North Bend, Oregon

North Bend is a city in Coos County, Oregon, United States with a population of 9,695 as of the 2010 census.[6][7] North Bend is surrounded on three sides by Coos Bay, an S-shaped water inlet and estuary where the Coos River enters Coos Bay and borders the city of Coos Bay to the south. North Bend became an incorporated city in 1903.[7]

Not to be confused with North Bend, Washington or Bend, Oregon.
North Bend, Oregon
City
North Bend from above, looking toward the Pacific Ocean
Flag
Location in Oregon
Coordinates: 43°24′23″N 124°13′27″W
CountryUnited States
StateOregon
CountyCoos
Incorporated1903
Government
 • MayorRick Wetherell
Area
 • City5.09 sq mi (13.19 km2)
 • Land3.93 sq mi (10.18 km2)
 • Water1.16 sq mi (3.01 km2)
Elevation
41 ft (12 m)
Population
 • City9,695
 • Estimate 
(2019)[4]
9,768
 • Density2,484.23/sq mi (959.13/km2)
 • Urban
31,995
Time zoneUTC−8 (Pacific)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−7 (Pacific)
ZIP code
97459
Area code(s)541
FIPS code41-53000[2]
GNIS feature ID1146883[5]
Websitenorthbendoregon.us

History

Before Europeans visited the Oregon coast, Native American tribes claimed the Coos Bay region as their homeland for thousands of years.[8] Members of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, Siuslaw and Coquille tribes lived, fished, hunted and gathered along Coos Bay and its estuaries, along rivers, and in meadows and forests.[8]

Saw mill and ship yard, North Bend, 1884 illustration

Approximately 400 years ago, British and Spanish explorers first approached the South Coast.[8] In 1579, Sir Francis Drake is purported to have sought shelter for his ship, the Golden Hinde, around Cape Arago.[9][10] Trader and explorer Jedediah Smith was in the region seeking furs and the Hudson's Bay Company sent Alexander Roderick McLeod to search for an inland passage.[8]

The 1852 stranding of the schooner Captain Lincoln on the North Spit and the survivors' encampment and rescue brought attention to gold prospectors who came to mine placer from area beaches.[8] In 1853, The Coos Bay Commercial Company arrived from the Rogue Valley and created routes for settlers.[8]

Empire City was established and was the county seat of government until 1896.[8] Entrepreneurs were drawn to the area's ample natural resources, and sawmills and shipyards at Old Town North Bend and Empire City spurred economic development and attracted workers.[8] Rivers and sloughs provided a means to transport people, forest, agricultural and coal products, and towns provided hubs for inland transportation.[8] Some of the early industries in the area included timber harvesting, shipbuilding, farming, coal mining and salmon canning.[8]

Prior to around 1915, The Coos region was largely isolated from the rest of Oregon due to difficulties in crossing the Coast Range and fording rivers. Instead, the Pacific Ocean was used to link people to other areas, including San Francisco. That was an easier two-day trip compared to traveling inland over rugged terrain.[8] In 1916, trains linked the region to other interior settlements and towns, increasing commercial trade and tourism[8]

Schooner K.V. Kruse, built in 1920 by Kruse and Banks in North Bend, Oregon

Significant urban growth occurred in the 1920s, and during the 1930s to 1950s, large-scale growth occurred.[8] Per the Oregon Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, during the 1930s to 1950s:

Shipyards contracted with the U.S. Government to build minesweepers and rescue tugs for World War II defense purposes. Large national lumber companies set up operations and expanded significantly for the next two decades. Jetty improvements, commercial fishing and crabbing shaped the development of Charleston. The completion of the North Bend Bridge (now Conde McCullough Memorial Bridge) in 1936 and the Roosevelt Highway significantly improved modern transportation connections and provided the final link in opening the Coos region to the outside world. The formerly remote district known as the Coos Bay country had come of age.[8]

During the interregnum of despair between Franklin Roosevelt's election and his inauguration, the only bank in North Bend, the First National, was forced to temporarily close its doors, precipitating a cash-flow crisis for the City of North Bend. The city solved this problem by minting currency using myrtlewood discs printed on a newspaper press. These coins, in denominations from 25 cents to $10, were used to make payroll and the city promised to redeem them for cash as soon as it became available.[11]

However, when the bank reopened and the city appealed for people to bring their myrtlewood money in to redeem it, many opted to keep their tokens as collector's items. After several appeals, the city gave up and announced that the tokens would remain legal tender in the city of North Bend in perpetuity. Until the 1960s, people occasionally did cash in their tokens, but the remaining pieces have become very valuable through scarcity and historical interest. Fewer than 10 full sets are believed to exist.[12]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.09 square miles (13.18 km2), of which 3.92 square miles (10.15 km2) is land and 1.17 square miles (3.03 km2) is water.[13]

