Gladstone, Oregon

Gladstone is a city located in Clackamas County, Oregon. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 11,438. Gladstone is a four square mile suburban community twelve miles south of Portland at the confluence of the Clackamas River[?] and the Willamette River. It has a population of about 11,000. To the south, across the Clackamas, is Oregon City; across the Willamette is West Linn; to the north lies the city of Milwaukie. In the higher areas one can easily see Mt. Hood[?] in the distance to the northeast, and in some places Mt. Adams[?] and Mt. St. Helens[?] can also be seen. The Portland International Airport is only about 15 minutes north by way of the I-205 freeway.

While there are still a few building sites in some of the isolated corners, the city is essentially fully developed. There are a grade school, a middle school, and a high school, numerous churches, two supermarkets, and a number of other small stores scattered throughout the town.

The distance from Gladstone to Washington D.C. is 2450 statute miles. The distance to the Oregon state capital is 38 statute miles. Gladstone is positioned 45.38 degrees north of the equator and 122.59 degrees west of the prime meridian.

History Clackamas Indians There were several Indian groups living in the area that was to become Gladstone. Lewis and Clark did not visit the Gladstone-Oregon City region, but did have it described to them by the native people. Later explorers and traders brought diseases and epidemics that took a very heavy toll on the native population and the tribes dwindled to near extinction.

When Oregon City was founded and people began moving to the area, they complained to their government about the lazy, drunk, and thieving Indians. The government responded by rounding up the indians and forcing them to leave their lands for a reservation. With the natives removed from the scene, the Gladstone area was ripe for settling. Today the only visible remains of the native presence is a large tree called "The Pow Wow Tree." An Indian burial ground near that area is now covered over by a street and a number of houses.

Early Homesteaders Rhinearson and Cason, around 18??, each claimed 640 acre lots in the area to be known as Gladstone. The Rhinearson house can still be found on a golf course near the Willamette river, and his descendants were still involved with the city in the 1950s.

Failed Starts

Several small towns were established in this period, but only a few remained to become the cities of today. Floods and fires were the primary villains, and one can imagine the heartache these disasters must have evoked.

Linn City was settled in the 1840s by Robert Moore who built four flour and lumber mills along the bank of the Willamette. Warehouses, homes, and mills were added until 1857 when a fire destroyed several of the buildings. Efforts at rebuilding the small town ceased when a flood came later that year and wiped out the rest of the buildings.

Founding of the City Gladstone was founded by a man named ?? Cross in the late 1800s. He laid out the town's first streets and had his home built in a prominent location. It is now a mortuary, but the building is still very well kept. There is also a small park named after him, ironically located at the same place one of the indian tribes made its camp.

Today Gladstone is well known for its excellent school system, low crime rate, and close proximity to Oregon City and Portland.

The town can be divided into four categories. The old section is laid out on a grid of streets bordered by the Clackamas on the south, McGloughlin Boulevard on the west, Webster on the east, and the foothills to the north. The river section of town is the strip of land between McGloughlin and the Willamette. On the east side of town is a large park at one time owned by the Seventh Day Adventists. The fourth section of town is the remaining hilly area north of the old section.

Old Gladstone The old section is laid out on a grid of streets running north/south and east/west. North-south streets are named for colleges, while east-west streets are named after universities (Dartmouth, Exeter, Fairfield, Gloucester, and Harvard, for instance).

Along the River The river area has a number of very nice homes. Earlier in Gladstone's history this was a very "ritzy" area, though the age of the houses makes this less true today. Several parks and a golf course also occupy the area.

The Seventh Day Adventist Camp At some point in the past, this large area came under the ownership of the Seventh Day Adventist religious organization. The campsite would sit virtually empty for nearly 50 weeks. Then for two weeks Gladstone would be invaded by a horde of Adventists in tents, trailers, and mobile homes.

A large chain fence and a dense hedge prevented access to the camp by Gladstonians except for the more brave and venturesome. But in 1990 it all changed when the land changed hands. The camp was left open for anyone to explore freely. Now ownership of the camp is in question, but hopefully it will remain open to all.

The Hills On the north side of town are rocky hills that were virtually uninhabitable until late in this century. In the 1960s and 1970s the area came under development and was laid out with streets and houses. One street running around the base of the easternmost hill is known throughout the state for its beautiful Christmas lights display every year. Several churches, the city's middle school, a few convenience stores, and a couple of care centers are the only exceptions to the area's all-residential nature.

Geography Being bordered by rivers on two sides, there are only two primary thoroughfares to and from the town. The I-205 freeway runs along the eastern edge of the city running south into historic Oregon City. McGloughlin Boulevard also runs north-south, but through the western side of the city.

Inside the town the main streets are Portland Avenue, which runs from the high school, through the middle of Old Gladstone, to the river; Webster, which runs along the eastern edge of Old Gladstone from the freeway and the river north into the hills; and Oatfield Road, which winds its way through the hills and drops down into Milwaukie.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.5 km² (2.5 mi²). 6.4 km² (2.5 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.98% water.

Demographics As of the census of 2000, there are 11,438 people, 4,246 households, and 3,014 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,780.7/km² (4,619.0/mi²). There are 4,419 housing units at an average density of 688.0/km² (1,784.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 90.42% White, 0.72% African American, 0.61% Native American, 2.11% Asian, 0.29% Pacific Islander, 3.04% from other races, and 2.82% from two or more races. 6.12% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 4,246 households out of which 36.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.6% are married couples living together, 13.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% are non-families. 21.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.66 and the average family size is 3.11.

In the city the population is spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 91.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $46,368, and the median income for a family is $52,500. Males have a median income of $38,619 versus $28,300 for females. The per capita income for the city is $19,388. 9.0% of the population and 6.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 11.4% are under the age of 18 and 5.9% are 65 or older.