Nehalem, Oregon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nehalem, Oregon
City
Nehalem business district looking east along Highway 101.
Location in Oregon
Country	United States
State	Oregon
County	Tillamook
Incorporated	1889
Government
• Type	Mayor/City Council
Area
• Total	0.27 sq mi (0.69 km2)
• Land	0.27 sq mi (0.69 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	10 ft (3 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	270
• Density	1,007.46/sq mi (388.50/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (Pacific)
ZIP code	97131
Area code(s)	503
FIPS code	41-51700
GNIS feature ID	2411222
Website	www.ci.nehalem.or.us

Nehalem is a small city in Tillamook County, Oregon, in the United States. It became a city in 1889. Nehalem is located along the Nehalem River and Nehalem Bay, very close to the Pacific Ocean. The main highway, U.S. Route 101, goes right through the city. In 2020, about 270 people lived there.

History of Nehalem

Nehalem got its name from the Nehalem tribe. These Native American Indians were also known as the Tillamook People. They traditionally lived in this area. In their native Salishan language, "Nehalem" means "place where people live."

Early Settlement and Growth

European Americans settled the city of Nehalem in the late 1800s. The town quickly grew thanks to logging, fishing, and shipping. In June 1913, Joseph C. Smith became the town's first mayor. Before 1913, elected trustees managed the town.

Changes in the 20th Century

As the logging industry in the Pacific Northwest slowed down, Nehalem's economy also became less active. The city once had a lumber mill that cut logs. These logs came down a railroad track on the Nehalem River. You can still find old wood pilings from this track in the North Fork Nehalem River.

Nehalem used to have its own high school. Today, the building for Nehalem Elementary School still shows "Union High School" on its front. The area now has an elementary school and a community pool/recreation center. The North County Recreation District runs these facilities. They also host classes for Tillamook Bay Community College.

Post Office History

Nehalem's post office opened in August 1870. It was first located in Samuel Corwin's home. In February 1884, the post office name changed to "Onion Peak." This happened when John Alley became postmaster and moved the office to his home. This was a common practice back then.

Alley's home was quite far north of the original Nehalem town. So, he asked for the name "Onion Peak" after a nearby mountain. In May 1884, Nehalem residents asked for a new post office closer to town. Their request was approved, and Henry Ober became the postmaster. The Onion Peak Post Office closed in 1893.

Highway 101 Plans

For many years, Oregon highway officials thought the route of Highway 101 through Wheeler and Nehalem was only temporary. They planned to move the highway along the Nehalem Spit. This new route would offer better views of Nehalem Bay and the Pacific Ocean.

When these plans started in the late 1960s, people in both towns strongly opposed the change. Because of this strong reaction, officials decided to keep the highway where it was.

Flooding Challenges

Nehalem is only about 11 feet above sea level. Because it is so low, the area sometimes experiences floods. A big storm in 1996 caused a lot of damage, especially to local dairy farms. In November 2006, heavy rains led to more flooding in Nehalem. This flood caused about $1 million in damage.

Nehalem in Pop Culture

Nehalem has been mentioned in popular culture several times.

• The band Everclear, from Portland, has a song called "Nehalem." It's about life in the town and is on their Sparkle and Fade album.
• In 1995, Nike released its Nike Air Nehalem Water Sandal.
• Portland-based Columbia Sportswear also named one of its sandal styles after Nehalem.
• In 2008, Intel named its "Nehalem" microarchitecture after the city.
• The Portland-based Leatherman Tool Group named one of its stainless steel knives the "Nehalem."

Nehalem was also the location for the 2000 HGTV Dream Home Contest. The winner received a furnished home and a car.

Historic Site

The Nehalem Bay Dune Site is a prehistoric site near Nehalem. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This site dates back to 1310 A.D. Its exact location is kept secret to protect it.

