Port Ludlow, Washington
Encyclopedia
Port Ludlow is a census-designated place
(CDP) in Jefferson County
, Washington, United States. It is also the name of the marine inlet on which the CDP is located. The CDP's population was 1,968 at the 2000 census. Originally a logging and sawmill community, its economy declined during the first half of the 20th century. Following the completion of the nearby Hood Canal Bridge
in 1960, Port Ludlow became the site of resorts and planned communities, attracting more affluent residents who were retired, buying vacation homes, or needing a more convenient commute to the business centers on the east side of Puget Sound
. Based on per capita income
, Port Ludlow ranks 16th of 522 ranked areas in the state of Washington, and the highest rank achieved in Jefferson County. Port Ludlow's location and marina facilities make it a convenient and popular port for leisure craft sailing between Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands
.
The United States Exploring Expedition
, under Charles Wilkes
, entered Puget Sound in 1841. Wilkes bestowed many patriotically American place names; at the time the sovereignty of the Oregon Country
was yet to be resolved between Britain and the United States. Many of Wilkes's names commemorated American heroes and victories during the War of 1812
. Port Ludlow was one of these, honoring Augustus C. Ludlow, a War of 1812 American naval hero.
Early explorers of the Pacific Northwest
often named sheltered inlets with names beginning with "Port". Communities which subsequently developed often adopted inlet's name. Today Port Ludlow is both the name of the inlet and the community on its shore. To avoid confusion the inlet is sometimes called Port Ludlow Bay.
The first shipments of timber from the Puget Sound to San Francisco, California
in 1851 stimulated interest in the business potential of building sawmills on Puget Sound. John R. Thorndike and W. P. Sayward sailed to Puget Sound in 1852 and found the environs of Port Ludlow promising. Thorndike filed a timber claim of 318 acres (1.3 km²) and they started building a mill there. The initial mill housed two sash saws capable of producing 3000 feet (914.4 m) of lumber daily. The trees along the banks of the bay were logged first and then oxen and horses were used to bring more distant logs to the mill. The mill was leased in 1858 to the Amos & Phinney Company, of which A. Phinney became the resident manager.
The U.S. Federal Census of 1860
designated Port Ludlow as one of the three enumeration districts in Jefferson County, Washington Territory
. The census tally portrays the make-up of a young logging and sawmill community: Of the 124 people counted, 117 (94%) were adults between the ages of 20 and 50, and the remaining 7 were children. Of the adult population 112 (96%) were men and only 5 women, of which 3 were residing with husbands. 53 (47%) of the men were listed as lumbermen and 14 (13%) as sawyers. Of the total population, 94 (76%) were born in the United States, and of those all were born in the eastern half of the nation but two — a two-year-old born in California and a one-year-old born in Washington Territory. Of the 30 (24%) who were foreign-born, 8 were born in England, 8 in Ireland
, 6 in Canada
, 4 in Germany, 2 in Norway
, and one each in Australia
and Denmark
. The indigenous peoples
were not counted in the 1860 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 14.1 square miles (36.4 km²), of which, 11.4 square miles (29.6 km²) of it is land and 2.6 square miles (6.8 km²) of it (18.71%) is water.
of 2000, there were 1,968 people, 954 households, and 742 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 172.2 people per square mile (66.5/km²). There were 1,186 housing units at an average density of 103.8/sq mi (40.1/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.39% White, 0.10% African American, 0.20% Native American, 1.42% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 0.76% from other races
, and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.52% of the population.
There were 954 households out of which 10.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.2% were married couples
living together, 2.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.2% were non-families. 18.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.29.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 9.5% under the age of 18, 2.0% from 18 to 24, 11.9% from 25 to 44, 36.2% from 45 to 64, and 40.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 61 years. For every 100 females there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $56,938, and the median income for a family was $62,298. Males had a median income of $50,265 versus $24,531 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $36,625. None of the families and 1.2% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Washington
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington, named after Thomas Jefferson. As of 2010, the population was 29,872. The county seat is at Port Townsend, which is also the county's only incorporated city....
, Washington, United States. It is also the name of the marine inlet on which the CDP is located. The CDP's population was 1,968 at the 2000 census. Originally a logging and sawmill community, its economy declined during the first half of the 20th century. Following the completion of the nearby Hood Canal Bridge
Hood Canal Bridge
The Hood Canal Bridge is a floating bridge located in the U.S. state of Washington that carries Washington State Route 104 across Hood Canal and connects the Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas. At long, The Hood Canal Bridge (officially William A. Bugge Bridge) is a floating bridge located in the U.S....
in 1960, Port Ludlow became the site of resorts and planned communities, attracting more affluent residents who were retired, buying vacation homes, or needing a more convenient commute to the business centers on the east side of Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
. Based on per capita income
Washington locations by per capita income
Washington is the twelfth richest state in the United States of America, with a per capita income of $22,973 and a personal per capita income of $33,332 .-Washington counties ranked by per capita income:...
