REEDSPORT, OREGON

'Reedsport' is a city in Douglas County, Oregon, United States. It was named for a local settler, Alfred W. Reed, who founded the city in 1912. As of the 2000 census, the population was 4,378.

Contents

History

Geography

Demographics

Education

Elementary school

Middle and high school

Points of interest

Mass media

Radio

Newspaper

Notable residents

References

External links

History

According to the ''Oregon Blue Book'', Reedsport was established on the estuary of the Umpqua River on January 71852. The post office was established July 171912.
The building of Southern Pacific Railroad lines extending south to Coos Bay lead to the development of Reedsport. Before the post office was established in 1912, Reedsport was a camp for railroad construction workers.
Built on marshy ground, for much of its history Reedsport has struggled with frequent flooding; most of its early buildings were elevated three to eight feet above town. Following a devastating flood in 1964, a dike was constructed to protect the lower town. Every few years, flooding will occur enough that city employees will close these dikes to prevent low-lying areas of the town from flooding.
In the last quarter of the 20th century, Reedsport has struggled with the collapse of the Oregon timber industry. Although the U.S. Forest Service maintains a local office in the town, Reedsport's historic connection with the timber industry ended in 1999 with the closing of the International Paper plant in nearby Gardiner.
Recently, Reedsport has seen a rise in tourism due to recreation at the nearby Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. A number of businesses catering to all-terrain vehicles have opened in Reedsport to serve the needs of this growing activity. The Reedsport Chamber of Commerce hosts an annual Dunefest in neighboring Winchester Bay, which is a festival centered around all-terrain vehicle racing and socializing, including beer gardens, concerts, and vendor booths.^[1]

Geography

Reedsport is located at (43.698789, -124.112140). Reedsport, where Oregon State Highway 38 meets U.S. Route 101, is 54 miles northwest of Roseburg.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.9 km² (2.3 mi²). 5.3 km² (2.1 mi²) of it is land and 0.6 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (10.48%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 4,378 people, 1,978 households, and 1,265 families residing in the city. The population density was 820.6/km² (2,126.6/mi²). There were 2,178 housing units at an average density of 408.2/km² (1,057.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.92% White, 0.02% African American, 1.23% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.15% from other races, and 2.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.68% of the population.
There were 1,978 households out of which 23.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.71.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.6% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 19.9% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 26.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,054, and the median income for a family was $33,689. Males had a median income of $33,214 versus $20,734 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,093. About 11.7% of families and 16.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.5% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Elementary school

Highland Elementary (K-6)

Middle and high school

Reedsport Jr/Sr High School (7-12)

Points of interest

★ The Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area is located three miles east of Reedsport on Oregon Route 38. This 1,000-acre preserve jointly managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife provides an opportunity to view 60-100 Roosevelt elk in their natural habitat year round.

★ The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area interpretive center is located at the intersection of Oregon Route 38 and U.S. Route 101. It features interpretive panels, short films, and information about the local area and attractions.

★ Umpqua River Lighthouse, two miles south in Winchester Bay.

★ Umpqua Discovery Center, in downtown Reedsport, features local history information provided through interactive media and displays.

Mass media

Radio

★ KDUN (1030 AM)

★ KJMX (99.5 FM)

★ KFLY (101.5 FM)

Newspaper

''The Umpqua Post''

Notable residents

★ Delilah Rene, radio personality

★ Vicki Walker, politician

References

1. Dune Fest

External links

★ City of Reedsport