Forest Grove, Oregon
Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement
Forest Grove is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States, Template:Convert west of Portland, within the Tualatin Valley. Originally a small farm town, it is now primarily a commuter town in the Portland metro area Template:Citation needed. Settled in the 1840s, the town was platted in 1850, then incorporated in 1872, making it the first city in Washington County.Template:Citation needed
The population was 26,225 at the 2020 census, an increase of 8% over 2010 figure (21,083).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Pacific University is located here. Old College Hall on campus, and nine other sites in the city, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
History
.jpg){kind=link}
Prior to the 1840s when Euro-Americans settled the area, the Atfalati band of the Kalapuya Native American tribe lived on the Tualatin Plains in what is now Forest Grove.<ref name=cityhistory>Historic Landmarks Board: History. Template:Webarchive City of Forest Grove. Retrieved on December 5, 2008.</ref> In 1841, Alvin T. and Abigail Smith were among the earliest to use the Oregon Trail and settled on what was first known as West Tualatin Plain.<ref name="then">Template:Cite news</ref> They overwintered with Henry Harmon Spalding, arriving in what is now Forest Grove in the fall. Intending to be missionaries, they found little potential as most of the natives had succumbed to European diseases. Smith served as the community's first postmaster beginning on February 1, 1850, and his log cabin served as the post office.<ref name="then"/>
According to Oregon Geographic Names, the name Forest Grove was selected on January 10, 1851, at a meeting of the trustees of Tualatin Academy (later known as Pacific University). Resident and school trustee J. Quinn Thornton suggested the name, which he also had used for the name of his homestead.<ref name="then"/> The name referred to a grove of oak trees that still stand on what is now the campus of the university.<ref name="then"/> Previous post offices in the area were called Tuality Plains and Tualatin, with Forest Grove adopted on December 31, 1858.<ref name="then"/> The city was platted in 1850.
In 1860, the population reached 430, but declined to 396 in 1870.<ref name=cityhistory/> Forest Grove was incorporated by the state in 1872, the first in the county.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1880, the now Chemawa Indian School opened in the city to forcibly assimilate Native American children, but moved to Salem in 1884. The city started the Fire Department in 1894.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The population reached nearly 1,300 in 1900.<ref name=cityhistory/>
In November 1908, the Oregon Electric Railway (OE) began serving the city,<ref name="Thompson_WVR">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="or-encyclopedia_streetcar">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> and in January 1914, competitor Southern Pacific (SP) followed suit, opening its own line, separate from OE's.<ref name="Thompson_WVR"/> Both railroads provided freight and passenger service, SP's passenger service being known as the Red Electric. A company called the Forest Grove Transportation Company operated local streetcar service that linked downtown to Carnation, Oregon, where the Oregon & California Railroad built its depot, but the service lasted only from 1906 to 1911.<ref name=cityhistory/><ref name="Thompson_WVR"/> The Red Electric passenger service to Forest Grove ended in 1929 and Oregon Electric's ceased in 1932.<ref name="Thompson_WVR"/>
In February 2016, a high-pitched, hissing noise called the Forest Grove Sound was heard by several residents of the town.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The Oregon Army National Guard's 2nd Battalion-218th Field Artillery Regiment is headquartered in Forest Grove.
Geography
Forest Grove is located on the western edge of the Portland metropolitan area and the Willamette Valley.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert is water.<ref name="Gazetteer files">Template:Cite web</ref>
One of the largest Giant Sequoia trees of the state of Oregon can be found in Forest Grove.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Climate
This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above Template:Convert. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Forest Grove has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Demographics
2020 census
As of the census of 2020, there were 26,225 people, 9,356 housing units, and 9,103 families residing in Forest Grove. The racial makeup of the city was 68.1% White, 0.1% African American, 1.2% Native American, 2.7% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 13.5% from other races, and 12.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 27.2% of the population.<ref name="2020censusgov">Template:Cite web</ref>
14.3% of residents identified as someone with a disability.
