, 4.03% from other races, and 4.07% from two or more races. 7.51% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. 16.0% were of German, 9.0% English
, 8.8% Irish
and 5.1% American
ancestry according to Census 2000. 83.5% spoke English
, 6.3% Spanish
, 1.7% Vietnamese
and 1.3% Russian
as their first language.
There are 272,098 households out of which 26.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% are married couples
living together, 10.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 44.1% are non-families. 32.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.37 and the average family size is 3.03.
In the county, the population is spread out with 22.30% under the age of 18, 10.30% from 18 to 24, 33.80% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 11.10% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 98.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 96.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county is $41,278, and the median income for a family is $51,118. Males have a median income of $36,036 versus $29,337 for females. The per capita income
for the county is $22,606. 12.70% of the population and 8.20% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 15.40% of those under the age of 18 and 9.80% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
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...
. Though smallest in area, it is the most populous as its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
, 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...
, is the state's largest city. In 2010, the county's population was 735,334.
The county was likely named
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 Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
people first recorded in the journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, or ″Corps of Discovery Expedition" was the first transcontinental expedition to the Pacific Coast by the United States. Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson and led by two Virginia-born veterans of Indian wars in the Ohio Valley, Meriwether Lewis and William...
, Mulknomans
Multnomah (tribe)
The Multnomah were a tribe of Chinookan people who lived in the area of Portland, Oregon, more specifically Sauvie Island, in the United States through the early 19th century. Multnomah villages were located throughout the Portland basin and on both sides of the Columbia River...
, who lived in a village on the east side of present-day Sauvie Island
Sauvie Island
Sauvie Island, in the U.S. state of Oregon, originally Wapato Island or Wappatoo Island, is the largest island along the Columbia River, at 26,000 acres , and the largest river island in the United States...
. (An alternative theory holds that Multnomah is a corruption of nematlnomaq, meaning down river.)
History
Multnomah County (the thirteenth in Oregon TerritoryOregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries , the region was...
) was created on December 22, 1854, formed out of the eastern part of 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:...
and the northern part of Clackamas
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...
counties. Its creation was a result of a petition earlier that year by businessmen in Portland complaining of the inconvenient location of the Washington County seat in 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...
and of the share of Portland tax revenues leaving the city to support Washington County farmers. County commissioners met for the first time on January 17, 1855.
According to an Oregonian
The Oregonian
The Oregonian is the major daily newspaper in Portland, Oregon, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 1850...
article, the entire county council was recalled in 1924.
There has long been a movement to merge the county with the city of Portland. In 1968, the Oregon Legislative Assembly
Oregon Legislative Assembly
The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...
referred a bill, Ballot Measure 5, to voters that would amend the state constitution to allow for consolidated city-county
Consolidated city-county
In United States local government, a consolidated city–county is a city and county that have been merged into one unified jurisdiction. As such it is simultaneously a city, which is a municipal corporation, and a county, which is an administrative division of a state...
governments when the population is over 300,000. The 1968 voters' pamphlet noted that Multnomah County would be the only county in Oregon affected by the measure and voters approved the referendum in the 1968 general election. Since the approval of Measure 5 in 1968, an initiative
Initiative
In political science, an initiative is a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote...
to merge the county with 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...
has been considered and placed on the county ballot several times.
The merger would have formed a consolidated city-county
Consolidated city-county
In United States local government, a consolidated city–county is a city and county that have been merged into one unified jurisdiction. As such it is simultaneously a city, which is a municipal corporation, and a county, which is an administrative division of a state...
government like that of San Francisco, California. None of these proposals has been approved.
Since 2000
In the 2000 presidential election, Multnomah played a decisive role in determining the winner of the state's electoral votes. Al GoreAl Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
carried the county by more than 104,000 votes, enough to offset the nearly 100,000-vote advantage that George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
had earned among Oregon's 35 other counties. The Democratic tilt was repeated in 2004, when John Kerry won by 181,000 votes, and in 2008 when Barack Obama won by 204,000 votes.
