Cannon Beach, Oregon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Cannon Beach, Oregon | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Clatsop |
| Incorporated | 1956 |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | Dave Rouse |
| Area | |
| - Total | 1.5 sq mi (3.9 km²) |
| - Land | 1.5 sq mi (3.9 km²) |
| - Water | 0 sq mi (0 km²) |
| Elevation | 30 ft (9.14 m) |
| Population (2007) | |
| - Total | 1,680 |
| - Density | 1,066.8/sq mi (411.5/km²) |
| Time zone | Pacific (UTC-8) |
| - Summer (DST) | Pacific (UTC-7) |
| ZIP code | 97110 |
| Area code(s) | 503 |
| FIPS code | 41-10850[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1136119[2] |
| Website: www.ci.cannon-beach.or.us | |
Cannon Beach, a city in Clatsop County, Oregon, United States, is an affluent tourist resort destination.[3] Because of its proximity to Portland, Oregon, it is particularly known as a weekend getaway spot for Portlanders.[4] The population was 1,588 at the 2000 census. The 2007 estimate is 1,680 residents.[5]
According to Oregon Geographic Names, Cannon Beach was originally named Ecola, after the creek that empties into the Pacific Ocean to the north of the city. In 1922 it was renamed Cannon Beach (after the name of the beach that extends south of Ecola creek for eight miles, ending at Arch Cape) at the insistence of the Post Office Department because the name was frequently confused with Eola.
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[edit] History
The first recorded European American journey to this area was made by William Clark, one of the leaders of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, in January, 1805, when a group of Native Americans invited him to view a beached whale at the nearby beach. The expedition was headquartered at the time near the mouth of the Columbia River. Curiosity got the better of him and Clark had to journey south over Tillamook Head, which he described in his journal as "the Steepest worst and highest mountain I ever assended [sic]…" to get there. [1] From a place near the western cliffs of the headland he saw "… the grandest and most pleasing prospects which my eyes ever surveyed, in front of a boundless Ocean…" That viewpoint is now called Clark's Point of View and can be accessed by a hiking trail which leaves Indian Beach within the Ecola State Park.
Upon arriving at what is now Cannon Beach, Clark and his companions found the flensed skeleton of a 105' whale on the beach and the Indians busily boiling blubber for storage. A 105' whale would have to be a blue whale. Clark was a professional surveyor so it is unlikely he was wrong.[6]
Clark and his small company bartered for some blubber and whale oil, then headed back home.
In 1846, a cannon from the US Navy schooner Shark washed ashore just north of Arch Cape, a few miles to the south of Elk Creek, the current Cannon Beach. The schooner was wrecked while attempting to cross the Columbia Bar, also known as the "Graveyard of the Pacific" because of the danger of the bar. The townspeople of Elk Creek renamed their town after the cannon.[7] The cannon is in the town's museum and a replica of it can be seen alongside U.S. Route 101.[8] Two more cannons, also believed to have been from the Shark, were discovered on Arch Cape over the weekend of February 16, 2008.[9]
Highway 101 formerly ran through Cannon Beach. In 1964, a tsunami generated by the Good Friday Earthquake came ashore along the coast of the Pacific Northwest. While it did not destroy the town of Cannon Beach, it did inundate parts of it and washed away the highway bridge at the north side of town. The town was thus isolated from highway and to attract visitors they decided to hold a sandcastle contest-an event which is repeated annually to this day.[10] Cannon Beach is now an affluent resort town.[citation needed]
[edit] Geography
Cannon Beach is located at (45.889155, -123.960738).[11]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), all of it land.
Cannon Beach is located near several significant fault lines, and during the Scotts Mills earthquake in Oregon in 1993, Cannon Beach's tsunami warning system was activated immediately following the shocks that were strongly felt there in the early hours of the morning, evacuating residents and vacationers alike up steeply sloped Highway 101 towards Cannon Beach Junction.[citation needed]
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,588 people, 710 households, and 418 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,066.8 people per square mile (411.5/km²). There were 1,641 housing units at an average density of 1,102.4/sq mi (425.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.57% White, 0.19% African American, 0.88% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 3.27% from other races, and 2.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.52% of the population.
There were 710 households out of which 20.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.0% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.70.
In the city the population was spread out with 17.4% under the age of 18, 12.3% from 18 to 24, 21.5% from 25 to 44, 32.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 86.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $39,271, and the median income for a family was $45,329. Males had a median income of $31,250 versus $21,641 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,465. About 8.2% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.3% of those under age 18 and 2.1% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Public transportation
A shuttle runs from the north of Cannon Beach to the south.[12]
[edit] Points of interest
Cannon Beach is recognized by its well-known landmark, Haystack Rock, located to the southwest of downtown Cannon Beach, near Tolovana Park. This igneous rock has an elevation of 235 feet, and is often accessible at low tide, especially in the summertime. There is a small cave system that penetrates the rock and can be seen from the coastline. The rock is also protected as a marine sanctuary, Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge.
Near Haystack Rock are the Needles, two tall rocks rising straight out of the water.
Downtown Cannon Beach is filled with small businesses. Chain stores such as Safeway and McDonalds have been discouraged from building in Cannon Beach in order to preserve the local economy and small town feel.[4]
The main road through Cannon Beach is Hemlock Street, which runs from the north end of town to the south, through Tolovana Park. Both ends of the street connect to U.S. Route 101.
[edit] References
- ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ About Cannon Beach, Oregon (html). Retrieved on 2007-11-03.
- ^ a b Cannon Beach: Portland Travel Guide. Retrieved on 2007-11-03.
- ^ PSU:Population Research Center
- ^ About Cannon Beach, Oregon (html). Retrieved on 2007-11-03.
- ^ Cannon Beach Oregon Travel Guide and Directory (html). Retrieved on 2007-11-03.
- ^ Oregon History Project (cfm). Retrieved on 2007-11-03.
- ^ Girl, father find two ancient cannons on the Oregon coast (html). Retrieved on 2008-02-18.
- ^ Higgins, Vickie. Cannon Beach - The little town Oregon's North Coast has a front-row seat (php). Retrieved on 2007-11-03.
- ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ Cannon Beach Shuttle Schedule (html). Retrieved on 2007-11-03.
[edit] External links
- Cannon Beach, Oregon is at coordinates Coordinates:
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