Ryderwood, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ryderwood, Washington
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Ryderwood Post Office, 2024
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 Ryderwood, Washington
Location in Washington (state)
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| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Cowlitz |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.16 sq mi (0.42 km2) |
| • Land | 0.16 sq mi (0.42 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 266 ft (81 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 383 |
| • Density | 2,362/sq mi (912/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
98581
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| Area code(s) | 360 |
| FIPS code | 53-60580 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2586746 |
Ryderwood is a small community in Cowlitz County, Washington. It is located west of the city of Vader. People often call it the "Village in the Woods."
Ryderwood started in 1923 as a place for logging workers. It was once known as the "World's Largest Logging Town." In the 1950s, it changed into a community for people who were retired. In 2020, about 383 people lived there.
Contents
Discovering Ryderwood's Past
How Ryderwood Began
Ryderwood was first called Cougar Flats. It was built in 1923 by the Long-Bell Lumber Company. This company created the town as a logging camp. It cost a lot of money to build, and it was the biggest town ever built with private funds.
At the same time, the town of Longview was also created. Longview's job was to process and ship the wood from Ryderwood. The town was named after W. F. ("Uncle Bill") Ryder. He was the manager for Long-Bell's logging work.
A Modern Logging Town
Ryderwood was planned to be more than just a temporary camp. It was meant to be a permanent home for families. It had a school, a church, and even a theater. An article called The Log of Long-Bell described Ryderwood as a "modern logging town."
From Logging to Retirement
By 1953, logging methods had changed. Also, most of the old, large trees were gone. Because of this, Long-Bell sold the town. A company called Senior Estates, Inc. bought Ryderwood for $96,000. Their plan was to turn it into a retirement community.
In 1956, the town built Ryderwood Lake. This lake is about 6 acres big and was made from an old gravel pit.
Music and Celebrations
In the 1980s, Ryderwood was the first home of the Winlock Pickersfest. This event was a bluegrass festival. It moved to Winlock in 2000. The festival is still held today.
In 2023, Ryderwood celebrated its 100th birthday! There was a parade with people dressed in old-fashioned clothes. They also opened a time capsule from the past.
Water Challenges and Solutions
Ryderwood sometimes has problems with water. During dry times, there isn't enough water, so people have to use less. The community started a project called the Ryderwood Drought Resiliency project. This project aims to build a system to store water. In early 2024, the government gave them $1.6 million to start building a water reservoir.
Exploring Ryderwood's Location
Ryderwood is a small area. It covers about 0.16 square miles (0.42 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
Becker Creek is to the west of the town. Campbell Creek and Ryderwood Lake are to the east. Campbell Creek is the main source of water for the community.
Understanding Ryderwood's People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2010 | 395 | — | |
| 2010 U.S. Census | |||
At its busiest time, Ryderwood had about 2,000 people living there. It also had over 400 single-family homes. The town was big enough to have its own hospital.
Population Details from 2010
The 2010 census counted 395 people in Ryderwood. There were 221 households, which are groups of people living together. Out of these, 134 were families.
The population density was about 2,453 people per square mile. There were 266 housing units, like houses or apartments.
Most of the people (97.5%) were White. A small number were Native American (1.3%). About 0.8% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.
Only a small number of households (5.2%) had children under 18. Many households (57.9%) were married couples. About 26.2% of all households had someone living alone who was 65 or older.
The average age of people in Ryderwood was 68.7 years. Most of the people (69.9%) were 65 years old or older.
Famous People from Ryderwood
- Arnold Riegger: A sport shooter who competed in the Olympics.
- Orin C. Smith: A former leader and CEO of Starbucks.
See also
In Spanish: Ryderwood (Washington) para niños