In February 2001, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners unanimously accepted the recommendation of the Library Advisory Board
Multnomah County Library
Multnomah County Library is a public library system serving Multnomah County, Oregon, United States. Started in 1864, the system has 19 library locations with books, magazines, DVDs, and computers. It is the largest library system in Oregon serving a population of 724,680, with more than 425,000...
and authorized the library to enter into a lawsuit to stop the Children's Internet Protection Act
Children's Internet Protection Act
The Children's Internet Protection Act requires that K-12 schools and libraries in the United States use Internet filters and implement other measures to protect children from harmful online content as a condition for the receipt of certain federal funding...
. The US Supreme Court ultimately decided in 2003 that the law was constitutional in US v. ALA
United States v. American Library Association
United States v. American Library Association, 539 U.S. 194 , was a decision in which the United States Supreme Court ruled that the United States Congress has the authority to require public schools and libraries receiving E-Rate discounts to install web filtering software as a condition of...
. However, the library chose to turn down $104,000 per year of federal funding under CIPA to be able to continue to offer unfiltered Internet access.
Faced with decreasing government revenues due to a recession in the local economy, voters approved a three-year local income tax (Measure 26-48) on May 20, 2003 to prevent further cuts in schools, police protection, and social services. Multnomah County was one of the few local governments in Oregon to approve such a tax increase.
On March 2, 2004, Multnomah County Chair Linn announced the county would begin granting licenses for same-sex marriages
Same-sex marriage in the United States
The federal government does not recognize same-sex marriage in the United States, but such marriages are recognized by some individual states. The lack of federal recognition was codified in 1996 by the Defense of Marriage Act, before Massachusetts became the first state to grant marriage licenses...
, pursuant to a legal opinion issued by its attorney deeming such marriages lawful under Oregon law. Her announcement was supported by three other commissioners (Serena Cruz, Lisa Naito & Maria Rojo de Steffey), but criticized by Lonnie Roberts, who represents the eastern part of Multnomah county and was left out of the decision. Within a few days, several groups joined to file a lawsuit to halt the county's action; see Same-sex unions in Oregon
Same-sex unions in Oregon
In 2004 and 2005, there was controversy and political disagreement concerning the status of same-sex marriage in Oregon. In 2004, Multnomah County began issuing same-sex marriage licenses, which began a political battle over same-sex marriage that ended later that year with an amendment to the...
.
Law and government
| Year | Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 20.6% 75,171 | 76.7% 279,696 |
| 2004 | 27.1% 98,439 | 71.6% 259,585 |
| 2000 | 28.2% 83,677 | 63.5% 188,441 |
| 1996 | 26.3% 71,094 | 59.2% 159,878 |
| 1992 | 24.2% 95,561 | 55.3% 165,081 |
| 1988 | 36.5% 95,561 | 61.6% 161,361 |
| 1984 | 45.2% 119,932 | 54.3% 144,179 |
| 1980 | 39.2% 101,606 | 46.5% 120,487 |
| 1976 | 44.4% 112,400 | 51.0% 120,487 |
| 1972 | 46.7% 118,219 | 49.6% 125,470 |
Elected Officials
- County Commission (one chair, four commissioners; nonpartisan)
- Chair: Jeff Cogen http://www.multco.us/chair
- Commissioner, District 1: Deborah Kafoury
- Commissioner, District 2: Loretta Smith
- Commissioner, District 3: Judy Shiprack
- Commissioner, District 4: Diane McKeel
- District Attorney: Michael Schrunk
- SheriffMultnomah County Sheriff's OfficeMultnomah County Sheriff's Office serves the close to 700,000 residents of Multomah County, Oregon, United States. Multnomah County Sheriff's Office is a County Law Enforcement agency that handles 9-1-1 calls and assists other city agencies such as Portland Police Bureau. The current Sheriff is...
