Yachats, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Yachats is a small coastal city in Lincoln County
, Oregon
, United States
. According to Oregon Geographic Names
, the name comes from the Siletz
language, and means "dark water at the foot of the mountain". There is a range of differing etymologies, however. William Bright
says the name comes from the Alsea
placename /yáx̣ayky/. At the 2000 census, the city's population was 617. In 2007, Budget Travel magazine named Yachats one of the "Ten Coolest Small Towns of the U.S.A.". Yachats was chosen among the top 10 U.S. up-and-coming vacation destinations by Virtualtourist
.
at approximately 570 AD. Yachats is built on seashell midden
s and numerous graves left by its past inhabitants. Excavations for construction of buildings and U.S. Highway 101 uncovered a great many skeletons and artifacts. Most of these became part of the fill dirt forming the base of the current highway and city.
For many centuries the Native Americans in this area were hunter-gatherers who migrated between summer camps and winter residences. The Alsea Tribe had as many as 20 permanent villages (used on an annually rotating basis) on the Alsea River
and the central Oregon coast. Archeological and linguistic evidence support the existence of a southern Alsea village known as the Yahuch band, located on the coast at the Yachats River
. By 1860, the Yahuch band was extinct, many having succumbed to European diseases such as smallpox
and tuberculosis
.
In order to open up land in the Coos Bay
area for homesteading
in the early 1860s, the U.S. Army forcibly marched the Coos
and Lower Umpqua Indians 80 miles (128.7 km) north over rugged terrain to the Alsea Sub-Agency reservation in Yachats where the peaceful Indians, treated by the Army as though they were prisoners of war, were incarcerated. Amanda's Trail, named for a blind Indian woman who suffered greatly on the march, was dedicated on July 19, 2009. The trail climbs 800 feet (243.8 m) from downtown Yachats to the summit of Cape Perpetua where it links with the extensive trail system of the Siuslaw National Forest.
In Yachats the hunter-gatherer tribes were forced to learn to make a living by agriculture. Crops planted near the ocean failed resulting in many deaths from starvation. Approximately 300 Indians died in just 10 years. Twelve years after the Alsea Sub-Agency had opened, the Indians were allowed to establish a trail and develop agricultural plots up the Yachats River Valley, where they were able to grow potatoes, oats, wheat, and corn. They were also allowed to return to hunting. Once the Indians had built a new life there, the U.S. government opened up the area for homesteading in 1875, and once again, forced the Indians to move—some returned to their ancestral homelands, others went 40 miles (64.4 km) north to the Siletz Reservation
. Many of the Indians died during this relocation.
Homesteaders used the Indian farms and trails to develop the Yachats area. In 1892 the first post office was established in Yachats (called Oceanview until it was renamed Yachats in 1917). Until Yachats could be reached by a macadam road, rains made it impossible for the mail to be carried by car. The Roosevelt Memorial Highway (now Highway 101), carved out of the rock of Cape Perpetua
in 1931, changed all this by opening up a route from the town of Florence. Despite the early difficulties of reaching Yachats, the tourist industry began in 1905 with the conversion of a chittum bark
warehouse into the first hotel. Today tourism is the city's main industry.
Yachats was part of the war effort in both World Wars I and II. Spruce was needed for airplanes during World War I
, and in 1918 the U.S. Army Signal Corps undertook logging at Camp 1, an area about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Yachats. A railroad needed for transporting logs to a mill was completed just three days before the war ended. A private company continued the logging operations, however.
Early in World War II
the West Shelter built by the Civilian Conservation Corps
(CCC) near the top of Cape Perpetua was used as an observation site and radar station for the detection of enemy submarines and aircraft. In Yachats, foxholes and gun emplacements were installed along the ocean drive. Military personnel were housed in a local skating rink and the Ladies Club was rented for recreation. After the war, the U.S. Coast Guard discovered Japanese mines that had floated onto the beaches. These were hauled out to sea and destroyed.
The Little Log Church is a historical museum displaying many artifacts relating to Yachats's past. The church, built in 1926, was designed in the shape of a cross. Sir Robert Perks, who owned most of Yachats at the time, provided the property, the logs were donated as well, and the work was contributed by local citizens. The museum is now owned by the city.
of 2000, there were 617 people, 333 households, and 185 families residing in the city. The population density
was 693.1 people per square mile (267.7/km²). There were 619 housing units at an average density of 695.3 per square mile (268.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.27% White, 0.16% African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.81% Asian, and 2.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.76% of the population.
There were 333 households out of which 10.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.8% were married couples
living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.4% were non-families. 37.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.85 and the average family size was 2.34.
In the city the population was spread out with 11.7% under the age of 18, 3.9% from 18 to 24, 13.0% from 25 to 44, 39.4% from 45 to 64, and 32.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 56 years. For every 100 females there were 83.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,308, and the median income for a family was $41,250. Males had a median income of $36,875 versus $31,806 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $24,143. About 12.8% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.7% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
Of city residents age 25 or older in 2000, 94.0% achieved a high school education or higher, compared to the national average of 80.4%, and 40.3% held a bachelor's degree or higher compared to 24.4% nationally.
on the east and the Pacific Ocean
on the west. It is located on U.S. Route 101
, 26 miles (41.8 km) north of Florence
, 8 miles (12.9 km) south of Waldport
, and 26 miles (41.8 km) south of Newport
. The city straddles the Yachats River
and estuary
. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²), of which 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) is land and 1.11% is water.
The climate of Yachats is relatively mild throughout the year because of the moderating effects of the ocean currents. Temperatures rarely drop below 30 °F (-1.1 °C) in the winter or rise above 75 °F (23.9 °C) in the summer. The highest recorded temperature, however, was 100 °F (37.8 °C) in July 1961 and the record low was 1 °F (-17.2 °C) in December 1972. Snow is uncommon, but rainfall is quite heavy through the winter months and several storms come out of the Gulf of Alaska
each winter.
miniature goats. Then, in the evening, an extensive fireworks display is launched out over the ocean.
