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Portland, Indiana facts for kids

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Portland, Indiana
Jay County Courthouse
Jay County Courthouse
Location of Portland in Jay County, Indiana
Location of Portland in Jay County, Indiana
Country United States
State Indiana
County Jay
Township Wayne
Area
 • Total 4.88 sq mi (12.63 km2)
 • Land 4.87 sq mi (12.62 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2)  0.24%%
Elevation
906 ft (276 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 6,320
 • Density 1,296.94/sq mi (500.79/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
47371
Area code(s) 260
FIPS code 18-61236
GNIS feature ID 2396259

Portland is a city located in Jay County, Indiana, in the United States. It is also the county seat, which means it's where the main government offices for the county are located.

In 2020, about 6,320 people lived in Portland. The city is known for its history and its location near the Salamonie River.

History of Portland

Portland was officially planned and laid out in 1837. It was given its name after the city of Portland, Maine.

Several important buildings and areas in Portland are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are recognized for their special historical value. These include the Jay County Courthouse, the Portland Commercial Historic District, and the Jonas Votaw House.

Geography and Climate

Portland covers a total area of about 12.88 square kilometers (4.97 square miles). Most of this area is land, with a very small amount of water.

The Salamonie River flows through the city, just south of its center. This river flows west and is a smaller stream that eventually joins the larger Wabash River.

Portland's Climate

Portland experiences a typical Midwest climate with four distinct seasons. Summers are generally warm, while winters can be cold with snow.

Climate data for Portland, Indiana (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1964–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 65
(18)
73
(23)
85
(29)
87
(31)
92
(33)
104
(40)
102
(39)
100
(38)
96
(36)
91
(33)
79
(26)
72
(22)
104
(40)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 56.0
(13.3)
59.7
(15.4)
71.1
(21.7)
80.3
(26.8)
86.4
(30.2)
91.6
(33.1)
93.1
(33.9)
90.6
(32.6)
88.9
(31.6)
82.1
(27.8)
70.0
(21.1)
59.0
(15.0)
94.3
(34.6)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 33.8
(1.0)
37.6
(3.1)
48.2
(9.0)
61.6
(16.4)
71.7
(22.1)
80.4
(26.9)
83.7
(28.7)
81.9
(27.7)
76.5
(24.7)
64.3
(17.9)
50.5
(10.3)
38.9
(3.8)
60.8
(16.0)
Daily mean °F (°C) 25.4
(−3.7)
28.3
(−2.1)
37.9
(3.3)
49.7
(9.8)
60.4
(15.8)
69.6
(20.9)
72.8
(22.7)
70.8
(21.6)
64.4
(18.0)
52.7
(11.5)
40.8
(4.9)
30.9
(−0.6)
50.3
(10.2)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 17.0
(−8.3)
19.0
(−7.2)
27.7
(−2.4)
37.8
(3.2)
49.2
(9.6)
58.7
(14.8)
61.9
(16.6)
59.6
(15.3)
52.3
(11.3)
41.1
(5.1)
31.1
(−0.5)
22.9
(−5.1)
39.9
(4.4)
Mean minimum °F (°C) −5.3
(−20.7)
−0.1
(−17.8)
9.1
(−12.7)
23.2
(−4.9)
34.9
(1.6)
45.4
(7.4)
51.5
(10.8)
49.2
(9.6)
37.8
(3.2)
29.0
(−1.7)
17.3
(−8.2)
5.8
(−14.6)
−8.0
(−22.2)
Record low °F (°C) −29
(−34)
−16
(−27)
−13
(−25)
10
(−12)
27
(−3)
38
(3)
40
(4)
38
(3)
28
(−2)
17
(−8)
4
(−16)
−21
(−29)
−29
(−34)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 2.82
(72)
2.71
(69)
2.80
(71)
3.62
(92)
4.31
(109)
4.55
(116)
4.07
(103)
3.83
(97)
2.97
(75)
2.85
(72)
3.01
(76)
2.39
(61)
39.93
(1,014)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 6.4
(16)
5.4
(14)
3.1
(7.9)
0.3
(0.76)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.1
(0.25)
0.6
(1.5)
3.5
(8.9)
19.4
(49)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 9.8 8.4 9.3 11.1 11.5 10.2 8.3 7.2 7.2 8.4 8.3 9.4 109.1
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 3.8 3.1 1.3 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.5 2.1 11.1
Source: NOAA

Population and People

Jay County Courthouse P4020129
Jay County Courthouse

The population of Portland has changed over the years. Here's how it has grown and shrunk:

Historical population
Census Pop.
1870 462
1880 1,694 266.7%
1890 3,725 119.9%
1900 4,798 28.8%
1910 5,130 6.9%
1920 5,958 16.1%
1930 5,276 −11.4%
1940 6,362 20.6%
1950 7,064 11.0%
1960 6,999 −0.9%
1970 7,115 1.7%
1980 7,074 −0.6%
1990 6,483 −8.4%
2000 6,437 −0.7%
2010 6,223 −3.3%
2020 6,320 1.6%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2010, there were 6,223 people living in Portland. The city had 2,607 households. About 23.7% of the people were under 18 years old. The average age in Portland was about 39.4 years.

Education in Portland

The city of Portland has a public library where people can borrow books and other materials. It is called the Jay County Public Library.

Famous People from Portland

Many interesting people have come from Portland, Indiana:

  • Leon Ames (actor): He helped start the Screen Actors Guild in 1933.
  • Stephanie Arnold (archer): She competed in women's archery at the 2004 Olympics.
  • Pete Brewster (football player): He was a professional football player.
  • Pete Daily (musician): A talented musician.
  • Kevin A. Ford (astronaut): He was a NASA astronaut who piloted a space shuttle mission in 2009.
  • Elwood Haynes (inventor): Born in Portland in 1857, he invented the clutch-driven automobile in 1894.
  • Jack Imel (television producer): He worked on the famous Lawrence Welk Show.
  • Richard T. James (politician): He was Indiana's lieutenant governor from 1945 to 1949.
  • Kenneth MacDonald (actor): He acted in many short films and in the Three Stooges movies.
  • Mary Meeker (investment banker): Born in Portland in 1960, she helped make the Internet popular for investors in the 1990s. She was even called the "Queen of the Internet."
  • John P. C. Shanks (politician and general): He was a U.S. Representative from Indiana and a major general in the Union Army.
  • Twyla Tharp (choreographer): She has won an Emmy and a Tony Award for her dance work.
  • Bill Wallace (martial artist): Born in 1945, he is a well-known martial artist.
  • Greg Williams (basketball coach): He was a WNBA coach and played college basketball.

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See also

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