: Dan Staton - Auditor: Steve March
- Circuit Court
Appointed Officials
- Elections: Tim Scott
- Finance: Mindy Harris
- Surveyor: Robert Hovden
Map of Multnomah County legislative districts
Geography
According to the U.S. 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 county has a total area of 466 square miles (1,206.9 km²), of which 435 square miles (1,126.6 km²) is land and 79 square miles (204.6 km²) (6.53%) is water.
The county includes a number of extinct volcanoes in the Boring Lava Field
Boring Lava Field
The Boring Lava Field is an extinct Plio-Pleistocene volcanic field zone with at least 32 cinder cones and small shield volcanoes lying within a radius of 13 miles of Kelly Butte, which is approximately 4 miles east of downtown Portland, Oregon, in the United States...
. The Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge
Columbia River Gorge
The Columbia River Gorge is a canyon of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Up to deep, the canyon stretches for over as the river winds westward through the Cascade Range forming the boundary between the State of Washington to the north and Oregon to the south...
forms the eastern portion of the county's northern border.
Major highways
Interstate 5Interstate 5 in OregonIn the U.S. state of Oregon, Interstate 5 traverses the state from north to south, passing through the major cities of Portland, Salem, Eugene, and Medford.-Route description:...
Interstate 84Interstate 84 in OregonIn the U.S. state of Oregon, Interstate 84 travels east–west, following the Columbia River and the rough path of the old Oregon Trail from Portland east to Idaho. For this reason, it is also known as most of the Columbia River Highway No. 2 and all of the Old Oregon Trail Highway No. 6 . It...
Interstate 205Interstate 205 (Oregon-Washington)Interstate 205 is a loop route that serves the Portland—Vancouver metropolitan area in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington. I-205 is officially named the War Veterans Memorial Freeway, and is also known as the East Portland Freeway...
Interstate 405Interstate 405 (Oregon)Interstate 405 is a short Interstate Highway in Portland, Oregon. It forms a loop from Interstate 5 that travels through downtown Portland west of the Willamette River.-Route description:...
U.S. Route 26U.S. Route 26 in OregonIn the U.S. state of Oregon, U.S. Route 26 is a major cross-state state highway, connecting U.S. Route 101 on the Oregon Coast near Seaside with the Idaho state line east of Nyssa. Local highway names include the Sunset Highway No. 47, Mount Hood Highway No. 26, and John Day Highway No...
U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 99U.S. Route 99U.S. Route 99 was the main north–south highway on the West Coast of the United States until 1964, running from Calexico, California, on the U.S.-Mexico border to Blaine, Washington, on the U.S.-Canada border. It was a route of the United States Numbered Highways, assigned in 1926 and existing...
(decommissioned)
Adjacent counties
- Clark County, WashingtonClark County, WashingtonClark County is a county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Washington, across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon.Clark County was the first county of Washington, named after William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition...
, across the Columbia River - north - Skamania County, Washington, across the Columbia River - northeast
- Hood River County, OregonHood River County, Oregon-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 20,411 people, 7,248 households, and 5,175 families residing in the county. The population density was 39 people per square mile . There were 7,818 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...
- east - Clackamas County, OregonClackamas County, OregonClackamas 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...
- south - Washington County, OregonWashington 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:...
- west - Columbia County, OregonColumbia County, OregonColumbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was named for the Columbia River, which forms its eastern and northern borders. As of 2010, its population was 49,351. The county seat is St. Helens.-Economy:...
- northwest
Economy
The principal industries of Multnomah County are manufacturingManufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
, transportation, wholesale
Wholesale
Wholesaling, jobbing, or distributing is defined as the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers, to industrial, commercial, institutional, or other professional business users, or to other wholesalers and related subordinated services...
and retail
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
trade, and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
. Since Oregon does not have a sales tax
Sales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
, it attracts shoppers from southwest Washington.
The Port of Portland
Port of Portland (Oregon)
The Port of Portland is the port district responsible for overseeing Portland International Airport, general aviation, and marine activities in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area in the United States....