The Yachats Music Festival brings 20 to 30 of the world's major classical musicians for four concerts throughout a weekend in July. The Yachats event is the summer festival for Four Seasons Arts, an organization that presents annual recitals at Carnegie Hall
and the Lincoln Center. This music festival has graced Yachats annually since 1981.
Each October, Yachats is the site of the Yachats Village Mushroom Festival. Some of the world's leading experts in mycology
provide exhibits, give talks, and guide forest walks. There is also a culinary mushroom-growing workshop. Restaurants in Yachats participate in a Fungi Feast with wild mushroom cuisine. Mushroom-inspired art and music can be found at a number of venues around the town.
During the first weekend of November, the city hosts the Yachats Celtic Music Festival, with performances at several venues, including the auditorium of the Yachats Commons. Many of the world's finest Celtic
musicians perform there, traveling from Scotland
, Ireland
, Canada
, and various regions of the U.S. to participate. Workshops are held for teaching dances and the playing of instruments such as the bodhran
and the tin whistle
.
At the Cape Perpetua
Scenic Area, the visitor center hosts Whale Watching Weeks in winter and in spring. About 400 gray whales feed along the coasts of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia
in the summer. Generally, whales are in the Cape Perpetua area from July through mid-November. These whales can be seen close to shore while feeding. The visitor center also sponsors a Tidepool Discovery Days program each summer and provides guided tidepool walks. The Heceta Head Light
house, located 13 miles (20.9 km) south of Yachats, holds a Victorian Christmas Open House each December. Besides the usual guided tours of the historic lighthouse, the Queen Anne style
keeper's house is thoroughly decorated in a Victorian manner
. Visitors are entertained with holiday musical performances and treats.
The Little Log Church and Museum, built in 1926, originally served as an Evangelical Church and later as a Presbyterian Church. Today it is owned and managed by the City of Yachats and houses a large collection of local historical artifacts. It is also a popular venue for weddings, memorials, concerts, and fine arts exhibits. Each Valentine's Day
, a wedding vow renewal ceremony
, open to any couple, is held there.
The North Fork of the Yachats Bridge is a covered bridge
located in the Yachats River
Valley, about nine miles (14.5 km) east of Yachats. It was completed, at a cost of $1,500, in 1938 and was the last bridge of veteran bridge builder Otis Hamer. It features the Queen-post truss
style found in few covered bridge
s today and has ribbon openings under the roof to provide light to the bridge's center. Its span is 42 feet (12.8 m) long, making it one of the shortest covered bridges in the Pacific Northwest.
At one time, the Yachats 804 Trail was part of the major "thoroughfare" running between Yachats and Alsea Bay in Waldport
, eight miles to the north. For many centuries it was used by Native Americans traveling between the bay and the Yachats River (but only during low tide). Later it was called County Road 804 when it was used for carriage and buggy traffic from the late 19th century until U.S. Highway 101 was built in the 1930s. Today the historic trail is a footpath that provides views of crashing surf, tidal pools, and native vegetation. Part of the Oregon Coast Trail
system, it is maintained by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
. It extends 0.75 miles (1.2 km) from a public parking area to Smelt Sands State Recreation Area.
The sanctuary of the Yachats Community Presbyterian Church is lighted by six windows featuring gold-hued panes made of agate
s collected from the local beaches. The area of these windows totals 217 square feet (20 m²). They are believed to be the world's only windows made of agate.
The Yachats Commons was built in the 1930s and used as a school until 1983. In 1990, the building was bought by the city to serve as a community center. It now houses the city government offices and hosts a wide variety of events, including monthly free movie nights, play readings and drum circles (open to the public), seniors' luncheons, and concerts of the Yachats Big Band (with ballroom dancing). Periodically, concerts by the Oregon Coast Chamber Orchestra and productions of the One of Us Theatrical Company are performed on the stage in the large auditorium, and a number of art and craft shows are held at the Commons as well. From May through October the Commons is the site of the outdoor Yachats Farmers Market.
The Yachats Academy of Arts & Sciences sponsors numerous educational and entertainment events, most of which are held at the Commons. Presentations include speakers, films, workshops, exhibitions, and seminars on various topics relating to art, science and the humanities.
The Commons also serves as the venue for premieres of locally filmed movies. The Yachats International Film Festival is devoted to the filming and showing of such films as Ghoul from the Tidal Pool. A feature-length, tongue-in-cheek version of the 1950s horror movie genre, this film was made by an all-amateur production team of writers, actors, and crew.
The Yachats Public Library hosts a perpetual exhibition of paintings, drawings, and photographs by the Yachats Arts Guild. The exhibited works are changed every few weeks. Also, the library houses the Yachats Seed Bank, a repository of vegetable seeds offered free to gardeners. The Seed Bank displays a wide selection of cookbooks, gardening manuals, and guides for developing community sustainability. In addition, the library provides high speed Internet access over its Wi-Fi
connection. Computers are available to the public during regular hours. Library cards are free and visitors can check out books while they vacation in Yachats.
The Yachats area is home to a rich variety of plant and animal life. Its natural history affords the study of marine
, montane
, and riparian
ecological communities
and their complex interactions. The following natural attractions are dedicated to the protection, study, and exposition of the plants and wildlife of the central Oregon coast.
The Siuslaw National Forest
borders Yachats on the east and consists of over 630000 acres (2,549.5 km²) (about 5/8 the area of the state of Rhode Island
) extending from Coos Bay
in the south to Tillamook
in the north. The Forest has numerous hiking trails, including those through the virgin stands of Sitka spruce
, western hemlock
, and Douglas fir
in the Cummins Creek
and Rock Creek Wilderness
areas a few miles south of Yachats. Another network of hiking trails north of Yachats leads to summits such as those of Cannibal Mountain and Burnt Timber Mountain.
