Dilley, Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dilley, Oregon
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Home and barn in Dilley
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 Dilley, Oregon
Location in Oregon
Dilley, Oregon
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Washington |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.75 sq mi (1.94 km2) |
| • Land | 0.75 sq mi (1.94 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 187 ft (57 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 301 |
| • Density | 402.41/sq mi (155.31/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
97116
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| Area code(s) | 503 and 971 |
| FIPS code | 41-19650 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2812898 |
Dilley is a small, unincorporated community in Washington County, Oregon, United States. An unincorporated community is a place that isn't officially a city or town with its own local government. Dilley is located south of Forest Grove and north of the city of Gaston. You can find it along Oregon Route 47 in the wider Portland metropolitan area. People started settling here in the late 1840s. The community was officially mapped out in 1874 when the railroad arrived.
Contents
History of Dilley
Early Settlers and Mills
The first settlers in the Dilley area were Horace and Marilda Parsons. They arrived in 1849. In 1850, Horace Parsons built a grist mill (a mill for grinding grain) on the Tualatin River. This mill was on land claimed by William Owen Gibson, who had settled there in 1847. Gibson's land was also home to the log cabin used for Tabitha Brown’s orphan school. This school later grew into Pacific University.
Schools and Railroads Arrive
The Dilley School District 10 was created in 1860. A school building was put up on the north side of town that same year. A flour mill was added nearby in 1863. The West Side Railroad, built by Joseph Gaston, reached Dilley in 1872. The first post office opened on December 31, 1873, with James C. Chamberlain as the postmaster.
Founding of Dilley Station
On March 18, 1874, Milton E. and Martha Dilley officially mapped out the area. They named it Dilley Station. They created the town on a Donation Land Claim that belonged to the Chatfield family. The Dilleys had arrived in 1853, and Milton bought about 140 acres (0.57 km²) of land. The original town map had streets named A through D running east-west. Streets named First through Fourth ran north-south. There were 13 building lots of different sizes. Early businesses in Dilley included a barber shop, general stores, an ice warehouse, and a blacksmith.
Growth and Changes Over Time
In 1880, a sawmill was built by Mr. McLeod and his two sons. A train station was finally built in Dilley in 1895, 23 years after the railroad first arrived. The Methodist Church in town was started in 1896. Around 1953, the Bible Church of Dilley began. Other businesses that were once in Dilley included a hotel, a dance hall, saloons, a machine shop, and a hardware store. The Dilley post office closed around 1961. At one point, Dilley even had its own band and baseball team! In 1967, the last store and gas station were torn down. This happened when Oregon Route 47 was changed to a new path. By 1976, the Dilley school joined the Forest Grove School District.
Life in Dilley Today
Dilley Elementary School is part of the Forest Grove School District. This school has received excellent ratings from the state for many years. The community has one church, the Bible Church of Dilley. Dilley is also part of the Forest Grove Rural Fire Protection District, which helps keep the area safe from fires.
Government Representation
For government, Dilley is in Oregon House of Representatives District 26 and Oregon Senate District 13. It is also part of Oregon's 1st congressional district. This means the people of Dilley are represented by elected officials at both the state and national levels.
Community Information
As of 2000, it was estimated that about 2000 people lived in the Dilley area. However, Dilley doesn't have official boundaries like a city does. The community uses the same ZIP code as Forest Grove, which is 97116. The phone area codes are 503 and 971. The main road through Dilley is Oregon Route 47, also known as Tualatin Valley Highway. This road runs north and south. Other important local roads include southwest Anderson Road and Dilley Road. Dilley is about 197 feet (60 meters) above sea level. The U.S. Geologic Survey has a water gauge on the Tualatin River near Dilley to measure water levels.
Population Facts
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 301 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
As of 2020, the population of Dilley was 301 people.
