Irrigon, Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Irrigon, Oregon
|
|
|---|---|
Marina and Columbia River in Irrigon
|
|
Location in Oregon
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Morrow |
| Incorporated | February 28, 1957 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.45 sq mi (3.75 km2) |
| • Land | 1.30 sq mi (3.36 km2) |
| • Water | 0.15 sq mi (0.39 km2) |
| Elevation | 297 ft (91 m) |
| Population
(2010)
|
|
| • Total | 1,826 |
| • Estimate
(2019)
|
1,773 |
| • Density | 1,367.00/sq mi (527.96/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (Pacific) |
| ZIP code |
97844
|
| Area code(s) | 541 |
| FIPS code | 41-36500 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1167710 |
| Website | City of Irrigon |
Irrigon is a city in Morrow County, Oregon, United States, on the Columbia River and U.S. Route 730. The city is part of the Pendleton–Hermiston Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,826 at the 2010 census.
Irrigon was incorporated on February 28, 1957. The Umatilla Chemical Depot and the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility are about 4 miles (6 km) south of the city near the intersection of Interstate 84 (I-84) and Interstate 82 (I-82). The Irrigon Hatchery is along the Columbia River about 3 miles (5 km) west of Irrigon.
History
Irrigon is near the site of a former Columbia River landing called Grande Ronde Landing that vied with Umatilla Landing (Umatilla), 8 miles (13 km) upriver, for water-transportation business. Umatilla Landing prospered, and Grande Ronde Landing did not, and it was eventually renamed Stokes. In 1903, a newspaper editor, Addison Bennett, renamed the community Irrigon, a portmanteau assembled from Irrigation and Oregon. Bennett, who saw irrigation as important to business in the city, published its first newspaper, the Oregon Irrigator, later renamed the Irrigon Irrigator.
Stokes, the site of a railway station by that name, had a post office that operated from 1876 through 1899; Douglas W. Bailey served as postmaster. An Irrigon post office was established in 1903; Frank B. Holbrook was the first postmaster.
Sherri Smith (Germain), the wife of Oregon State Representative Greg Smith, was born and raised in Irrigon.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.45 square miles (3.76 km2), of which, 1.30 square miles (3.37 km2) is land and 0.15 square miles (0.39 km2) is water.
Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Irrigon has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 125 | — | |
| 1920 | 115 | −8.0% | |
| 1930 | 65 | −43.5% | |
| 1950 | 75 | — | |
| 1960 | 232 | 209.3% | |
| 1970 | 261 | 12.5% | |
| 1980 | 700 | 168.2% | |
| 1990 | 737 | 5.3% | |
| 2000 | 1,702 | 130.9% | |
| 2010 | 1,826 | 7.3% | |
| 2019 (est.) | 1,773 | −2.9% | |
| source: | |||
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,826 people, 602 households, and 463 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,404.6 inhabitants per square mile (542.3/km2). There were 640 housing units at an average density of 492.3 per square mile (190.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 76.2% White, 0.4% African American, 1.4% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 18.5% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 32.0% of the population.
There were 602 households, of which 44.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.0% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 23.1% were non-families. 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.43.
The median age in the city was 33.3 years. 31.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.3% were from 25 to 44; 23.2% were from 45 to 64; and 11.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.2% male and 50.8% female.
Economy and education
Irrigon is an agriculture- and food processing-based community. The largest employer is Western Alfalfa, a company that makes prepared livestock feeds.
Irrigon Junior/Senior High School, Irrigon Elementary School, A.C. Houghton Elementary School, and the Morrow Education Center, an alternative school, are in Irrigon. They are part of the Morrow County School District, which has its headquarters in Lexington.
In June 2014, the city made the news when it announced that it would pay a bounty of one dollar for each large trash bag of puncturevine, an invasive plant.