The Siuslaw National Forest features Cape Perpetua
, located about 2 miles (3 km) south of Yachats. Named by Captain James Cook
on March 7, 1778, this promontory rises to 803 feet (244.8 m) above sea level
, making it the highest point on the Oregon coast. Its West Shelter observation point is a popular site for watching migrating gray whales
. At the foot of the cape, the power of the waves has carved a rugged inlet called the Devil's Churn
. Around on the north slope of the cape, the privately owned and operated Cleft of the Rock Lighthouse is visible from the U.S. 101 Highway.
Yachats Ocean Road State Natural Site
is located on the south side of the mouth of the Yachats River. It forms a 1 miles (1.6 km) long strip on the bank overlooking the river’s estuary and the ocean. Picnic tables are available and a stairway leads down to the beach on the north end of the park. At Agate Cove on the south end of the park, waves crashing against the basalt rocks provide spectacular spouts from blow holes.
Yachats State Recreation Area
is a day use only park located on the north side of the mouth of the Yachats River. It includes a viewing deck jutting out from the headlands 0.25 mile (0.402335 km) west of downtown Yachats. It offers viewing of whales and other wildlife, tide pools, kite flying, fishing, and picnicking. Restrooms are available.
Smelt Sands State Recreation Site
is a beach located on the northern edge of Yachats. At one time large numbers of smelt (a small relative of the salmon) came ashore here during annual runs. These runs have diminished in recent years. The beach can be reached by walking the historic 804 Trail, 0.75 miles (1.2 km) one way, from the parking area to the south end of the park.
Yachats Community Park is a restored marshland in the city's center. The park's boardwalks and paths present a wide variety of native plants and wildlife, including a preserved spruce forest. Migrating waterfowl visit the wetland
s regularly, and osprey
s nest on platforms provided especially for them. The park includes a picnic shelter, peace garden, tree house, and benches.
Gerdemann Botanical Preserve is a 3.5 acres (1.4 ha) native woodland on the northern edge of Yachats and the western edge of the Siuslaw National Forest. The garden contains and preserves the botanical collection of horticulturalists James and Janice Gerdemann. Among the native Sitka spruce, western hemlock and wildflowers, the garden is a unique experimental outdoor laboratory, featuring a great many exotic species such as South African honeybush
, New Zealand and Tasmanian tree ferns
, Chinese fig hazel, Australian Grevillia, and Chilean flame
and lantern trees. Today the garden is dedicated to botanical research and education.
Ten Mile Creek Sanctuary is a 216 acre (0.87412176 km²) reserve 7 miles (11.3 km) south of Yachats. This protected stand of Sitka spruce and western hemlock is home to the federally listed species of marbled murrelet
and northern spotted owl
as well as other species such as the Roosevelt elk
, black-tailed deer
, cougar, black bear
, and bald eagle
. Ten Mile Creek has runs of steelhead trout
, Chinook salmon
, and threatened Coho salmon
. The sanctuary is under the management of the Audubon Society
, and offers extensive educational programs in addition to its conservation efforts.
city government consisting of a mayor and four councilors. The positions are non-partisan and unpaid; the mayor serves a two-year term and the councilors serve four-year terms. The city has four commissions: The Planning Commission, The Public Works and Streets Commission, The Library Commission, and The Parks and Commons Commission.
. Kindergarten
through eighth grade
students attend Crestview Heights School in Waldport, and ninth
through twelfth grade
students attend Waldport High School
. The closest colleges are Oregon Coast Community College
in Newport (with a branch in Waldport) and Lane Community College
in Florence.
. No radio or television stations are located in the Yachats area.
. Solid waste disposal and cable are provided by private businesses.
in Newport and Peace Harbor Hospital
in Florence. Health care is available in Waldport
at Waldport Family Medical Center, Samaritan (Waldport) Clinic, and Waldport Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine.
.
Lincoln County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge *Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge*Siuslaw National Forest -Demographics:...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. According to Oregon Geographic Names
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...
, the name comes from the Siletz
Siletz (tribe)
The Siletz people are a Native American tribe from Oregon and an Indigenous people of the Northwest Plateau. Today they are enrolled in the federally recognized Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon....
language, and means "dark water at the foot of the mountain". There is a range of differing etymologies, however. William Bright
William Bright
William Bright was an American linguist who specialized in Native American and South Asian languages and descriptive linguistics....
says the name comes from the Alsea
Alsean languages
Alsea or Alsean was two closely related speech varieties spoken along the central Oregon coast. They are sometimes taken to be different languages, but it is difficult to be sure given the poor state of attestation; Mithun believes they were probably dialects of a single language.-Varieties:#...
placename /yáx̣ayky/. At the 2000 census, the city's population was 617. In 2007, Budget Travel magazine named Yachats one of the "Ten Coolest Small Towns of the U.S.A.". Yachats was chosen among the top 10 U.S. up-and-coming vacation destinations by Virtualtourist
Virtualtourist
VirtualTourist is a free, travel-oriented community website featuring user-contributed travel guides for locations worldwide. VirtualTourist is one of a number of travel websites on the Web, which include websites like Tripadvisor and Cruise Critic...
.
