| Rainier, Oregon | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Columbia |
| Incorporated | 1885 |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | Jerry Cole |
| Area | |
| - Total | 2.6 sq mi (6.8 km²) |
| - Land | 1.6 sq mi (4.2 km²) |
| - Water | 1.0 sq mi (2.6 km²) |
| Elevation | 51 ft (15.5 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 1,687 |
| - Density | 1,044.8/sq mi (404.6/km²) |
| Time zone | Pacific (UTC-8) |
| - Summer (DST) | Pacific (UTC-7) |
| ZIP code | 97048 |
| Area code(s) | 503 |
| FIPS code | 41-60850GR2 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1125788GR3 |
Rainier is a city in Columbia County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1,687 at the 2000 census.
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History
Rainier was founded in 1851 on the south bank of the Columbia River by Charles E. Fox and was originally named Eminence. The name Rainier was taken from Mount Rainier in Washington, which can be seen from hills above the city. 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 of 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.
Geography
Rainier is located at (46.089883, -122.942597)GR1. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.8 km²), of which, 1.6 square miles (4.2 km²) of it is land and 1.0 square miles (2.6 km²) of it (38.40%) is water. Rainier is surrounded by a number of rural communities. In the past, these places acted as separate communitites. 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 an abandoned or converted school buildings. Residents here may say they live in Rainier or will alternatively use the name if 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
As of the censusGR2 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/sq mi (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. 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.
External links
- Oregon Blue Book entry for Rainier
- Olive Jane Malcom (1840-1931), Rainier, Oregon, pioneer woman
- Rainier related website
- Rainier, Oregon is at coordinates Coordinates:
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Columbia County, Oregon |
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| County seat: St. Helens | ||
| Cities |
Clatskanie | Columbia City | Prescott | Rainier | St. Helens | Scappoose | Vernonia |
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| Communities | ||