Climate

The climate in North Bend and surrounds can be described as a very humid version of the Mediterranean climate or a dry-summer version of an oceanic climate. There is very little temperature variation throughout the year, with monthly means ranging from 46.4 °F (8.0 °C) in December to 60.1 °F (15.6 °C) in August, though on the rare occasions continental air masses penetrate they can be much more extreme, with the lowest on record being 13 °F (−11 °C) on December 21, 1990. Conversely, the record high is 98 °F (37 °C), set in July 1925 and September 1928.[14]Walsh, Meghan (September 22, 2009). "Heat wave hits coast: Some see temps reach 102". The World. Retrieved July 15, 2015.</ref> Cool breezes off the Pacific moderate the city's climate year round. Rain is abundant in winter, due to moist low pressure troughs from the Pacific Ocean. The city's annual rainfall is about 64.7 inches (1,643 mm), but totals are less than an inch in July and August. Fog often blankets the coastal fringe in summer due to the temperature gradient between the cool Pacific Ocean and the warm inland, which serves to keep temperatures markedly cooler than in Eugene or even Seattle. Snow almost never falls in the city, but can be heavy in the adjacent Oregon Coast Range. Nearby Cape Blanco is one of the windiest places on Earth, with gusts of 125 miles per hour (201 km/h) or more achieved during severe winter storms. Annually, the city sees 25 days that fail to reach 50 °F (10 °C) and just 12 days with a temperature of freezing or lower.[15]

Climate data for North Bend, Oregon (1981–2010 normals)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 74
(23)		 82
(28)		 88
(31)		 91
(33)		 94
(34)		 92
(33)		 98
(37)		 96
(36)		 98
(37)		 95
(35)		 78
(26)		 70
(21)		 98
(37)
Average high °F (°C) 53.4
(11.9)		 54.6
(12.6)		 55.6
(13.1)		 57.2
(14.0)		 60.7
(15.9)		 63.6
(17.6)		 66.3
(19.1)		 67.2
(19.6)		 66.7
(19.3)		 62.7
(17.1)		 56.7
(13.7)		 52.9
(11.6)		 59.8
(15.4)
Average low °F (°C) 40.4
(4.7)		 40.5
(4.7)		 41.7
(5.4)		 43.3
(6.3)		 47.2
(8.4)		 50.7
(10.4)		 52.9
(11.6)		 53.0
(11.7)		 50.2
(10.1)		 46.1
(7.8)		 43.0
(6.1)		 39.9
(4.4)		 45.7
(7.6)
Record low °F (°C) 16
(−9)		 14
(−10)		 18
(−8)		 27
(−3)		 26
(−3)		 33
(1)		 38
(3)		 32
(0)		 30
(−1)		 26
(−3)		 20
(−7)		 13
(−11)		 13
(−11)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 10.19
(259)		 7.53
(191)		 7.83
(199)		 5.17
(131)		 3.39
(86)		 1.95
(50)		 0.49
(12)		 0.62
(16)		 1.57
(40)		 4.73
(120)		 10.13
(257)		 11.13
(283)		 64.73
(1,644)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 inch) 19.8 17.3 19.9 17.0 13.3 10.2 4.8 4.9 6.2 12.4 20.1 19.8 165.5
Source: NOAA[14]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
188084—
19102,078—
19203,26857.3%
19304,01222.8%
19404,60214.7%
19506,09932.5%
19607,51223.2%
19708,55313.9%
19809,77914.3%
19909,614−1.7%
20009,544−0.7%
20109,6951.6%
Est. 20199,768[4]0.8%
source:[6][16][17]

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 9,695 people, 4,113 households, and 2,495 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,473.2 inhabitants per square mile (954.9/km2). There were 4,450 housing units at an average density of 1,135.2 per square mile (438.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 89.3% White, 0.3% African American, 2.3% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 1.3% from other races, and 4.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.8% of the population.[2] North Bend is the second largest city in Oregon's Bay Area There were 4,113 households of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.3% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.87.[2]

The median age in the city was 41.3 years. 21.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.3% were from 25 to 44; 28.2% were from 45 to 64; and 17.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.6% male and 52.4% female.[2]

2000 census

Per the 2000 census, there were 9,544 people, 3,969 households, and 2,556 families residing in North Bend and the population density was 2,445.7 people per square mile (944.9/km2). There were 4,291 housing units at an average density of 1,099.6 per square mile (424.8/km2). The ethnic statistics for the city were 92.49% White, 0.38% African American, 1.79% Native American, 1.31% Asian, 0.34% Pacific Islander, 1.03% from other races, and 2.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.71% of the population.[2]

There were 3,969 households out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. The statistics for how many male householders without a wife present was not recorded by the 2000 Census. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.91. North Bend's population dispersal was 24.6% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $33,333, and the median income for a family was $41,755. Male median income was $34,494 and female median income was $23,244. The per capita income for the city was $16,703. About 11.8% of families and 14.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.0% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.[2]

Arts and culture

Museums and other points of interest
The Mill Casino in North Bend

North Bend is near ocean beaches, including the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, which has camping sites, and outdoor recreation opportunities such as all-terrain vehicle driving on the dunes. The Oregon Dunes Recreation Area begins just north of North Bend and attracts approximately 1.5 million visitors each year.[18] North Bend has a public recreational boat ramp that accesses Coos Bay,[19] along with a new concrete pier/boardwalk area that was completed in 2010 per North Bend's regional urban renewal policy.[20] North Bend has a public Olympic-sized indoor pool.[19] The Pony Village Mall in North Bend is a large indoor shopping mall.[19] The Mill Casino is a Native American gaming entertainment center in North Bend[19] with a hotel, gambling, and restaurants. The Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is about 25 miles (40 km) south of North Bend.