History
Archeological studies have shown that the Yachats area has been inhabited for at least 1,500 years. Remains of a pit house in Yachats have been radiocarbon datedRadiocarbon dating
Radiocarbon dating is a radiometric dating method that uses the naturally occurring radioisotope carbon-14 to estimate the age of carbon-bearing materials up to about 58,000 to 62,000 years. Raw, i.e. uncalibrated, radiocarbon ages are usually reported in radiocarbon years "Before Present" ,...
at approximately 570 AD. Yachats is built on seashell midden
Midden
A midden, is an old dump for domestic waste which may consist of animal bone, human excrement, botanical material, vermin, shells, sherds, lithics , and other artifacts and ecofacts associated with past human occupation...
s and numerous graves left by its past inhabitants. Excavations for construction of buildings and U.S. Highway 101 uncovered a great many skeletons and artifacts. Most of these became part of the fill dirt forming the base of the current highway and city.
For many centuries the Native Americans in this area were hunter-gatherers who migrated between summer camps and winter residences. The Alsea Tribe had as many as 20 permanent villages (used on an annually rotating basis) on the Alsea River
Alsea River
The Alsea River flows from Alsea, an unincorporated community in the coastal mountains of the U.S. state of Oregon, to the Pacific Ocean near the city of Waldport. It begins at the confluence of the North Fork Alsea River and the South Fork Alsea River and ends in Alsea Bay, a wide estuary at...
and the central Oregon coast. Archeological and linguistic evidence support the existence of a southern Alsea village known as the Yahuch band, located on the coast at the Yachats River
Yachats River
The Yachats River is a short river on the central Oregon coast, about west-north-west of Eugene. The name is the native name meaning at the foot of the mountain....
. By 1860, the Yahuch band was extinct, many having succumbed to European diseases such as smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
and tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
.
In order to open up land in the Coos Bay
Coos Bay, Oregon
Coos Bay is a city located in Coos County, Oregon, United States, where the Coos River enters Coos Bay on the Pacific Ocean. The city borders the city of North Bend, and together they are often referred to as one entity called either Coos Bay-North Bend or the Bay Area...
area for homesteading
Homestead 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....
in the early 1860s, the U.S. Army forcibly marched the Coos
Coos (tribe)
The Coos are a Native American tribe from the U.S. state of Oregon and one of the three Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians. They live on the southwest Oregon Pacific coast...
and Lower Umpqua Indians 80 miles (128.7 km) north over rugged terrain to the Alsea Sub-Agency reservation in Yachats where the peaceful Indians, treated by the Army as though they were prisoners of war, were incarcerated. Amanda's Trail, named for a blind Indian woman who suffered greatly on the march, was dedicated on July 19, 2009. The trail climbs 800 feet (243.8 m) from downtown Yachats to the summit of Cape Perpetua where it links with the extensive trail system of the Siuslaw National Forest.
Siletz Reservation
The Siletz Reservation is a 5.852 sq mi Indian reservation in Oregon, United States, owned by the Confederated Tribes of Siletz...
. Many of the Indians died during this relocation.
Homesteaders used the Indian farms and trails to develop the Yachats area. In 1892 the first post office was established in Yachats (called Oceanview until it was renamed Yachats in 1917). Until Yachats could be reached by a macadam road, rains made it impossible for the mail to be carried by car. The Roosevelt Memorial Highway (now Highway 101), carved out of the rock of Cape Perpetua
Cape Perpetua
Cape Perpetua is a large forested headland on the central Oregon Coast which projects into the Pacific Ocean. The land is managed by the United States Forest Service as part of the Siuslaw National Forest.- Geography :...
in 1931, changed all this by opening up a route from the town of Florence. Despite the early difficulties of reaching Yachats, the tourist industry began in 1905 with the conversion of a chittum bark
Rhamnus purshiana
Rhamnus purshiana Rhamnus purshiana Rhamnus purshiana (Cascara Buckthorn, Cascara, Bearberry, and in the Chinook Jargon, Chittam or Chitticum; syn...
warehouse into the first hotel. Today tourism is the city's main industry.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and in 1918 the U.S. Army Signal Corps undertook logging at Camp 1, an area about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Yachats. A railroad needed for transporting logs to a mill was completed just three days before the war ended. A private company continued the logging operations, however.
Early in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the West Shelter built by the Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
(CCC) near the top of Cape Perpetua was used as an observation site and radar station for the detection of enemy submarines and aircraft. In Yachats, foxholes and gun emplacements were installed along the ocean drive. Military personnel were housed in a local skating rink and the Ladies Club was rented for recreation. After the war, the U.S. Coast Guard discovered Japanese mines that had floated onto the beaches. These were hauled out to sea and destroyed.
The Little Log Church is a historical museum displaying many artifacts relating to Yachats's past. The church, built in 1926, was designed in the shape of a cross. Sir Robert Perks, who owned most of Yachats at the time, provided the property, the logs were donated as well, and the work was contributed by local citizens. The museum is now owned by the city.
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 617 people, 333 households, and 185 families residing in the city. 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 693.1 people per square mile (267.7/km²). There were 619 housing units at an average density of 695.3 per square mile (268.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.27% White, 0.16% African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.81% Asian, and 2.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.76% of the population.
There were 333 households out of which 10.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.8% 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, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.4% were non-families. 37.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.85 and the average family size was 2.34.
In the city the population was spread out with 11.7% under the age of 18, 3.9% from 18 to 24, 13.0% from 25 to 44, 39.4% from 45 to 64, and 32.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 56 years. For every 100 females there were 83.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,308, and the median income for a family was $41,250. Males had a median income of $36,875 versus $31,806 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 was $24,143. About 12.8% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.7% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
Of city residents age 25 or older in 2000, 94.0% achieved a high school education or higher, compared to the national average of 80.4%, and 40.3% held a bachelor's degree or higher compared to 24.4% nationally.