Geography of Nehalem

The United States Census Bureau states that Nehalem covers about 0.24 square miles (0.62 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

The main "business district" runs along Highway 101. It is parallel to the Nehalem River. Many buildings in this area are raised to protect them from floods. Nehalem has only one traffic light.

Climate in Nehalem

Nehalem has a mild climate with dry summers. The average monthly temperature in summer (June–August) does not go above 71.6 °F (22.0 °C). This type of weather is called a warm-summer Mediterranean climate.

The area has mild summers and cool winters. In summer, temperatures usually range from 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. In winter (December–February), average temperatures are between 38 and 52 degrees Fahrenheit.

Because Nehalem is close to the coast, it gets a lot of rain every year. This is especially true in the fall and winter. While summers are usually dry and sunny, winters are cool and wet. Sometimes it snows, especially in the nearby coast mountains. On average, Nehalem receives about 10 inches of rain each month from November to March. Overall, the area gets about 95 inches of rain annually. Higher areas near Nehalem can even get up to 200 inches of rain in a year.

Economy in Nehalem

Nehalem is a popular place for tourists. This is because it is close to the coast, state parks, campgrounds, the Nehalem River, and Nehalem Bay.

In 2021, the biggest industries in Nehalem were:

• Accommodation & Food Services (like hotels and restaurants)
• Health Care & Social Assistance
• Construction

The most common jobs included:

• Construction & Extraction (like building and mining)
• Building & Grounds/Cleaning & Maintenance
• Sales & Related occupations

Port of Nehalem

The Port of Nehalem was started in 1909. It is a small coastal port in Tillamook County. Its main job is to keep the Nehalem Bay safe and easy for boats to use. The Port owns one dock on the Nehalem waterfront. This dock is mainly used by its tugboat and visiting boats for channel upkeep. The Port also places markers and buoys in the Lower Nehalem River and Nehalem Bay. These help boats during fishing and boating seasons.

Arts and Culture in Nehalem

The North County Recreation District (NCRD) community center in Nehalem has a Performing Arts Center. This center has 192 seats. Each year, it hosts many visual arts and musical shows. The Performing Arts Center is also home to the Riverbend Players. This is a local theater group that performs for the community.

Parks and Recreation in Nehalem

Nehalem has two city parks for everyone to enjoy.

• Nehalem City Park is on Hugo Street. It has playground equipment, barbeque grills, and picnic areas.
• Neil M. Walker Veteran's Park is a small park near the Nehalem River Bridge on Highway 101.

The city also has two public docks in downtown Nehalem. These docks give direct access to the Nehalem River. You can go kayaking or fishing from them.

The North County Recreation District (NCRD) is a community center. It offers many activities. It has a fitness center, pickleball courts, a skateboard area, a gymnasium, a swimming pool, and several meeting rooms and galleries.

Education in Nehalem

Children in Nehalem go to school in the Neah-Kah-Nie School District. This district is in northern Tillamook County, Oregon. There are four schools in the district:

• Neah-Kah-Nie High School (their mascot is the Pirates)
• Neah-Kah-Nie Middle School
• Garibaldi Grade School
• Nehalem Elementary School, which is on 8th Street on the north side of Nehalem.

Population of Nehalem

2010 Census Information

In 2010, there were 271 people living in Nehalem. There were 116 households and 72 families. The city had about 1129 people per square mile.

Most of the people in the city were White (93.0%). A small number were Native American (0.4%), Asian (1.1%), or from other races (3.0%). About 2.6% were from two or more races. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 5.9% of the population.

About 20.7% of households had children under 18 living with them. Nearly half (46.6%) were married couples living together. About 11.2% had a female head of household with no husband. About 4.3% had a male head of household with no wife. About 37.9% were not families.

The average age in Nehalem was 44.2 years. About 16.2% of residents were under 18. About 21.4% were 65 years old or older. The city's population was 47.2% male and 52.8% female.

See also

In Spanish: Nehalem (Oregón) para niños