Yamhill County, Oregon

History

The earliest known inhabitants of the area were the Yamhill (Yamhelas Indian Tribe, part of the Kalapooian family) Indians, who have inhabited the area for over 8,000 years. They are one of the tribes incorporated into the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde. In 1857 they were forced to migrate to the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation created in Oregon's Coastal Range two years earlier.

The earliest non-native settlers were employees of the various fur companies operating in Oregon Country, who started settling there around 1814. But it was the establishment of the Oregon Trail that led to significant migration to the area.

Yamhill District (later county) was created on July 5, 1843, five years before the Oregon Territory was established. It was one of the original four districts created by Oregon's first Provisional Legislature, along with Twality (later Washington), Clackamas, and Champooick (later Marion) counties. The district was originally spread over 12000 sqmi, an area that was broken up into twelve present-day counties.

Lafayette, the principal trading center of the western Willamette Valley in early Oregon history, was made the county seat in 1847. The county government was later (1889) moved to McMinnville where it remains today.

The Mount Hebo Air Force Station was a Cold War air defense installation from 1956 to 1980. Located next to Tillamook County, at the top of 3154 ft high Mount Hebo, Air Force radars operated by the 689th Radar Squadron and the 14th Missile Warning Squadron were essential parts of the nation's integrated air defenses. The large radomes protecting the radars from adverse weather effects could be seen silhouetted against the sky from many parts of Yamhill County.

Lock and dam on the Yamhill River

Main article: Yamhill River lock and dam

In 1900 the Yamhill River lock and dam was completed about 1.5 mi downriver from Lafayette, Oregon. The lock was decommissioned in 1954. The dam was demolished in 1963 to allow better passage for salmon on the river. The site of the lock and dam is now a county park.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 718 sqmi, of which 716 sqmi is land and 2.5 sqmi, or 0.3%, is water. It is the fifth-smallest county in Oregon by area.

The tallest mountain in the county is Trask Mountain in the northwest corner of the county.

Adjacent counties

• Washington County (north)
• Clackamas County (east)
• Marion County (southeast)
• Polk County (south)
• Tillamook County (west)

National protected areas

• Siuslaw National Forest (part)
• Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 107,722. Of the residents, 21.7% were under the age of 18 and 18.5% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 39.5 years. For every 100 females there were 99.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.6 males. 73.5% of residents lived in urban areas and 26.5% lived in rural areas.

The racial makeup of the county was 77.7% White, 0.8% Black or African American, 1.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% Asian, 0.2% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 7.6% from some other race, and 10.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 16.5% of the population.

There were 38,011 households in the county, of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 23.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 21.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 40,123 housing units, of which 5.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 68.5% were owner-occupied and 31.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.2%.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 99,193 people, 34,726 households, and 25,020 families living in the county. The population density was 138.6 PD/sqmi. There were 37,110 housing units at an average density of 51.8 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 85.4% white, 1.5% Asian, 1.5% American Indian, 0.9% black or African American, 0.2% Pacific islander, 7.2% from other races, and 3.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 14.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 23.6% were German, 13.7% were English, 12.2% were Irish, and 5.0% were American.

Of the 34,726 households, 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.0% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 28.0% were non-families, and 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.12. The median age was 36.8 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $52,485 and the median income for a family was $61,524. Males had a median income of $44,946 versus $33,717 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,017. About 9.0% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.8% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 84,992 people, 28,732 households, and 21,376 families living in the county. The population density was 119 /mi2. There were 30,270 housing units at an average density of 42 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county is 88.98% White, 1.47% Native American, 1.07% Asian, 0.85% Black or African American, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 5.08% from other races, and 2.42% from two or more races. 10.61% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 19.6% were of German, 11.4% English, 9.5% American and 8.4% Irish ancestry.

There were 28,732 households, out of which 37.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.00% were married couples living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.60% were non-families. 19.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.90% under the age of 18, 11.40% from 18 to 24, 28.50% from 25 to 44, 21.40% from 45 to 64, and 11.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county is $44,111, and the median income for a family was $50,336. Males had a median income of $35,686 versus $25,254 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,951. About 6.00% of families and 9.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.10% of those under age 18 and 7.50% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

In the United States House of Representatives, Yamhill County lies in Oregon's 6th congressional district, which also covers Polk County and portions of Marion, Clackamas, and Washington counties. In the Oregon State Senate, the county is split between the 12th and 13th districts. Within the Oregon House of Representatives, Yamhill County is part of the 23rd, 24th, and 26th districts.

Although located west of the Cascades, Yamhill has remained a Republican-leaning county in Presidential elections at the same time as other Western Oregon counties have become solidly to powerfully Democratic. No Democratic presidential candidate has won Yamhill County since Lyndon Johnson's 1964 landslide, and the only other Democrats to carry the county since Oregon's statehood have been Franklin Roosevelt in 1940, 1936 and 1932, along with Woodrow Wilson in 1912 when the Republican vote was divided.

Yamhill County is currently one of 11 counties in Oregon in which therapeutic psilocybin is legal.