Economy
The principal industries of Lincoln County are lumber, fishing, tourism and recreation, and food products manufacturing. Tourism is Yachats's main industry. As of 2002, two of the top employers in Yachats were the Adobe Resort and the Landmark Restaurant & Lounge. There is one bank in the city.Geography and climate
Yachats is the southernmost city in Lincoln County. It is bounded by the Central Oregon Coast RangeCentral Oregon Coast Range
The Central Oregon Coast Range is the middle section of the Oregon Coast Range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges physiographic region, and located in the west-central portion of the state of Oregon, United States roughly between the Salmon River and the Umpqua River and the Willamette Valley and the...
on the east and the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
on the west. It is located on U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101 in Oregon
In the U.S. state of Oregon, U.S. Route 101, a major north–south U.S. Highway, runs through the state along the coastline near the Pacific Ocean. In Oregon, it runs from the Oregon–California border, south of Brookings, to the Oregon–Washington border on the Columbia River, between Astoria,...
, 26 miles (41.8 km) north of Florence
Florence, Oregon
Florence is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 8,466.-History:The Florence area was originally inhabited by the Siuslaw tribe of Native Americans. Some state that the city was named for state senator A. B...
, 8 miles (12.9 km) south of Waldport
Waldport, Oregon
Waldport is a city in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States. The population was 2,050 at the 2000 census. The city is located on the Alsea River and Alsea Bay, south of Newport and north of Yachats.-Geography:...
, and 26 miles (41.8 km) south of Newport
Newport, Oregon
Newport is a city in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States. It was incorporated in 1882, though the name dates back to the establishment of a post office in 1868...
. The city straddles the Yachats River
Yachats River
The Yachats River is a short river on the central Oregon coast, about west-north-west of Eugene. The name is the native name meaning at the foot of the mountain....
and estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
. 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 city has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²), of which 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) is land and 1.11% is water.
The climate of Yachats is relatively mild throughout the year because of the moderating effects of the ocean currents. Temperatures rarely drop below 30 °F (-1.1 °C) in the winter or rise above 75 °F (23.9 °C) in the summer. The highest recorded temperature, however, was 100 °F (37.8 °C) in July 1961 and the record low was 1 °F (-17.2 °C) in December 1972. Snow is uncommon, but rainfall is quite heavy through the winter months and several storms come out of the Gulf of Alaska
Gulf of Alaska
The Gulf of Alaska is an arm of the Pacific Ocean defined by the curve of the southern coast of Alaska, stretching from the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island in the west to the Alexander Archipelago in the east, where Glacier Bay and the Inside Passage are found.The entire shoreline of the Gulf is...
each winter.
Annual cultural events
The Yachats la de da Parade is held each July 4 at noon. It features anyone in town who wants to participate. Some of the regular entries include the Yachats Umbrella Drill Team, a belly dancing troupe, and a Yachats Fire Department truck accompanied by DalmatianDalmatian (dog)
The Dalmatian is a breed of dog whose roots are often said to trace back to Dalmatia, a region of Croatia where the first illustrations of the dog have been found. The Dalmatian is noted for its unique black- or brown-spotted coat and was mainly used as a carriage dog in its early days...
miniature goats. Then, in the evening, an extensive fireworks display is launched out over the ocean.
The Yachats Music Festival brings 20 to 30 of the world's major classical musicians for four concerts throughout a weekend in July. The Yachats event is the summer festival for Four Seasons Arts, an organization that presents annual recitals at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
and the Lincoln Center. This music festival has graced Yachats annually since 1981.
Mycology
Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi, including their genetic and biochemical properties, their taxonomy and their use to humans as a source for tinder, medicinals , food and entheogens, as well as their dangers, such as poisoning or...
provide exhibits, give talks, and guide forest walks. There is also a culinary mushroom-growing workshop. Restaurants in Yachats participate in a Fungi Feast with wild mushroom cuisine. Mushroom-inspired art and music can be found at a number of venues around the town.
During the first weekend of November, the city hosts the Yachats Celtic Music Festival, with performances at several venues, including the auditorium of the Yachats Commons. Many of the world's finest Celtic
Celtic music
Celtic music is a term utilised by artists, record companies, music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of musical genres that evolved out of the folk musical traditions of the Celtic people of Western Europe...
musicians perform there, traveling from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, 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...
, 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...
, and various regions of the U.S. to participate. Workshops are held for teaching dances and the playing of instruments such as the bodhran
Bodhrán
The bodhrán is an Irish frame drum ranging from 25 to 65 cm in diameter, with most drums measuring 35 to 45 cm . The sides of the drum are 9 to 20 cm deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side...
and the tin whistle
Tin whistle
The tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, English Flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, Tin Flageolet, Irish whistle and Clarke London Flageolet is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is an end blown fipple flute, putting it in the same category as the recorder, American Indian flute, and...
.
At the Cape Perpetua
Cape Perpetua
Cape Perpetua is a large forested headland on the central Oregon Coast which projects into the Pacific Ocean. The land is managed by the United States Forest Service as part of the Siuslaw National Forest.- Geography :...
Scenic Area, the visitor center hosts Whale Watching Weeks in winter and in spring. About 400 gray whales feed along the coasts of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
in the summer. Generally, whales are in the Cape Perpetua area from July through mid-November. These whales can be seen close to shore while feeding. The visitor center also sponsors a Tidepool Discovery Days program each summer and provides guided tidepool walks. The Heceta Head Light
Heceta Head Light
Heceta Head Light is a lighthouse located on the Oregon Coast north of Florence, Oregon and south of Yachats, Oregon, United States. It is located at Heceta Head Lighthouse State Scenic Viewpoint midway up a 205-foot tall headland...
house, located 13 miles (20.9 km) south of Yachats, holds a Victorian Christmas Open House each December. Besides the usual guided tours of the historic lighthouse, the Queen Anne style
Queen Anne Style architecture
The Queen Anne Style in Britain means either the English Baroque architectural style roughly of the reign of Queen Anne , or a revived form that was popular in the last quarter of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century...
keeper's house is thoroughly decorated in a Victorian manner
Victorian decorative arts
Victorian decorative arts refers to the style of decorative arts during the Victorian era. The Victorian era is known for its eclectic revival and interpretation of historic styles and the introduction of cross-cultural influences from the middle east and Asia in furniture, fittings, and Interior...