There were 9,356 housing units, of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, and 36% were married couples living together. The average family size was 3.41.<ref name="2020censusgov"/>
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 21,083 people, 7,385 households, and 4,871 families residing in the city. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 7,845 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the city was 78.8% White, 0.8% African American, 1.1% Native American, 2.6% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 12.5% from other races, and 3.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.1% of the population.<ref name="wwwcensusgov">Template:Cite web</ref>
There were 7,385 households, of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.0% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.31.<ref name="wwwcensusgov"/>
The median age in the city was 32.7 years. 26.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 13.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.6% were from 25 to 44; 22.2% were from 45 to 64; and 12.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.0% male and 52.0% female.<ref name="wwwcensusgov"/>
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,708 people, 6,336 households, and 4,131 families residing in the city. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 6,702 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the city was 81.46% White, 0.43% African American, 0.89% Native American, 2.11% Asian, 0.24% Pacific Islander, 11.39% from other races, and 3.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.31% of the population.<ref name="wwwcensusgov"/>
There are 6,336 households, out of which 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.24.<ref name="wwwcensusgov"/>
In the city the population was spread out, with 27.4% under the age of 18, 13.4% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.<ref name="wwwcensusgov"/>
The median income for a household in the city was $40,135, and the median income for a family was $47,733. Males had a median income of $36,139 versus $25,703 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,992. About 10.4% of families and 14.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.2% of those under age 18 and 11.4% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="wwwcensusgov"/>
Arts and culture
There are 12 properties individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places and two historic districts: the 18-block Clark Historic District with homes dating as far back as 1854 (and several dozen pre-1900) and the Painter's Woods Historic District.<ref name=OE-entry>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> These include the Alvin T. Smith House, First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Old College Hall.
Annual events include a sidewalk chalk art festival,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and a holiday light parade.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Valley Arts Association, established in 1966, is one of the oldest nonprofit, volunteer associations in the Pacific Northwest. Its gallery sells member art, and offers art classes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Star Theatre, built in 1912, featured films and live productions.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A community theater company performs there.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Education
Pacific University is a private university in Forest Grove. Notable buildings include Old College Hall and Marsh Hall.
Forest Grove, as well as Gales Creek, Dilley, and portions of Cornelius, are all part of the Forest Grove School District.
Media
Newspapers
Film location
In the 1990s, filming for the television show, Nowhere Man, took place in Forest Grove numerous times. In 2015, an episode of The Librarians was filmed at Pacific University and two other sites in Forest Grove. The city's Forest Theater hosted a free public screening of the episode at the same time it aired on TV .<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The 2019 series Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists was filmed in Forest Grove, mostly at Pacific University.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Infrastructure
Highways
Highways include Oregon Route 8 (Tualatin Valley Highway) and Oregon Route 47.
Public transportation
Bus service is provided by TriMet and Yamhill County Transit Area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Ride Connection provides free, non-profit bus service called "GroveLink" in suburban areas.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Healthcare
Tuality Forest Grove Hospital is located in Forest Grove.
Notable people
- Tabitha Moffatt Brown
- Joseph Conrad Chamberlin
- Bobby Chouinard
- Harvey L. Clark
- Aubrey Gordon
- Haley Heynderickx
- Genevieve Springston Lynch
- Nellie Owens<ref>Forest Grove grave draws 'Little House' lovers in Portland Tribune</ref>
- Zac Rosscup
- Alvin T. Smith
- Richard VanGrunsven
Sister cities
Forest Grove's sister city is Nyūzen, Japan.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
See also
References
- Smith, Alvin T. Original diaries at Pacific University Archives
- Drury, Clifford Merrill. 'Henry Harmon Spalding: Pioneer of Old Oregon." Caxton Printers, Caldwell, ID, 1936.
External links
- Entry for Forest Grove in the Oregon Blue Book
- Template:Oregon Encyclopedia
- Forest Grove Chamber of Commerce
- Forest Grove history from Grovenet Template:Webarchive
Template:Washington County, Oregon Template:Authority control