Sheridan, Oregon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sheridan, Oregon
City
View of the city looking southwest
Location in Oregon
Country	United States
State	Oregon
County	Yamhill
Incorporated	1880
Named for	Philip Sheridan
Area
• Total	2.15 sq mi (5.57 km2)
• Land	2.10 sq mi (5.44 km2)
• Water	0.05 sq mi (0.13 km2)
Elevation	197 ft (60 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	6,233
• Density	2,208.00/sq mi (852.69/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (Pacific)
ZIP code	97378
Area code(s)	503 and 971
FIPS code	41-67050
GNIS feature ID	2411886
Website	www.cityofsheridanor.com

Sheridan is a city in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States. It was planned in the 1860s and became a city in 1880. A big fire damaged much of the city in 1913. A flood also covered a large part of the city in 1964. In 2020, about 6,233 people lived there.

Sheridan is located in the western part of the Willamette Valley. It sits at the base of the Northern Oregon Coast Range mountains. The South Yamhill River flows through the city. Sheridan is west of McMinnville, the county seat. Oregon Route 18 and Oregon Route 18 Business are main roads that go through Sheridan. The Sheridan Bridge is the only bridge over the river in the city.

This community is known for farming and timber. The biggest employer is the Federal Correctional Institution, Sheridan, which is a federal prison. Sheridan has a Mayor-council government. This means a mayor and city council lead the city. Daily tasks are handled by a city manager. The city has its own school district with one high school. Each June, Sheridan hosts two main events: Sheridan Days and the Mud Drags. The city was named after General Philip Sheridan, a famous American Civil War general.

Sheridan's Early History

Absolem B. Faulconer planned the city of Sheridan in the mid-1860s. He officially recorded the city's layout on December 13, 1866. Absolem had moved to the area in 1847. The Sheridan post office opened on April 4, 1866. Absolem's brother, Thomas, was the first postmaster. By 1871, Sheridan had grown quite a bit. It had two blacksmith shops, a church, a school, a hotel, a wagon shop, and two general stores. In October 1878, a small train line called the Dayton, Sheridan and Grand Ronde Railroad reached the town.

Sheridan became an official city in 1880. It was a community focused on timber and farming. The city was named after General Philip Sheridan. He was stationed in Yamhill County in the 1850s. His job was to keep an eye on the Native Americans at the Grand Ronde Reservation. By 1894, Sheridan had 400 residents. It also had a bank, two hotels, three churches, and a flour mill. A train came daily, and a stage coach offered daily rides from McMinnville. There was also a single wooden bridge over the river.

Farming was the main industry in Sheridan's early years. Around 1910, farmers grew hops, clover-seed, hay, potatoes, and onions. They also grew fruits like apples, prunes, and pears. In March 1910, workers at the Sheridan Lumber Company wanted higher wages. They went on strike and got a pay raise.

On July 18, 1913, a fire destroyed most of the businesses downtown. It caused about $300,000 in damage. Most buildings were rebuilt with brick within six months. In 1930, the Jesuits bought a large farm overlooking the city. They started St. Francis Xavier's Novitiate there. This was a school to train priests. It opened in 1931 and added more buildings over time.

In 1932, the state built a highway through Sheridan. This road connected McMinnville to the Oregon Coast. It became Oregon Route 18. The current steel bridge over the South Yamhill River was built in 1939. Funds from the Works Progress Administration helped build it. By 1940, farming was still important. The timber industry was also growing. The city's population reached 1,008 people.

Sheridan's City Hall, a former savings and loan, built to resemble the old train depot

In 1957, a new bypass road was built around Sheridan and Willamina. This road carried Oregon Route 18. The old road through town became Oregon Route 18 Business. Sheridan had its biggest flood ever on December 22, 1964. The South Yamhill River overflowed. The town was cut off for two days. In 1974, the Jesuits sold their school. The Delphian Foundation bought it and opened The Delphian School there in 1976.

In 1989, a federal prison opened south of the city. It is called the Federal Correctional Institution, Sheridan. At that time, Sheridan had about 2,500 people. In 1993, Sheridan moved its city hall into the old railroad station. They expanded the building in 1995. In December 2008, a fire damaged the old United Methodist Church.

Sheridan's Geography and Location

Sheridan covers about 2.01 square miles (5.21 square kilometers). Most of this area is land. The South Yamhill River flows through the city. It divides the city into north and south parts. The river can sometimes flood the city. Deer Creek is another stream in Sheridan.

Sheridan is in the western part of the Willamette Valley. It is about 189 feet (58 meters) above sea level. The city is located at the base of the Northern Oregon Coast Range mountains.

Nearby cities include Willamina, about 2 miles (3.2 km) west. Amity is about 9 miles (14 km) east. McMinnville is about 12 miles (19 km) northeast. Other small communities are also close by. Sheridan is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of the Polk County line. The county seat of Dallas is about 11 miles (18 km) south of Sheridan.

Sheridan's Climate and Weather

Sheridan has a Marine west coast climate. This means summers are usually warm. But temperatures year-round are made milder by the Pacific Ocean. The city gets most of its rain during the winter months. The wettest time is from November to March.

Sheridan gets about 47.16 inches (1,198 mm) of rain each year. December is usually the wettest month. August is the warmest month, with an average high temperature of 83°F (28°C). December is the coolest month, with an average high of 45°F (7°C). The highest temperature ever recorded in Sheridan was 106°F (41°C). This happened twice, in 1956 and 1981. The lowest temperature ever recorded was -11°F (-24°C) in 1950.