. Visitors are entertained with holiday musical performances and treats.
Museums and other points of interest
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
, a wedding vow renewal ceremony
Wedding vow renewal ceremony
A wedding vow renewal ceremony is a ceremony in which a married couple renew or reaffirm their wedding vows. The ceremonies have been popular in Italy for decades, and have existed in United States since the 1950s, but only became popular there after the 1970s...
, open to any couple, is held there.
The North Fork of the Yachats Bridge is a 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...
located in the Yachats River
Yachats River
The Yachats River is a short river on the central Oregon coast, about west-north-west of Eugene. The name is the native name meaning at the foot of the mountain....
Valley, about nine miles (14.5 km) east of Yachats. It was completed, at a cost of $1,500, in 1938 and was the last bridge of veteran bridge builder Otis Hamer. It features the Queen-post truss
King post
A king post is a central vertical supporting post used in architectural, bridge, or aircraft design applications.-Architecture:...
style found in few 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 today and has ribbon openings under the roof to provide light to the bridge's center. Its span is 42 feet (12.8 m) long, making it one of the shortest covered bridges in the Pacific Northwest.
Waldport, Oregon
Waldport is a city in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States. The population was 2,050 at the 2000 census. The city is located on the Alsea River and Alsea Bay, south of Newport and north of Yachats.-Geography:...
, eight miles to the north. For many centuries it was used by Native Americans traveling between the bay and the Yachats River (but only during low tide). Later it was called County Road 804 when it was used for carriage and buggy traffic from the late 19th century until U.S. Highway 101 was built in the 1930s. Today the historic trail is a footpath that provides views of crashing surf, tidal pools, and native vegetation. Part of the Oregon Coast Trail
Oregon Coast Trail
The Oregon Coast Trail is a long-distance hiking route along the Pacific coast of Oregon in the United States. It follows the coast of Oregon from the mouth of the Columbia River to the California border south of Brookings....
system, it is maintained by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department , officially known as the State Parks and Recreation Department, is the government agency of the U.S. state of Oregon which operates its system of state parks...
. It extends 0.75 miles (1.2 km) from a public parking area to Smelt Sands State Recreation Area.
The sanctuary of the Yachats Community Presbyterian Church is lighted by six windows featuring gold-hued panes made of agate
Agate
Agate is a microcrystalline variety of silica, chiefly chalcedony, characterised by its fineness of grain and brightness of color. Although agates may be found in various kinds of rock, they are classically associated with volcanic rocks and can be common in certain metamorphic rocks.-Etymology...
s collected from the local beaches. The area of these windows totals 217 square feet (20 m²). They are believed to be the world's only windows made of agate.
The Yachats Academy of Arts & Sciences sponsors numerous educational and entertainment events, most of which are held at the Commons. Presentations include speakers, films, workshops, exhibitions, and seminars on various topics relating to art, science and the humanities.
The Commons also serves as the venue for premieres of locally filmed movies. The Yachats International Film Festival is devoted to the filming and showing of such films as Ghoul from the Tidal Pool. A feature-length, tongue-in-cheek version of the 1950s horror movie genre, this film was made by an all-amateur production team of writers, actors, and crew.
The Yachats Public Library hosts a perpetual exhibition of paintings, drawings, and photographs by the Yachats Arts Guild. The exhibited works are changed every few weeks. Also, the library houses the Yachats Seed Bank, a repository of vegetable seeds offered free to gardeners. The Seed Bank displays a wide selection of cookbooks, gardening manuals, and guides for developing community sustainability. In addition, the library provides high speed Internet access over its Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
connection. Computers are available to the public during regular hours. Library cards are free and visitors can check out books while they vacation in Yachats.
Parks and recreation
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
, montane
Montane
In biogeography, montane is the highland area located below the subalpine zone. Montane regions generally have cooler temperatures and often have higher rainfall than the adjacent lowland regions, and are frequently home to distinct communities of plants and animals.The term "montane" means "of the...
, and riparian
Riparian zone
A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. Riparian is also the proper nomenclature for one of the fifteen terrestrial biomes of the earth. Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks are called riparian vegetation, characterized by...
ecological communities
Community (ecology)
In ecology, a community is an assemblage of two or more populations of different species occupying the same geographical area. The term community has a variety of uses...
and their complex interactions. The following natural attractions are dedicated to the protection, study, and exposition of the plants and wildlife of the central Oregon coast.
The Siuslaw National Forest
Siuslaw National Forest
Siuslaw National Forest is a national forest in western Oregon, United States. Established in 1908, the Siuslaw is made up of a wide variety of ecosystems, ranging from coastal forests to sand dunes.- Geography :...
borders Yachats on the east and consists of over 630000 acres (2,549.5 km²) (about 5/8 the area of the state of Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
) extending from Coos Bay
Coos Bay
Coos Bay is an S-shaped inlet where the Coos River enters the Pacific Ocean, approximately 10 miles long and two miles wide, on the Pacific Ocean coast of southwestern Oregon in the United States. The estuary is situated south of the Salmon River. The city of Coos Bay, once named Marshfield, was...
in the south to Tillamook
Tillamook
Tillamook may refer to:Places:* Tillamook County, Oregon, United States* Tillamook, Oregon, a city in the United States* Tillamook River, United States* Tillamook Bay, a bay in the northwestern part of Oregon...
in the north. The Forest has numerous hiking trails, including those through the virgin stands of Sitka spruce
Sitka Spruce
Picea sitchensis, the Sitka Spruce, is a large coniferous evergreen tree growing to 50–70 m tall, exceptionally to 95 m tall, and with a trunk diameter of up to 5 m, exceptionally to 6–7 m diameter...
