Irrigon, Oregon

Irrigon is a city in Morrow County, Oregon, United States, on the Columbia River and U.S. Route 730. The city is part of the Pendleton–Hermiston Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,826 at the 2010 census.

Irrigon, Oregon
City
Marina and Columbia River in Irrigon
Location in Oregon
Coordinates: 45°53′45″N 119°29′34″W
Country	United States
State	Oregon
County	Morrow
Incorporated	February 28, 1957
Government
• Mayor	Daren Strong[1]
Area [2]
• Total	1.45 sq mi (3.75 km^2)
• Land	1.30 sq mi (3.36 km^2)
• Water	0.15 sq mi (0.39 km^2)
Elevation	297 ft (91 m)
Population  (2010)[3]
• Total	1,826
• Estimate  (2019)[4]	1,773
• Density	1,367.00/sq mi (527.96/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (Pacific)
ZIP code	97844
Area code(s)	541
FIPS code	41-36500[3]
GNIS feature ID	1167710[5]
Website	City of Irrigon

Irrigon was incorporated on February 28, 1957. The Umatilla Chemical Depot and the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility are about 4 miles (6 km) south of the city near the intersection of Interstate 84 (I-84) and Interstate 82 (I-82). The Irrigon Hatchery is along the Columbia River about 3 miles (5 km) west of Irrigon.[6]

History

Irrigon is near the site of a former Columbia River landing called Grande Ronde Landing that vied with Umatilla Landing (Umatilla), 8 miles (13 km) upriver, for water-transportation business. Umatilla Landing prospered, and Grande Ronde Landing did not; the latter was eventually renamed Stokes. In 1903, a newspaper editor, Addison Bennett, renamed the community Irrigon, a portmanteau assembled from Irrigation and Oregon. Bennett, who saw irrigation as important to business in the city, published its first newspaper, the Oregon Irrigator, later renamed the Irrigon Irrigator.[7]

Stokes, the site of a railway station by that name, had a post office that operated from 1876 through 1899; Douglas W. Bailey served as postmaster. An Irrigon post office was established in 1903; Frank B. Holbrook was the first postmaster.[7]

Economy and education

Evacuation siren in Irrigon for the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility

Irrigon is an agriculture- and food processing-based community. The largest employer is Western Alfalfa, a company that makes prepared livestock feeds.[8]

Irrigon Junior/Senior High School, Irrigon Elementary School, A.C. Houghton Elementary School, and the Morrow Education Center, an alternative school, are in Irrigon. They are part of the Morrow County School District, which has its headquarters in Lexington.[9]

In June 2014, the city made the news when it announced that it would pay a bounty of one dollar for each large trash bag of puncturevine, an invasive plant.[10]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.45 square miles (3.76 km²), of which, 1.30 square miles (3.37 km²) is land and 0.15 square miles (0.39 km²) is water.[11]

Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Irrigon has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.[12]

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1910	125		—
1920	115		−8.0%
1930	65		−43.5%
1950	75		—
1960	232		209.3%
1970	261		12.5%
1980	700		168.2%
1990	737		5.3%
2000	1,702		130.9%
2010	1,826		7.3%
Est. 2019	1,773	[4]	−2.9%
source:[3][13]

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 1,826 people, 602 households, and 463 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,404.6 inhabitants per square mile (542.3/km²). There were 640 housing units at an average density of 492.3 per square mile (190.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.2% White, 0.4% African American, 1.4% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 18.5% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 32.0% of the population.[3]

There were 602 households, of which 44.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.0% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 23.1% were non-families. 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.43.[3]

The median age in the city was 33.3 years. 31.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.3% were from 25 to 44; 23.2% were from 45 to 64; and 11.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.2% male and 50.8% female.[3]

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,702 people, 565 households, and 441 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,376.5 people per square mile (530.0/km²). There were 609 housing units at an average density of 492.5 per square mile (189.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 72.91% White, 0.18% African American, 1.12% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 22.91% from other races, and 2.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 27.26% of the population.[3]

There were 565 households, out of which 40.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.8% were non-families. 16.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.01 and the average family size was 3.33.[3]

In the city, the population was spread out, with 32.5% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.1 males.[3]

The median income for a household in the city was $35,799, and the median income for a family was $35,573. Males had a median income of $29,435 versus $21,953 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,600. About 12.9% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.1% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.[3]

References

1. "Irrigon City Council". City of Irrigon. Retrieved December 31, 2014.
2. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
3. "U.S. Census website". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
4. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
5. "Irrigon". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. November 28, 1980. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
6. "Irrigon Hatchery: Operations Plan 2013" (PDF). Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 29, 2017. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
7. McArthur, Lewis A.; Lewis L. McArthur (2003) [1928]. Oregon Geographic Names (7th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. pp. 501–02, 980. ISBN 0-87595-277-1.
8. "Irrigon Community Profile". Oregon Infrastructure Finance Authority. 2009. Archived from the original on January 6, 2010. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
9. "Welcome to Our District". Morrow County School District. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
10. Templeton, Amelia (2014-06-16). "Irrigon Oregon Offers Dollar Bounty For Prickly Invasive Weed". OPB News. Retrieved 2014-06-17.
11. "U.S. Gazetteer: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 1, 2019. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
12. Climate Summary for Irrigon, Oregon
13. Moffatt, Riley Moore (1996). Population History of Western U.S. Cities and Towns, 1850–1990. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. p. 211. ISBN 978-0-8108-3033-2.

External links

• Entry for Irrigon in the Oregon Blue Book
• Irrigon profile from the State of Oregon Infrastructure Finance Authority