, established in 1891 and combined with the City of Portland's Commission of Public Docks in 1971, ranks third in total waterborne commerce on the West Coast, and 31st in the nation for total tonnage according to the 2009 American Association of Port Authorities
American Association of Port Authorities
The American Association of Port Authorities ' is a trade association, founded in 1912, that represents over 150 port authority organizations throughout the Western Hemisphere....
' Port Industries Statistics. Portland is one of the five largest auto import ports in the nation and is the West Coast's leading exporter of grain and lumber. The Port of Portland is also responsible for Portland International Airport
Portland International Airport
Portland International Airport is a joint civil-military airport and the largest airport in the U.S. state of Oregon, accounting for 90% of passenger travel and more than 95% of air cargo of the state. It is located within Portland's city limits just south of the Columbia River in Multnomah...
in the Northeast section of Portland, the Troutdale Airport a few miles east of PDX in Multnomah County, the Hillsboro Airport
Hillsboro Airport
Hillsboro Airport , also known as Portland-Hillsboro Airport, is the name of a corporate, general aviation and flight-training airport serving the city of Hillsboro, in Washington County, Oregon, USA. It is one of four airports in the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area owned and operated by the...
to the west in Washington County, and Mulino Airport to the south in Clackamas County.
The Multnomah County Library
Multnomah County Library
Multnomah County Library is a public library system serving Multnomah County, Oregon, United States. Started in 1864, the system has 19 library locations with books, magazines, DVDs, and computers. It is the largest library system in Oregon serving a population of 724,680, with more than 425,000...
has a small impact on the county budget: the county library, which supplies Internet service to area libraries, turns down $104,000 per year in federal funding starting in 2004, to obviate the need to comply with the Children's Internet Protection Act
Children's Internet Protection Act
The Children's Internet Protection Act requires that K-12 schools and libraries in the United States use Internet filters and implement other measures to protect children from harmful online content as a condition for the receipt of certain federal funding...
so as to maintain unfiltered Internet access.
Tourism
The county is home to a number of Portland-area attractions and venues, including Oregon Museum of Science and IndustryOregon Museum of Science and Industry
The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry is a museum located in Portland, Oregon, United States. It contains two auditoriums, including an IMAX Dome theatre, and a variety of hands-on permanent exhibits focused on natural sciences, industry, and technology...
, Portland Art Museum
Portland Art Museum
The Portland Art Museum in Portland, Oregon, United States, was founded in 1892, making it the oldest art museum on the West Coast and seventh oldest in the United States. Upon completion of the most recent renovations, the Portland Art Museum became one of the twenty-five largest art museums in...
, Memorial Coliseum, Oregon Convention Center
Oregon Convention Center
The Oregon Convention Center is a convention center in Portland, Oregon. Opened in 1990, it located on the east side of the Willamette River in the Lloyd District neighborhood. It is best known for the twin spire towers which provide light into the building's interior and for housing the world's...
, Rose Garden, Washington Park, Oregon Zoo
Oregon Zoo
The Oregon Zoo, formerly the Washington Park Zoo, is a zoo in Portland, the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Located southwest of Downtown Portland, the zoo is inside Portland's Washington Park, and includes a narrow-gauge railway that connects to the International Rose Test Garden inside...
, International Rose Test Garden
International Rose Test Garden
The International Rose Test Garden is a rose garden in Washington Park in Portland, Oregon, United States. There are over 7,000 rose plants of approximately 550 varieties. The roses bloom from April through October with the peak coming in June, depending on the weather...
, Portland Classical Chinese Garden, Portland Japanese Garden
Portland Japanese Garden
The Portland Japanese Garden is a traditional Japanese garden occupying 5.5 acres , located within Washington Park in the west hills of Portland, Oregon, USA.- Design :...
, and Pittock Mansion
Pittock Mansion
The Pittock Mansion is a French Renaissance-style "château" in the West Hills of Portland, Oregon, USA, originally built as a private home for The Oregonian publisher Henry Pittock and his wife, Georgiana. It is a 22 room estate built of Tenino Sandstone situated on that is now owned by the...
