Silverton, Oregon

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Silverton, Oregon
settlement_type = City
nickname = Gateway to Silver Falls
motto = Oregon's Garden City


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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in Oregon


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Oregon
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Marion
government_type =
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Kenneth J. Hector
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = 1885
area_magnitude =
area_total_sq_mi = 2.7
area_total_km2 = 7.1
area_land_sq_mi = 2.7
area_land_km2 = 7.1
area_water_sq_mi = 0
area_water_km2 = 0
area_urban_sq_mi =
area_urban_km2 =
area_metro_sq_mi =
area_metro_km2 =
population_as_of = 2000
population_note =
population_total = 7414
population_metro =
population_urban =
population_density_km2 = 1048.6
population_density_sq_mi = 2716.3
timezone = Pacific
utc_offset = -8
timezone_DST = Pacific
utc_offset_DST = -7
latd = 45 |latm = 0 |lats = 24 |latNS = N
longd = 122 |longm = 46 |longs = 57 |longEW = W
elevation_m = 76.8
elevation_ft = 252
website = http://www.silverton.or.us
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 97381
area_code = 503
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 41-67650GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1126975GR|3
footnotes =

Silverton is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States. The population was 7,414 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

Silverton is located at coor dms|45|0|24|N|122|46|57|W|city (45.006657, -122.782484)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.7 square miles (7.1 km²), all of it land.

Silver Creek runs through the center of town.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 7,414 people, 2,707 households, and 1,886 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,716.3 people per square mile (1,048.6/km²). There were 2,865 housing units at an average density of 1,049.7/sq mi (405.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.29% White, 0.22% African American, 1.11% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 6.56% from other races, and 2.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.56% of the population.

There were 2,707 households out of which 39.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.8% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.25.

In the city the population was spread out with 31.8% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $38,429, and the median income for a family was $46,196. Males had a median income of $34,707 versus $24,479 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,062. About 10.4% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.7% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Silverton is the population core of the Silver Falls School District. In 1994 voters passed a bond levy for construction of Phase I of a two phase project to build a new high school. The new starter high school was constructed on Pine Street in Silverton. It was completed in 1997 with a capacity for approximately 500 students. The bond levy for Phase II, however failed, leaving the Silver Falls School District with two high school campuses. As of 1997, the roughly 350 freshmen attended the new campus, and were routinely bussed to the old campus for some higher level classes and electives. As of November 2006, a new bond levy passed and Phase II of the high school was slated to begin. The campus will remain divided until its completion.

Points of interest

Silverton is the gateway to Silver Falls State Park, Oregon's largest state park. It is also the home of the Oregon Gardens, an 80 acre (320,000 m²) botanical park. Each summer, Silvertonians celebrate their most famous citizen in the Homer Davenport Days festival and parade. Also notable is the farmers market on Saturdays where local farmers and artisans sell their wares. The first bank robbery and chase scene in the movie "Bandits" (starring Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton) was filmed in Silverton. [ cite web
url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0219965/locations
title = Bandits (2001) filming locations
publisher = Internet Movie Database
accessdate = 2007-12-26 ]

Notable residents

*Bobbie, the Wonder Dog
*Homer Davenport, political cartoonist
*Scott Gragg, NFL tackle, Silverton High School varsity football coach
*Bill Grier, head men's basketball coach at the University of San Diego
*Donald Pettit, astronaut

References

External links

* [http://www.silverton.or.us City of Silverton]
* [http://www.silvertonor.com/ Community information page]
* [http://www.silverfalls.k12.or.us/ Silver Falls School District]