Sitting just outside of North Bend is the Coos History Museum, in Coos Bay. This museum was located in North Bend until a new facility was completed in 2014, and the museum and all of its contents were moved to the new location. The Coos History Museum attracts people from around the world as they pass through the area, and it holds precious information about the history of Coos County in Oregon.

Tribal government

The seat of the Coquille Indian Tribe's tribal government is located in North Bend, which is a United States recognized sovereign tribe of Native Americans who have traditionally lived on the southern Oregon Coast. The Coquille Tribe owns several businesses, including The Mill Casino and Hotel, an organic cranberry growing and packing operation in North Bend, Heritage Place assisted living center, and ORCA Communications, a telecommunications provider.

Education

The North Bend School District provides K–12 public education for residents of the area. Southwestern Oregon Community College in nearby Coos Bay offers two year associate degrees and other academic programs.

Media
Radio
  • KSBA 88.5 FM (public)
  • KSOR 89.1 FM (public, translator)
  • KJCH 90.9 FM (Christian)
  • KMHS-FM 91.3 (high school)
  • K219CK 91.7 (translator for KEAR-FM)
  • KDCQ 92.9 FM (commercial)
  • KTEE 94.9 FM (commercial)
  • KTEE 95.7 FM (translator)
  • KSHR-FM 97.3 FM (commercial)
  • KYTT 98.7 FM (Christian)
  • KJMX 99.5 FM (commercial)
  • KJMX 100.3 FM (translator)
  • KVIP 102.1 FM (Christian, translator)
  • KLJN 105.9 FM (commercial)
  • KOOS 107.3 FM (commercial)
  • KOOS 107.7 FM (translator)
  • KWRO 630 AM (commercial)
  • KGRV 700 AM (Christian)
  • KDUN 1030 AM (commercial)
  • KHSN 1230 AM (commercial)
  • KBBR 1340 AM (commercial)
  • KMHS 1420 AM (high school)
Television
Newspaper

Transportation
The Conde McCullough Memorial Bridge (in North Bend), also known as the "North Bend Bridge", as seen from the east
An aerial view of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, near North Bend

Air

The Southwest Oregon Regional Airport near North Bend and Coos Bay is the only commercial airport on the Oregon Coast.[21]

Bus

Porter Stage Lines provides bus service from Coos Bay, Oregon with several stops, including Eugene, which has connections with Amtrak rail services and the Greyhound bus network. Porter Stage Lines ends at Ontario, Oregon in eastern Oregon, and then reverses the trip.

Road

North Bend is home to the Conde McCullough Memorial Bridge and the Haynes Inlet Bridge.

Taxi

Yellow Cab taxi company offers taxi service for all of Coos County.

gollark: Intel is supposed to have great drivers, but my laptop's WiFi hardware randomly apifies itself.
gollark: Wow, it sure does disconnect.
gollark: WiFi hardware cannot be saved, actually.
gollark: This is mostly because it doesn't exist.
gollark: Oh, wait, this is sensibly slowly because it can only read at 200MB/s or so.

See also

References
  1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  2. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
  3. Population Estimates for Oregon and Counties 12/15/2019
  4. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  5. "North Bend". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved November 23, 2008.
  6. "2010 Census profiles: Oregon cities alphabetically M-P" (PDF). Portland State University Population Research Center. Retrieved November 6, 2011.
  7. "Incorporated Cities: North Bend". Oregon Blue Book (website). Accessed May 2010.
  8. "Bay Area History". Oregon Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. Accessed September 2010.
  9. Samuel Bawlf (2003). The Secret Voyage of Sir Francis Drake: 1577–1580. New York: Walker & Company; 1st Edition (May 1, 2003). p. 363. ISBN 0-8027-1405-6.
  10. "History of Coos Bay" Archived 2012-02-07 at the Wayback Machine. City of Coos Bay. Accessed September 2010.
  11. "Myrtle Tree Story". Myrtlewood Factory. Archived from the original on December 18, 2013. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
  12. John, Finn J.D. (August 29, 2010). "In North Bend, myrtlewood money spends like the real thing". Offbeat Oregon History. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
  13. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 14, 2012. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
  14. "NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
  16. Moffatt, Riley. Population History of Western U.S. Cities & Towns, 1850–1990. Lanham: Scarecrow, 1996, 213.
  17. "Subcounty population estimates: Oregon 2000–2007". United States Census Bureau, Population Division. March 18, 2009. Archived from the original (CSV) on July 9, 2009. Retrieved May 9, 2009.
  18. "Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area". U.S. Forest Service, Siuslaw National Forest. Accessed May 2010.
  19. "Home". City of North Bend. 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  20. Willis, Jan. "2009–2010 Urban Renewal Budget Message" (PDF). Retrieved July 1, 2010.
  21. "Fly OTH". Southwest Oregon Regional Airport. 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
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