.
It is also home to the Historic Columbia River Highway, Multnomah Falls
Multnomah Falls
-External links:* and , from a USFS website* from the Oregon Tourism Commission* , from a Library of Congress website* * * * *...
, and Oxbow Regional Park
Oxbow Regional Park
Oxbow Regional Park is a natural area park located ten miles southeast of Troutdale along the Sandy River in the U.S. state of Oregon. Owned and operated by Metro regional government, it hosts a yearly festival celebrating salmon.-Recreation:...
.
Cultural influence
The county was the birthplace of the Multnomah Community Ability ScaleMultnomah Community Ability Scale
The Multnomah Community Ability Scale is a standardized mental health assessment which scores several different axes of functionality independently. The test was originally developed in Multnomah County, Oregon, whose name it still bears...
, used in mental health programs throughout the U.S.
Demographics
As of the 2000 census, there are 660,486 people in the county, organized into 272,098 households and 152,102 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 1,518 people per square mile (586/km²). There are 288,561 housing units at an average density of 663 per square mile (256/km²). The racial makeup of the county is 79.16% White, 5.70% Asian, 5.67% Black or African American, 1.03% Native American, 0.35% Pacific Islander, 4.03% from other races, and 4.07% from two or more races. 7.51% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. 16.0% were of German, 9.0% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, 8.8% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
and 5.1% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ancestry according to Census 2000. 83.5% spoke English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, 6.3% Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, 1.7% Vietnamese
Vietnamese language
Vietnamese is the national and official language of Vietnam. It is the mother tongue of 86% of Vietnam's population, and of about three million overseas Vietnamese. It is also spoken as a second language by many ethnic minorities of Vietnam...
and 1.3% Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
as their first language.
There are 272,098 households out of which 26.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% 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, 10.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 44.1% are non-families. 32.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.37 and the average family size is 3.03.
In the county, the population is spread out with 22.30% under the age of 18, 10.30% from 18 to 24, 33.80% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 11.10% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 98.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 96.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county is $41,278, and the median income for a family is $51,118. Males have a median income of $36,036 versus $29,337 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 county is $22,606. 12.70% of the population and 8.20% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 15.40% of those under the age of 18 and 9.80% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Cities
- FairviewFairview, OregonAs of the census of 2000, there were 7,561 people, 2,831 households, and 1,936 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,360.8 people per square mile . There were 3,116 housing units at an average density of 972.9 per square mile...
- GreshamGresham, Oregon- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there were 90,205 people, 33,327 households, and 22,695 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,071.6 people per square mile . There were 35,309 housing units at an average density of 1,593.8 per square mile...
- Lake OswegoLake Oswego, OregonLake 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 Oswego Lake, the town was founded in 1847 and incorporated as Oswego in...
(small portion, most in Clackamas County) http://www.ci.oswego.or.us/engineer/maps/LO_CompPlan.pdf - Maywood ParkMaywood Park, OregonMaywood Park is a city in Multnomah County, Oregon. The name came from a comment made by the wife of the man who developed the original subdivision, E.F. Taylor, who remarked one winter night how attractive the woods were in May...
- MilwaukieMilwaukie, OregonMilwaukie is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. A very small portion of the city extends into Multnomah County. The population was 20,291 at the 2010 census. Founded in 1848 on the banks of the Willamette River, the city, known as the Dogwood City of the West, was incorporated in...
(small portion, most in Clackamas County) - PortlandPortland, OregonPortland 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...
- TroutdaleTroutdale, OregonTroutdale is a city in Multnomah County, Oregon, north of Gresham and east of Wood Village. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 15,962....
- Wood VillageWood Village, OregonWood Village is a city in Multnomah County, Oregon, United States. The population was 3,878 at the 2010 census. Despite the name, Wood Village is classified as a city.-Geography:...
Unincorporated communities
- BonnevilleBonneville, OregonBonneville is an unincorporated community in Multnomah County, Oregon, United States, on Interstate 84 and the Columbia River. Bonneville is best known as the site of Bonneville Dam...