, Port Ludlow ranks 16th of 522 ranked areas in the state of Washington, and the highest rank achieved in Jefferson County. Port Ludlow's location and marina facilities make it a convenient and popular port for leisure craft sailing between Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands
San Juan Islands
The San Juan Islands are an archipelago in the northwest corner of the contiguous United States between the US mainland and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The San Juan Islands are part of the U.S...
.
History
United States Exploring Expedition
The United States Exploring Expedition was an exploring and surveying expedition of the Pacific Ocean and surrounding lands conducted by the United States from 1838 to 1842. The original appointed commanding officer was Commodore Thomas ap Catesby Jones. The voyage was authorized by Congress in...
, under Charles Wilkes
Charles Wilkes
Charles Wilkes was an American naval officer and explorer. He led the United States Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842 and commanded the ship in the Trent Affair during the American Civil War...
, entered Puget Sound in 1841. Wilkes bestowed many patriotically American place names; at the time the sovereignty of the Oregon Country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
was yet to be resolved between Britain and the United States. Many of Wilkes's names commemorated American heroes and victories during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. Port Ludlow was one of these, honoring Augustus C. Ludlow, a War of 1812 American naval hero.
Early explorers of the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
often named sheltered inlets with names beginning with "Port". Communities which subsequently developed often adopted inlet's name. Today Port Ludlow is both the name of the inlet and the community on its shore. To avoid confusion the inlet is sometimes called Port Ludlow Bay.
The first shipments of timber from the Puget Sound to San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
in 1851 stimulated interest in the business potential of building sawmills on Puget Sound. John R. Thorndike and W. P. Sayward sailed to Puget Sound in 1852 and found the environs of Port Ludlow promising. Thorndike filed a timber claim of 318 acres (1.3 km²) and they started building a mill there. The initial mill housed two sash saws capable of producing 3000 feet (914.4 m) of lumber daily. The trees along the banks of the bay were logged first and then oxen and horses were used to bring more distant logs to the mill. The mill was leased in 1858 to the Amos & Phinney Company, of which A. Phinney became the resident manager.
The U.S. Federal Census of 1860
United States Census, 1860
The United States Census of 1860 was the eighth Census conducted in the United States. It determined the population of the United States to be 31,443,321 — an increase of 35.4 percent over the 23,191,875 persons enumerated during the 1850 Census...
designated Port Ludlow as one of the three enumeration districts in Jefferson County, Washington Territory
Jefferson County, Washington
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington, named after Thomas Jefferson. As of 2010, the population was 29,872. The county seat is at Port Townsend, which is also the county's only incorporated city....
. The census tally portrays the make-up of a young logging and sawmill community: Of the 124 people counted, 117 (94%) were adults between the ages of 20 and 50, and the remaining 7 were children. Of the adult population 112 (96%) were men and only 5 women, of which 3 were residing with husbands. 53 (47%) of the men were listed as lumbermen and 14 (13%) as sawyers. Of the total population, 94 (76%) were born in the United States, and of those all were born in the eastern half of the nation but two — a two-year-old born in California and a one-year-old born in Washington Territory. Of the 30 (24%) who were foreign-born, 8 were born in England, 8 in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, 6 in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, 4 in Germany, 2 in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, and one each in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. The indigenous peoples
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...
were not counted in the 1860 census.
Geography
Port Ludlow, the CDP (community), is located at 47°55′31"N 122°41′1"W. Port Ludlow, the waterbody, is located at 47°55′25"N 122°40′32"W.According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 CDP has a total area of 14.1 square miles (36.4 km²), of which, 11.4 square miles (29.6 km²) of it is land and 2.6 square miles (6.8 km²) of it (18.71%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,968 people, 954 households, and 742 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population 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...
was 172.2 people per square mile (66.5/km²). There were 1,186 housing units at an average density of 103.8/sq mi (40.1/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.39% White, 0.10% African American, 0.20% Native American, 1.42% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 0.76% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.52% of the population.
There were 954 households out of which 10.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.2% were 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, 2.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.2% were non-families. 18.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.29.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 9.5% under the age of 18, 2.0% from 18 to 24, 11.9% from 25 to 44, 36.2% from 45 to 64, and 40.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 61 years. For every 100 females there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $56,938, and the median income for a family was $62,298. Males had a median income of $50,265 versus $24,531 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 CDP was $36,625. None of the families and 1.2% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.
Further reading
- Jefferson County Historical Society, With Pride in Heritage: History of Jefferson County, Portland, Oregon, Professional Publishing Printing, Inc., 1966.