, western hemlock
Western Hemlock
Tsuga heterophylla. the Western Hemlock, is a species of hemlock native to the west coast of North America, with its northwestern limit on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, and its southeastern limit in northern Sonoma County, California.-Habitat:...
, and Douglas fir
Douglas-fir
Douglas-fir is one of the English common names for evergreen coniferous trees of the genus Pseudotsuga in the family Pinaceae. Other common names include Douglas tree, and Oregon pine. There are five species, two in western North America, one in Mexico, and two in eastern Asia...
in the Cummins Creek
Cummins Creek Wilderness
The Cummins Creek Wilderness is a wilderness area in the Siuslaw National Forest on the Oregon coast. It is one of three wilderness areas created in the Siuslaw in 1984, along with Drift Creek and Rock Creek...
and Rock Creek Wilderness
Rock Creek Wilderness
The Rock Creek Wilderness is a wilderness area comprising within the Siuslaw National Forest on the Oregon Coast. It was created in 1984, along with the Drift Creek Wilderness and Cummins Creek Wilderness.-Topography:...
areas a few miles south of Yachats. Another network of hiking trails north of Yachats leads to summits such as those of Cannibal Mountain and Burnt Timber Mountain.
The Siuslaw National Forest features Cape Perpetua
Cape Perpetua
Cape Perpetua is a large forested headland on the central Oregon Coast which projects into the Pacific Ocean. The land is managed by the United States Forest Service as part of the Siuslaw National Forest.- Geography :...
, located about 2 miles (3 km) south of Yachats. Named by Captain James Cook
James Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
on March 7, 1778, this promontory rises to 803 feet (244.8 m) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
, making it the highest point on the Oregon coast. Its West Shelter observation point is a popular site for watching migrating gray whales
Gray Whale
The gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus, is a baleen whale that migrates between feeding and breeding grounds yearly. It reaches a length of about , a weight of , and lives 50–70 years. The common name of the whale comes from the gray patches and white mottling on its dark skin. Gray whales were...
. At the foot of the cape, the power of the waves has carved a rugged inlet called the Devil's Churn
Devils Churn
Devils Churn is a narrow inlet of the Pacific Ocean in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States, south of Yachats. It is located in the Siuslaw National Forest and is accessible via the Restless Waters trail from the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area visitor's center or the U.S. Route 101 overlook...
. Around on the north slope of the cape, the privately owned and operated Cleft of the Rock Lighthouse is visible from the U.S. 101 Highway.
Yachats Ocean Road State Natural Site
Yachats Ocean Road State Natural Site
The Yachats Ocean Road State Natural Site is a state park in southern Lincoln County, Oregon, in the town of Yachats. It is administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. It is located on the Pacific Ocean coast, adjacent to the Oregon Coast Highway and the mouth of the Yachats River...
is located on the south side of the mouth of the Yachats River. It forms a 1 miles (1.6 km) long strip on the bank overlooking the river’s estuary and the ocean. Picnic tables are available and a stairway leads down to the beach on the north end of the park. At Agate Cove on the south end of the park, waves crashing against the basalt rocks provide spectacular spouts from blow holes.
Yachats State Recreation Area
The Yachats State Recreation Area is a state park in southern Lincoln County, Oregon, in the central district of the town of Yachats. It is administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. It is located on the Pacific Ocean coast, on the north side of the mouth of the Yachats River...
is a day use only park located on the north side of the mouth of the Yachats River. It includes a viewing deck jutting out from the headlands 0.25 mile (0.402335 km) west of downtown Yachats. It offers viewing of whales and other wildlife, tide pools, kite flying, fishing, and picnicking. Restrooms are available.
Smelt Sands State Recreation Site
Smelt Sands State Recreation Site
Smelt Sands State Recreation Site is a state park in the U.S. state of Oregon, administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department....
is a beach located on the northern edge of Yachats. At one time large numbers of smelt (a small relative of the salmon) came ashore here during annual runs. These runs have diminished in recent years. The beach can be reached by walking the historic 804 Trail, 0.75 miles (1.2 km) one way, from the parking area to the south end of the park.
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s regularly, and osprey
Osprey
The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...
s nest on platforms provided especially for them. The park includes a picnic shelter, peace garden, tree house, and benches.
Gerdemann Botanical Preserve is a 3.5 acres (1.4 ha) native woodland on the northern edge of Yachats and the western edge of the Siuslaw National Forest. The garden contains and preserves the botanical collection of horticulturalists James and Janice Gerdemann. Among the native Sitka spruce, western hemlock and wildflowers, the garden is a unique experimental outdoor laboratory, featuring a great many exotic species such as South African honeybush
Honeybush
Honeybush , or 'Heuningbos' in Afrikaans, is commonly used to make an infusion in the same manner as tea. It grows only in small areas in the southwest and southeast of South Africa and has many similarities with rooibos.Honeybush is so named because the flowers smell of honey...
, New Zealand and Tasmanian tree ferns
Cyatheales
The order Cyatheales is a taxonomic division of the fern subclass, Cyatheatae, which includes the tree ferns. No clear morphological features characterize all of the Cyatheales, but DNA sequence data indicates that the order is monophyletic. Some species in the Cyatheales have tree-like growth...
, Chinese fig hazel, Australian Grevillia, and Chilean flame
Embothrium
Embothrium is a genus of two to eight species in the plant family Proteaceae, native to southern South America, in Chile and adjacent western Argentina and southern Peru; the genus occurs as far south as Tierra del Fuego...
and lantern trees. Today the garden is dedicated to botanical research and education.