Economy

In 2019 the Oregon International Air Show switched to the McMinnville Municipal Airport. The Air Show promotes aviation while honoring the military and veterans. In addition to the economic surge provided by the Air Show, the Oregon International Air Show involves the community and provides grants for McMinnville. Since 1988 more than $3 million has donated back throughout McMinnville (Yamhill County), Hillsboro (Washington County), and throughout Oregon. Express Employment Professionals, Stoller Family Estates, and Xenium are the lead sponsors for the upcoming 2020 Air Show.

The major industries of the county are agriculture, forest products, manufacturing, and education. Yamhill County's economy is supported largely by its many unionized facilities such as Cascade Steel in McMinnville and Decommissioned White Birch Paper now owned by WestRock in Newberg. It boasts a thriving wine industry and was the home of Evergreen Aviation.

Yamhill County ranks seventh out of Oregon's thirty-six counties in annual market value of its agricultural production. This agricultural production includes wheat, barley, horticulture, and dairy farming, with 13,201 acre in 1997 planted in orchards. One-third of the county is covered with commercial timber, and the economic mainstay of the western part of the county is logging and timber products.

Yamhill County is a significant focus of Oregon's wine industry, having the largest area of any Oregon county planted in vineyards. Six of the state's American Viticultural Areas are wholly or partly in the county: Chehalem Mountains AVA, Dundee Hills AVA, Eola-Amity Hills AVA, McMinnville AVA, Ribbon Ridge AVA, and Yamhill-Carlton District AVA. Over 80 wineries and 200 vineyards represent the largest concentration of wine growers and producers in any county in the state. Vineyards often specialize in Pinot noir, but other varieties grown include Pinot gris, Pinot blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Gewürztraminer.

Education

Yamhill County Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) include Linfield University and Chemeketa Community College McMinnville Campus, along with George Fox University and Portland Community College in Newberg.

All of Yamhill County is within the Chemeketa Community College district.

K-12 school districts include:

• Amity School District 4J
• Dayton School District 8
• Gaston School District 511J
• McMinnville School District 40
• Nestucca Valley School District 101J
• Newberg School District 29J
• Sheridan School District 48J
• Willamina School District 30J
• Yamhill-Carlton School District 1

For private secondary education the county is served by The Delphian School in Sheridan.

Communities

Cities

• Amity
• Carlton
• Dayton
• Dundee
• Lafayette
• McMinnville (county seat)
• Newberg
• Sheridan
• Willamina
• Yamhill

Census-designated places

• Fort Hill
• Grand Ronde

Unincorporated communities

• Bellevue
• Cove Orchard
• Eola Crest
• Eola Village
• Gopher
• Grand Ronde Agency
• Hopewell
• Lunnville
• Midway
• Riverside
• Saint Joseph
• Shipley
• Springbrook
• Sunnycrest
• Unionvale
• Wheatland
• Whiteson

References

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. "Yamhill County {{!}} Yamhill County, Oregon". Secretary of State: Oregon Blue Book.
4. "Brief History of Yamhill County {{!}} Yamhill County, Oregon".
5. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
6. [http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=1077 Peakbagger.com: Trask Mountain, Oregon]
7. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau.
8. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
9. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
10. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
11. (April 2, 2001). "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
12. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
13. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
14. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
15. "1980 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Oregon - Table 58 - Persons by Race and Table 59 - Total Persons and Spanish Origin Persons by Type of Spanish Origin and Race (p. 39/24-39/32)".
16. "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Oregon - Table 5 - Race and Hispanic Origin".
17. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Yamhill County, Oregon".
18. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Yamhill County, Oregon".
19. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Yamhill County, Oregon".
20. included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
21. included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
22. not an option in the 1980 Census
23. not an option in the 1990 Census
24. "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". [[United States Census Bureau]].
25. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". [[United States Census Bureau]].
26. "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". [[United States Census Bureau]].
27. "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". [[United States Census Bureau]].
28. Stites, Sam. (May 3, 2022). "Oregon's new Congressional district draws a big field of candidates and big spending". Oregon Public Broadcasting.
29. "Oregon Blue Book: State Senators by District". Oregon Secretary of State.
30. "Oregon Blue Book: State Representatives by District". Oregon Secretary of State.
31. Menendez, Albert J.; ''The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, 1868-2004'', pp. 284-286 {{ISBN. 0786422173
32. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
33. "Our Campaigns - U.S. President".
34. The leading "other" candidate, [[Progressive Party (United States, 1912). Progressive]] [[Theodore Roosevelt]], received 885 votes, while Socialist [[Eugene V. Debs. Eugene Debs]] received 350 votes, [[Prohibition Party. Prohibition]] candidate [[Eugene W. Chafin. Eugene Chafin]] received 271 votes.
35. "Oregon Air Show: Official Website". Oregon International Air Show.
36. "Oregon Community Colleges and Community College Districts". [[Oregon Department of Community Colleges & Workforce Development]].
37. Geography Division. (December 18, 2020). "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Yamhill County, OR". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].