Port Orchard, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Port Orchard, Washington
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Corner of Bay St. and Sidney Ave.
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Location of Port Orchard in Kitsap County
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| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Kitsap |
| Incorporated | September 15, 1890 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 11.21 sq mi (29.03 km2) |
| • Land | 9.64 sq mi (24.98 km2) |
| • Water | 1.57 sq mi (4.05 km2) |
| Elevation | 72 ft (22 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 15,587 |
| • Estimate
(2022)
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17,089 |
| • Density | 1,772/sq mi (684.2/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC–8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC–7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes |
98366–98367
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| Area code(s) | 360, 564 |
| FIPS code | 53-55785 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1512580 |
Port Orchard is a city in Washington, United States. It is the main city of Kitsap County. The city is about 13 miles west of West Seattle. You can travel to Seattle and Vashon Island from Port Orchard using Washington State Ferries. The city gets its name from Port Orchard, which is a narrow water passage. This passage separates Bainbridge Island from the Kitsap Peninsula.
In 2020, about 15,587 people lived in Port Orchard. By 2022, the population was estimated to be around 17,089.
Contents
A Look Back: Port Orchard's Story
The first European-Americans to settle here were William Renton and Daniel Howard in 1854. They built a sawmill. The town was planned in 1886 by Frederick Stevens. He named it Sidney after his father. Sidney became an official town on September 15, 1890. It was the first town in Kitsap County to be both planned and made official.
Soon after, the U.S. Navy looked for a good place for a new base on the West Coast. With help from Sidney's residents, they found a spot in Orchard Bay. This base later became the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton.
The main government office for the county was first in Port Madison. But in 1892, people voted to move it to Sidney. In December of that same year, the people of Sidney asked the state government and the Post Office to change the city's name to "Port Orchard." The state said no because another town, Charleston (now West Bremerton), also wanted that name.
However, the Post Office did change the name. This meant the Port Orchard post office was in Sidney, and the Charleston post office was in Port Orchard. It was confusing! Finally, in 1903, a local politician named Will Thompson helped fix this. The Charleston post office moved to Charleston, and Sidney was officially renamed "Port Orchard."
A new city hall building opened in May 1999. It replaced an older building from 1947 that wasn't safe in earthquakes. The new city hall was meant to help the downtown area grow.
On December 18, 2018, a strong tornado hit a part of Port Orchard. Its winds were between 120 and 130 miles per hour. This was the strongest tornado in Washington since 1986. The tornado knocked down trees and damaged up to 450 homes and businesses. Some buildings lost their entire roofs. Some neighborhoods had to be emptied because of gas leaks.
Where is Port Orchard?
Port Orchard is in the southern part of Kitsap County. It sits on the south side of Sinclair Inlet. This inlet is an arm of the Port Orchard strait, which connects to Puget Sound. The city of Bremerton is across Sinclair Inlet to the north.
The city covers about 11.21 square miles. Most of this area, about 9.64 square miles, is land. The rest, about 1.57 square miles, is water.
Port Orchard is home to South Kitsap Regional Park. This large public park is 209 acres. It has many fields and places to play. You can find hiking trails, a playground, a skate park, and batting cages there.
The Port Orchard Airport is a private airport. It is located about 7 miles south of the city. It also has an industrial park nearby.
Who Lives in Port Orchard?
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 226 | — | |
| 1900 | 254 | 12.4% | |
| 1910 | 682 | 168.5% | |
| 1920 | 1,393 | 104.3% | |
| 1930 | 1,145 | −17.8% | |
| 1940 | 1,566 | 36.8% | |
| 1950 | 2,320 | 48.1% | |
| 1960 | 2,778 | 19.7% | |
| 1970 | 3,904 | 40.5% | |
| 1980 | 4,787 | 22.6% | |
| 1990 | 4,984 | 4.1% | |
| 2000 | 7,693 | 54.4% | |
| 2010 | 11,144 | 44.9% | |
| 2020 | 15,587 | 39.9% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 17,089 | 53.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2020 Census |
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Population Snapshot
In 2020, there were 15,587 people living in Port Orchard. There were 5,840 households and 3,894 families.
In 2010, the city had 11,144 people. About 80.8% of the people were White. Other groups included African American (3.4%), Native American (1.3%), Asian (5.8%), and Pacific Islander (1.4%). About 6.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age in the city was 34.5 years old. About 23.5% of residents were under 18. About 13.5% were 65 years or older. The city had slightly more males (50.3%) than females (49.7%).
Learning in Port Orchard
The schools in Port Orchard are part of the South Kitsap School District.
Famous Faces from Port Orchard
Many interesting people have connections to Port Orchard:
- Willie Bloomquist — A professional baseball player.
- Delilah — A well-known radio host.
- Jason Ellison — Another professional baseball player.
- Jamie Ford — An author who writes books.
- Karolyn Grimes — An actress famous for It's a Wonderful Life.
- Jason Hammel — A professional baseball pitcher.
- Debbie Macomber — A popular author.
- Benji Olson — A professional football player.
- Madelaine Petsch — An actress.
- Jason Wade — The lead singer for the band Lifehouse.
See also
In Spanish: Port Orchard (Washington) para niños
