Clackamas County, Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Clackamas County
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Clackamas County Courthouse
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Location within the U.S. state of Oregon
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 Oregon's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Oregon |
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| Founded | July 5, 1843 | ||
| Named for | Clackamas people | ||
| Seat | Oregon City | ||
| Largest city | Lake Oswego | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 1,883 sq mi (4,880 km2) | ||
| • Land | 1,870 sq mi (4,800 km2) | ||
| • Water | 13 sq mi (30 km2) 0.7%% | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 421,401 | ||
| • Estimate
(2023)
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423,173  |
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| • Density | 223.79/sq mi (86.407/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) | ||
| Congressional districts | 3rd, 5th, 6th | ||
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Clackamas County (pronounced CLAK-uh-muss) is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the third-most populated county in Oregon. In 2020, about 421,401 people lived there. Its main city, or county seat, is Oregon City.
The county gets its name from the Clackamas people. They were a group of Chinookan peoples who lived in the area when Europeans first arrived. Clackamas County is part of the larger Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro metropolitan area. It is located in the beautiful Willamette Valley.
Contents
History of Clackamas County
Clackamas County has a long and interesting history. It was one of the first four districts created in Oregon.
Early Beginnings
On July 5, 1843, the Oregon's Provisional Legislature formed four original districts. Clackamas District was one of them. The others were Twality (now Washington), Champooick (now Marion), and Yamhill. In 1845, these districts officially became counties.
When it was first created, Clackamas County was huge! It covered parts of what are now four different U.S. states and even a part of Canada. In 1844, the Columbia River became the county's northern border.
Oregon City's Importance
Soon after the county was formed, John McLoughlin claimed land in Oregon City. He built a house there, which is now part of the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.
Oregon City was also very important for law and order. In 1849, it had the only federal court west of the Rocky Mountains. This was even before San Francisco was fully planned out. The first official land map (called a plat) on the West Coast was filed in Oregon City in 1850. You can still see it there today!
The Willamette Meteorite
In 1902, a very large space rock, called the Willamette Meteorite, was found near West Linn. It's one of the largest meteorites ever found in North America.
Community Types
Clackamas County is special because it has different ways for its communities to be governed. Besides regular cities and rural areas, it also has "hamlets" and "villages." These are special types of communities for areas that are not officially cities.
The county created rules for hamlets and villages in 2005. For example, Beavercreek became a hamlet in 2006. The communities near Mount Hood became "The Villages at Mount Hood" in 2006.
Geography and Nature
Clackamas County covers a total area of about 1,883 square miles. Most of this is land (1,870 square miles), and a small part is water (12 square miles).
The county is home to parts of two large national forests: Mount Hood National Forest and Willamette National Forest. These forests offer beautiful natural areas for everyone to enjoy.
Main Roads
Many important roads run through Clackamas County. These roads help people travel and connect different communities.
Interstate 5
Interstate 205
U.S. Route 26
Oregon Route 35
Oregon Route 99E
Oregon Route 212
Oregon Route 213
Oregon Route 224
Neighboring Counties
Clackamas County shares borders with several other counties:
- Multnomah County - to the north
- Hood River County - to the northeast
- Wasco County - to the east
- Marion County - to the south
- Yamhill County - to the west
- Washington County - to the northwest
People and Population
Clackamas County has grown a lot over the years. In 1850, only 1,859 people lived there. By 2020, the population had grown to 421,401.
Population Details
In 2010, there were 375,992 people living in the county. About 88.2% of the people were white. Other groups included 3.7% Asian, 0.8% American Indian, and 0.8% Black or African American. About 7.7% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino background.
The average age of people in the county was 40.6 years old. Many households (32.8%) had children under 18 living with them. The average household had about 2.56 people.
The median income for a family in the county was about $74,905. This means half of the families earned more than this, and half earned less. About 9.0% of all people in the county lived below the poverty line.
Communities in Clackamas County
Clackamas County has many different cities and communities. Some cities, like Lake Oswego and Milwaukie, actually stretch into other nearby counties. Also, parts of Portland and Tualatin are in Clackamas County.
Cities in Clackamas County
- Barlow
- Canby
- Estacada
- Gladstone
- Happy Valley
- Johnson City
- Lake Oswego
- Milwaukie
- Molalla
- Oregon City (This is the county seat!)
- Rivergrove
- Sandy
- Tualatin
- West Linn
- Wilsonville
Special Communities: Hamlets and Villages
As mentioned before, Clackamas County has unique community types called hamlets and villages for areas that are not incorporated as cities.
- The four hamlets are Beavercreek, Molalla Prairie, Mulino, and Stafford.
- The county's only village is the Villages at Mount Hood.
Other Communities
Clackamas County also has many other smaller communities that are not officially incorporated as cities or hamlets/villages. Some of these include:
- Barton
- Boring
- Brightwood
- Clackamas
- Damascus
- Eagle Creek
- Government Camp
- Jennings Lodge
- Oak Grove
- Rhododendron
- Sunnyside
- Welches
- Zigzag
Economy and Jobs
Since it was created, Clackamas County's economy has mainly focused on farming, timber (wood from trees), making things (manufacturing), and trade.
Mount Hood is a very important part of the county's economy. It's the only place in the United States where you can ski all year round! The famous Timberline Lodge is also there. Mount Hood attracts many tourists and offers lots of outdoor activities. People can go skiing, rafting, fishing, and camping.
Famous People from Clackamas County
Many interesting people have come from Clackamas County. Here are a few:
- Bob Amsberry (1928–1957), an original member of The Mickey Mouse Club
- Debby Applegate (born 1968), a writer and historian
- George Bruns (1914–1984), a film composer for Walt Disney Pictures
- Ryan Crouser (born 1992), an Olympic Gold Medalist in shot put
- Carson Ellis (born 1975), an artist and illustrator
- Tonya Harding (born 1970), an Olympic figure skater
- Bill Johnson (1960–2016), an Olympic skier
- Edwin Markham (1852–1940), who was the Poet Laureate of Oregon
- Colin Meloy (born 1974), a musician
- Burt Rutan (born 1943), an aerospace engineer who designs airplanes
- Brenda Strong (born 1960), a film and television actress
- Maria Thayer (born 1975), an actress and comedian
Images for kids
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Map of Clackamas County, Oregon
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Forest west of the Clackamas River Valley.
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Mount Hood reflected in Trillium Lake
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The Clackamas River flowing through Milo McIver State Park.
