Rainier, Oregon

Rainier, Oregon
City

Location in Oregon
Coordinates: 46°5′24″N 122°56′33″W / 46.09000°N 122.94250°W / 46.09000; -122.94250Coordinates: 46°5′24″N 122°56′33″W / 46.09000°N 122.94250°W / 46.09000; -122.94250
Country United States
State Oregon
County Columbia
Incorporated 1885
Government
  Mayor Jerry Cole
Area[1]
  Total 2.62 sq mi (6.79 km2)
  Land 1.76 sq mi (4.56 km2)
  Water 0.86 sq mi (2.23 km2)
Elevation 51 ft (15.5 m)
Population (2010)[2]
  Total 1,895
  Estimate (2012[3]) 1,889
  Density 1,076.7/sq mi (415.7/km2)
Time zone Pacific (UTC-8)
  Summer (DST) Pacific (UTC-7)
ZIP code 97048
Area code(s) 503 and 971
FIPS code 41-60850[4]
GNIS feature ID 1125788[5]

Rainier is a city in Columbia County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1,895 at the 2010 census. Rainier is located on the south bank of the Columbia River across from Kelso and Longview, Washington

History

Rainier was founded in 1851 on the south bank of the Columbia River by Charles E. Fox, the town's first postman. First called Eminence, its name was later changed to Fox's Landing and finally to Rainier. The name Rainier was taken from Mount Rainier in Washington, which can be seen from hills above the city. Rainier was incorporated in 1881.<ref name=Lewis and Clark's Columbia River>"Lewis and Clark's Columbia River". ColumbiaRiverImages.com. November 2008. </ref>

For much of the last quarter of the twentieth century, Rainier was known to the rest of Oregon as home to Trojan Nuclear Power Plant, the only commercial nuclear reactor in the state, which supplied electricity to Portland and its suburbs starting in March 1976. This reactor was closed periodically due to structural problems, and in January 1993, it was decommissioned after cracks developed in the steam tubes. On May 21, 2006, the cooling tower was demolished.

The closing of the Trojan plant set off a decline in the number of businesses in the city. While some retail and services are available in the city, there is currently, for example, no supermarket remaining in the city. Services are available in neighboring Clatskanie, St. Helens, and in Longview, Washington.

A panorama of Rainier, Oregon from Longview, Washington. This is a montage of eight separate photographs and can be scrolled.

Geography

Implosion of Trojan Nuclear plant cooling tower in 2006

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.62 square miles (6.79 km2), of which 1.76 square miles (4.56 km2) is land and 0.86 square miles (2.23 km2) is water.[1]

Rainier is surrounded by a number of rural communities. In the past, these places acted as separate communities. Today, most businesses and services have left these rural sites, and the communities are part of a large unincorporated area that receive services out of Rainier. These communities include Fern Hill, Hudson, Alston, Apiary, Goble, and Prescott. Except for Prescott, which is an incorporated city (despite having neither a post office nor a separate telephone exchange), little remains to identify these places today other than left-over identifying signs or historic landmarks, such as abandoned or converted school buildings. Residents here may say they live in Rainier or will alternatively use the name of the individual community.

The Lewis and Clark Bridge spans the Columbia River, linking Rainier to Longview, Washington. It is the only bridge spanning the river between Portland and Astoria, Oregon.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1890238
1900522119.3%
19101,359160.3%
19201,287−5.3%
19301,3535.1%
19401,183−12.6%
19501,2858.6%
19601,152−10.4%
19701,73150.3%
19801,655−4.4%
19901,6741.1%
20001,6870.8%
20101,89512.3%
Est. 20141,913[6]0.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
View across the Columbia River in 1973

2010 census

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,895 people, 818 households, and 502 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,076.7 inhabitants per square mile (415.7/km2). There were 884 housing units at an average density of 502.3 per square mile (193.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.1% White, 0.2% African American, 1.3% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.5% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.0% of the population.

There were 818 households of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.8% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.6% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.91.

The median age in the city was 43.9 years. 21.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.8% were from 25 to 44; 30.4% were from 45 to 64; and 17.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.

2000 census

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 1,687 people, 667 households, and 460 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,044.8 people per square mile (404.6/km²). There were 733 housing units at an average density of 453.9 per square mile (175.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.83% White, 0.06% African American, 1.48% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.24% Pacific Islander, 1.36% from other races, and 3.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.85% of the population. 24.1% were of German, 11.3% Irish and 11.0% English ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 667 households out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.0% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $41,949, and the median income for a family was $46,759. Males had a median income of $45,179 versus $23,036 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,511. About 8.4% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.9% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Rainier Marina

Railroad

The Portland and Western Railroad runs through Rainier.[8] Amtrak passenger rail service is available across the Columbia River in Kelso at the Kelso Multimodal Transportation Center.

Ocean shipping

In 2005, Teevin Terminal, a barge terminal, opened in Rainier, directly across the Columbia from the Port of Longview in Washington.[9] The Oregon Transportation Commission awarded Teevin Bros. a grant of more than $2 million in 2012 to build a “T-pier,”[10] helping Teevin Terminal become "the largest shipper on the Portland & Western line between Eugene and Astoria,” according to owner Shawn Teevin.[11]

Notable residents

References

  1. 1 2 "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-12-21.
  2. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-12-21.
  3. "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-06-02.
  4. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  5. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  7. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  8. "Portland and Western Railroad". Genesee & Wyoming Inc. Retrieved 17 March 2010.
  9. "Teevin Bros. opens terminal in Rainier to expand transportation options". The Daily Astorian. June 30, 2005. Retrieved August 5, 2005.
  10. St. John, Natalie (22 August 2012). "Teevin Bros. bring Rainier new dock, more jobs". TDN.com - The Daily News Online, Serving the Lower Columbia. Retrieved August 5, 2014.
  11. Stratton, Edward (June 21, 2013). "Teevin transcends logging - Rainier investment produces international shipper". The Daily Astorian. Retrieved August 5, 20114. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  12. Mistreanu, Simina (March 31, 2014). "Miller Duris, former Hillsboro mayor, Washington County chair, had a passion for softball, community service". The Oregonian. p. A2. Retrieved 8 April 2014.

External links

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