Ten Mile Creek Sanctuary is a 216 acre (0.87412176 km²) reserve 7 miles (11.3 km) south of Yachats. This protected stand of Sitka spruce and western hemlock is home to the federally listed species of marbled murrelet
Marbled Murrelet
The Marbled Murrelet is a small seabird from the North Pacific. It is a member of the auk family. It nests in old-growth forests or on the ground at higher latitudes where trees cannot grow...
and northern spotted owl
Northern Spotted Owl
The Northern Spotted Owl, Strix occidentalis caurina, is one of three Spotted Owl subspecies. A Western North American bird in the family Strigidae, genus Strix, it is a medium-sized dark brown owl sixteen to nineteen inches in length and one to one and one sixth pounds. Females are larger than males...
as well as other species such as the Roosevelt elk
Roosevelt elk
The Roosevelt elk , also known as Olympic elk, is the largest of the four surviving subspecies of elk in North America...
, black-tailed deer
Black-tailed Deer
Two forms of black-tailed deer or blacktail deer occupying coastal temperate rainforest on North America's Pacific coast are subspecies of the mule deer. They have sometimes been treated as a species, but virtually all recent authorities maintain they are subspecies...
, cougar, black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
, and bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
. Ten Mile Creek has runs of steelhead trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
, Chinook salmon
Chinook salmon
The Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, is the largest species in the pacific salmon family. Other commonly used names for the species include King salmon, Quinnat salmon, Spring salmon and Tyee salmon...
, and threatened Coho salmon
Coho salmon
The Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. Coho salmon are also known as silver salmon or "silvers". It is the state animal of Chiba, Japan.-Description:...
. The sanctuary is under the management of the Audubon Society
National Audubon Society
The National Audubon Society is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation. Incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such organizations in the world and uses science, education and grassroots advocacy to advance its conservation mission...
, and offers extensive educational programs in addition to its conservation efforts.
Government
Yachats has a mayor-councilMayor-council government
The mayor–council government system, sometimes called the mayor–commission government system, is one of the two most common forms of local government for municipalities...
city government consisting of a mayor and four councilors. The positions are non-partisan and unpaid; the mayor serves a two-year term and the councilors serve four-year terms. The city has four commissions: The Planning Commission, The Public Works and Streets Commission, The Library Commission, and The Parks and Commons Commission.
Education
Yachats is served by the Lincoln County School DistrictLincoln County School District (Oregon)
The Lincoln County School District is a public school district in the U.S. state of Oregon. The district serves the communities of Yachats, Waldport, Eddyville, Newport, Siletz, Lincoln City and Toledo...
. Kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
through eighth grade
Eighth grade
Eighth grade is a year of education in the United States, Canada, Australia and other nations. Students are usually 13 - 14 years old. The eighth grade is typically the final grade before high school, and the ninth grade of public and private education, following kindergarten and subsequent grades...
students attend Crestview Heights School in Waldport, and ninth
Ninth grade
Ninth grade is the ninth post-kindergarten year of school education in some school systems. The students are 13 to 15 years of age, depending on when their birthday occurs. Depending on the school district, ninth grade is usually the first year of high school....
through twelfth grade
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
students attend Waldport High School
Waldport High School
Waldport High School is a public high school in Waldport, Oregon, United States.-Academics:In 2008, 89% of the school's seniors received their high school diploma. Of 55 students, 49 graduated, 4 dropped out, and 2 continued their high school education....
. The closest colleges are Oregon Coast Community College
Oregon Coast Community College
Oregon Coast Community College is a community college in Oregon, serving students in Lincoln County. Located in Newport, OCCC has approximately 3,000 students and a faculty of 45 people...
in Newport (with a branch in Waldport) and Lane Community College
Lane Community College
Lane Community College is a two-year college located in Eugene, Oregon. Its slogan is "Transforming Lives Through Learning."-Education:Lane Community College offers a variety of Associate's Degrees, such as:...
in Florence.
Media
Two newspapers cover the Yachats area: the South Lincoln County News and the Newport News-TimesNews-Times (Newport)
The News-Times is a bi-weekly newspaper published in Newport, Oregon, United States. It was established in 1882 and is owned by the News Media Corporation. The News-Times is published on Wednesdays and Fridays has a circulation of 6,842 . It is the newspaper of record for Lincoln County.-History:At...
. No radio or television stations are located in the Yachats area.
Utilities
The City of Yachats provides water and sewer services. Yachats's water comes from Salmon Creek and Reedy Creek. Electricity is provided by Central Lincoln Public Utility District and telephone service is by Pioneer Telephone CooperativePioneer Telephone Cooperative (Oregon)
Pioneer Telephone Cooperative is a cooperatively owned telecommunications business that provides telephone service in a region of western Oregon, including parts of four counties. The company has offices in Waldport and Philomath....
. Solid waste disposal and cable are provided by private businesses.
Health care
The closest hospitals are Samaritan Pacific Communities HospitalSamaritan Pacific Communities Hospital
Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital is a 48-bed acute care medical facility located in Newport, Oregon, United States. Services include a level IV trauma center....
in Newport and Peace Harbor Hospital
Peace Harbor Hospital
Peace Harbor Hospital is a 21-bed acute care facility and a Level IV Trauma Center. It is located in Florence, Oregon, and serves western Lane County.-References:*...
in Florence. Health care is available in Waldport
Waldport, Oregon
Waldport is a city in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States. The population was 2,050 at the 2000 census. The city is located on the Alsea River and Alsea Bay, south of Newport and north of Yachats.-Geography:...
at Waldport Family Medical Center, Samaritan (Waldport) Clinic, and Waldport Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine.
Public safety
Yachats Rural Fire District has two stations. Law enforcement is provided by the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department and the Oregon State PoliceOregon State Police
The Oregon State Police is the main state law enforcement agency of the U.S. state of Oregon. They have been charged to enforce all of Oregon's criminal laws and to help local law enforcement agencies with their duties...
.