- CorbettCorbett, OregonCorbett is an unincorporated community on the Columbia River in eastern Multnomah County, Oregon, United States. It is located on the Historic Columbia River Highway between the Sandy River and Crown Point....
- DodsonDodson, OregonDodson is an unincorporated community in Multnomah County, Oregon, United States. It is located about 4½ miles east of Multnomah Falls and one mile west of Warrendale, in the Columbia River Gorge on Interstate 84/U.S. Route 30. It it across the Columbia River from Skamania, Washington...
- DunthorpeDunthorpe, OregonDunthorpe is an unincorporated suburb of Portland, Oregon, United States. It is located just south of the Portland city limits and north of the Multnomah County line on the west side of the Willamette River. Lewis & Clark College and Lake Oswego are nearby....
- HolbrookHolbrook, OregonHolbrook is an unincorporated community in Multnomah County, Oregon, United States. It is located on U.S. Route 30 about 15 miles northwest of Portland between the Tualatin Mountains and the Multnomah Channel south of Sauvie Island. Holbrook's elevation is 135 feet above sea level The community was...
- LatourellLatourell, OregonLatourell is an unincorporated community located in Multnomah County, Oregon, United States, on the Historic Columbia River Highway about eight miles east of Troutdale and 5.5 miles west of Multnomah Falls...
- Orient
- RiverwoodRiverwood, OregonRiverwood is an unincorporated community in Multnomah County, Oregon. It lies at an elevation of 436 feet ....
- SpringdaleSpringdale, OregonSpringdale is an unincorporated community in Multnomah County in the U.S. state of Oregon. Located between Troutdale and Corbett on the Historic Columbia River Highway, it was named for the many springs in the area. In the 1890s, the east end of the community was called Springdale, but the west end...
- WarrendaleWarrendale, OregonWarrendale is an unincorporated community in Multnomah County, Oregon, United States. It is located about a mile east of Dodson and about 3 miles west of Bonneville in the Columbia River Gorge on Interstate 84/U.S. Route 30. It is across the Columbia River from Beacon Rock...
See also
- List of counties in Oregon
- Multnomah County Sheriff's OfficeMultnomah County Sheriff's OfficeMultnomah County Sheriff's Office serves the close to 700,000 residents of Multomah County, Oregon, United States. Multnomah County Sheriff's Office is a County Law Enforcement agency that handles 9-1-1 calls and assists other city agencies such as Portland Police Bureau. The current Sheriff is...
- Multnomah County Sheriff's Office Search and RescueMultnomah County Sheriff's Office Search and RescueMultnomah County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue is a non-profit volunteer search and rescue resource for the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office in Multnomah County, Oregon, United States...
- Multnomah County, Oregon election, 2006Multnomah County, Oregon election, 2006Multnomah County, Oregon, the city of Portland, Oregon, and Metro held elections on May 16 and November 7, 2006.In the May primary, political newcomer Ted Wheeler unseated County Chair Diane Linn with 69% of the vote; incumbent Sheriff Bernie Giusto retained his post with 61% of the vote,...
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Multnomah County, Oregon
- Portland metropolitan areaPortland metropolitan areaThe Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area , also known as the Portland metropolitan area or Greater Portland, is an urban area in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington centered around the city of Portland, Oregon. The U.S...
- VanportVanport, OregonVanport City was a hastily constructed city of public housing located in Multnomah County, Oregon, United States, between the contemporary Portland city boundary and the Columbia River. It is currently the site of Delta Park and the Portland International Raceway.It was constructed in 1943 to house...
External links
- Multnomah County
- Multnomah County Library web site
- Multnomah County History from the Oregon State ArchivesOregon State ArchivesThe Archives Division of the Office of the Secretary of State of Oregon, or Oregon State Archives, is an agency of the Office of the Oregon Secretary of State charged with preserving and providing access to government records. It also publishes the Oregon Blue Book and Oregon Administrative Rules...