Getting Around Sheridan

Sheridan Bridge over the South Yamhill River

Two main roads serve Sheridan: Oregon Route 18 and Oregon Route 18 Business. The business route, also called Main Street, goes through downtown. It is on the north side of the South Yamhill River. This road connects to Shipley and Willamina to the west. The Sheridan Bridge on Bridge Street connects the two sides of the city across the river. The railroad also has a bridge over the river in the city. Oregon Route 18 connects to McMinnville and the Portland area to the east. Other important roads include Sheridan Street, Mill Street, Sherman Street, Cherry Hill Road, and Rock Creek Road.

The Willamette & Pacific Railroad provides freight train service. However, there are no passenger trains in Sheridan. The closest public airport is McMinnville Municipal Airport. There is also a private airport called Abba's Airport. Public transportation is available through Yamhill Community Action Partnership. They offer a bus service to McMinnville.

Sheridan's Economy and Jobs

The commercial district on Bridge Street

Sheridan's economy includes farming, timber, manufacturing, and service jobs. In 2000, the Spirit Mountain Casino (outside the city) was the biggest employer. It had 1,000 workers. The federal prison was the largest employer inside the city, with 500 workers. Liberty Homes, a company that builds manufactured homes, had 100 employees. The closest hospital is the Willamette Valley Medical Center in McMinnville.

The main business area is around Bridge and Main streets. Their intersection has the only traffic signal in the city. In 2006, Sheridan had 12 manufacturing companies. It also had one bank and one savings and loan. Sheridan has one gas station, two grocery stores, a pharmacy, five restaurants, and two hardware stores.

The Delphian School, a private school, is near Sheridan. It is in an unincorporated part of Yamhill County. The school also houses the offices for Delphi Schools and Heron Books.

People of Sheridan

Sheridan's fire station

In 2010, there were 6,127 people living in Sheridan. About 20.5% of residents were under 18 years old. The average household had 2.77 people. The average family had 3.22 people. The median age in the city was 35.7 years.

Education in Sheridan

Public Schools

Sheridan Japanese School

The Sheridan School District serves the city. It has four schools. Faulconer-Chapman School teaches students from kindergarten to eighth grade. Sheridan High School is the main high school. Students in grades nine through twelve attend there. They are known as the Spartans. About 287 students are enrolled. Opportunity House is an alternative high school. It has about 49 students in grades ten through twelve. The Sheridan Japanese School was a charter school. It had 88 students in grades four through twelve. However, it closed permanently in June 2022. This was due to money problems and not enough students.

Private Schools

The Delphian School is a K-12 private school. It is connected to Scientology. The school is located near Sheridan in unincorporated Yamhill County. It uses special study methods developed by Church of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. About 260 students attend the school. Most of them live in dorms on campus.

Colleges and Universities

There are no colleges in Sheridan itself. However, the city is part of the Chemeketa Community College district. This college has a campus in McMinnville. Linfield College, also in McMinnville, is the closest four-year college. Other nearby universities include Western Oregon University in Monmouth, Willamette University in Salem, and George Fox University in Newberg.

Culture and Community Life

Travelers Home on the National Register of Historic Places

The Travelers Home building was built in 1892. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1982. It is the only building in Sheridan on the NRHP. The city has a public library branch. It is located at Bridge and Yamhill streets. The library is part of the Chemeketa Cooperative Regional Library Service. It has a collection of over 33,000 items.

The local newspaper is The Sun. It is published once a week on Wednesdays. The paper started in 1890. You can also get broadcast radio and TV stations from Portland. The regional newspaper The Oregonian is also available.

Sheridan hosts two main yearly events. These are Sheridan Hometown Days and the Mud Drags. Hometown Days happens over a weekend in June. It includes a parade. Most activities are at the high school. There are also carnival rides and games. The Mud Drags are held in early June. The local Rotary International group sponsors this event. People race vehicles through mud to win prizes. This event attracts about 4,000 people. It also has a children's race through the mud.

There are several community groups in Sheridan. These include groups for history, social clubs, and business promotion. The Sheridan Museum of History collects old items and photos. They display them in different places, like the Yamhill County Historical Society Museum in McMinnville. Business groups include the Sheridan Chamber of Commerce. Other groups are the Rotary International club, the Kiwanis, a Rebekah Lodge, and the Woman's Study Club of Sheridan.

McMinnville UFO Photographs

In May 1950, something interesting happened at Paul and Evelyn Trent's farm in Sheridan. This was the site of a famous UFO sighting. It led to the well-known McMinnville UFO photographs. These pictures were first shown in the McMinnville Telephone-Register. Later, they appeared in Life Magazine. Even though they are called "The McMinnville UFO Photographs," the Trent farm was actually in Sheridan. McMinnville is about nine miles northeast of Sheridan.

Notable People from Sheridan

Several well-known people have connections to Sheridan.

• Barbara Roberts grew up in Sheridan. She graduated from Sheridan High School. She later became the Governor of Oregon.
• High jumper Joni Huntley also graduated from the high school. She won a bronze medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California.
• Wally Heider was a famous recording engineer. He recorded many musicians. His work helped improve how music was recorded. He grew up in Sheridan before going to the University of Oregon.

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See also

In Spanish: Sheridan (Oregón) para niños