Editing Ocean Shores, Washington

{{short description|City in Washington, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Ocean Shores, Washington
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|image_skyline            = Ocean Shores, WA — Main Entrance.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Ocean Shores main entrance
|image_map                = Grays_Harbor_County_Washington_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Ocean_Shores_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Ocean Shores, Washington
<!-- Location ----->
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Washington (state)|Washington]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Washington|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Grays Harbor County, Washington|Grays Harbor]]
<!-- Government ------>
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = [[Council–manager government|Council–manager]]
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Frank Eluden<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.osgov.com/government/mayor/index.php |title=Mayor |website=osgov.com |accessdate=January 17, 2022}}</ref>
|established_title        = Founded
|established_date         = 1970
|established_title2       = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date2        = November 3, 1970
<!-- Area ------>
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2023">{{cite web|title=2023 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2023_Gazetteer/2023_gaz_place_53.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=June 10, 2024}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 35.68
|area_land_km2            = 22.05
|area_water_km2           = 13.63
|area_total_sq_mi         = 13.78
|area_land_sq_mi          = 8.52
|area_water_sq_mi         = 5.26
<!-- Population ----->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 7549
|pop_est_as_of            = 2023
|pop_est_footnotes        = <ref name="USCensusEst2023"/>
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="2020 Census (City)"/>
|population_total         = 6715
|population_density_km2   = 342.3
|population_density_sq_mi = 887.0
<!-- General information --->
|timezone                 = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific (PST)]]
|utc_offset               = –8
|timezone_DST             = PDT
|utc_offset_DST           = –7
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 10
|coordinates              = {{coord|46|58|18|N|124|08|48|W|region:US-WA|display=inline,title}}
<!-- Area/postal codes and others -->
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]
|postal_code              = 98569
|area_code                = [[Area code 360|360]] and [[Area code 564|564]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 53-50570
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2411300<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2411300}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|https://www.osgov.com/|osgov.com}}
|footnotes                = 
}}

'''Ocean Shores''' is a city in [[Grays Harbor County, Washington]], United States. The population was 6,715 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]],<ref name="2020 Census (City)">{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Ocean_Shores_city,_Washington?g=160XX00US5350570 |access-date=June 10, 2024 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> and according to 2023 census estimates, the city is estimated to have a population of 7,549.<ref name="USCensusEst2023"/>

==History==
[[Image:Ocean Shores clam digging.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Digging for [[Pacific razor clam|razor clams]] on the beach]]
The City of Ocean Shores occupies the [[Point Brown Peninsula]] on the Washington coast.  Long before the arrival of European explorers and settlers, the peninsula was used by the various local tribes for trading and other purposes. The [[Chinookan peoples|Chinook]], [[Lower Chehalis people|Chehalis]], and [[Quinault people|Quinault]] tribes used the area, as well as others that now make up the [[Quinault Indian Nation]].

On May 7, 1792, Captain [[Robert Gray (sea captain)|Robert Gray]] sailed into the bay and named the area Bullfinch Harbor. Later, Captain [[George Vancouver]] renamed the area [[Grays Harbor]] after Captain Gray. The first established white settler on the Point was Matthew McGee, who settled in the early 1860s. He sold the southern portion of the peninsula to A.O. Damon in 1878 for a trading supply center whose dock extended into the Oyehut channel. A.O. Damon took over the entire peninsula from McGee, and the land was passed along to his grandson, Ralph Minard, who used the area as a cattle ranch from 1929 until he sold to the Ocean Shores Development Corporation in 1960 for $1,000,000.

At the time the Washington State legislature was considering legalizing some forms of gambling.  In expectation of a huge casino development, the Ocean Shores Development Corporation opened their sale of lots in a travel trailer parked in the dunes. Soon the word spread about the California-style development of the place called Ocean Shores. Lots began at $595 and were sold sight unseen from the first [[plat]] maps. As the numbers of lots sold rose, the prices rose. Property lots were staked and numbered only as the road construction crews began to lay out the massive road system. Even though the first roads were only {{convert|20|mi|km}} in length, the downtown area had mercury vapor lights to show that this was a booming city. In the first year 25 homes were constructed and their owners had charter membership certificates in the Ocean Shores Community Club.

As the development grew, the Ginny Simms Restaurant and Nightclub brought in the Hollywood set. In fact, on its opening night, chartered planes flew up a whole contingent of Hollywood stars, and 11,000 people turned out at Bowerman Basin to see the celebrities.

By December 1960, {{convert|25|mi|km}} of canals were planned, a six-hole golf course was drawing players, and the mall shopping area was ready for the 1961 Ocean Shores Estates construction boom. The mall, 100 motel units, three restaurants and an airstrip sprang up from the sandy ground, with the marina opening in 1963. The [[SS Catala|SS ''Catala'']] was brought up from California to become a "boatel" and charter fleet office. Two years later a southwest winter storm drove her into the sand and for many years she was the most famous shipwreck on the Washington Coast. In 1966 the gates to the city were installed.

[[Pat Boone]] became a local resident in 1967 as a stockholder in Ocean Shores Estates Incorporated, and promotion of the development was sped along by the Celebrity Golf tournaments hosted by Boone.<ref>{{citation|title=Trying Again on a Coast That Defies Big Dreams|author=William Yardley|date=May 27, 2008|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/27/realestate/27seabrook.html}}</ref>

By 1969, Ocean Shores was declared the "richest little city" per capita in the country,<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Hughes |editor1-first=John C. |editor2-last=Beckwith |editor2-first=Ryan Teague |title=On the Harbor: From Black Friday to Nirvana |date=2005 |publisher=Stephens Press |page=139 |isbn=9781932173505 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nbg1nGp9UrIC&pg=PA139}}</ref> with an assessed valuation of $35 million and 900 permanent residents. The following year the city was incorporated and a planning commission was formed to zone the city and codify streets. The city's first school opened in 1971 and road paving began in earnest.

During the 1970s, the town struggled through many setbacks brought on mainly by the state's economic recession. By the 1980s, the slump was over and construction of homes and businesses accelerated again.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|13.78|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|8.52|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|5.26|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2023"/>

===Climate===
Ocean Shores experiences an [[oceanic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Cfb''), with tendencies towards a [[mediterranean climate|Mediterranean]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Csb''), notably the pattern of a wetter winter and moderately drier summer.

The climate is similar to nearby [[Aberdeen, Washington|Aberdeen]], situated slightly farther inland, but Ocean Shores experiences a narrower range of temperatures and is significantly less susceptible to extremes of heat in the summer, caused by hotter, inland air masses being pushed into the region.

{{Weather box <!--Infobox begins-->
|collapsed = Y
|single line = Y  
|location= Ocean Shores, Washington    
|temperature color= <!--Enter "pastel" for pastel temperature colors, remove this line for the standard coloring.-->

|Jan record high F= 68
|Feb record high F= 76
|Mar record high F= 76
|Apr record high F= 85
|May record high F= 93
|Jun record high F= 94
|Jul record high F= 96
|Aug record high F= 94
|Sep record high F= 92
|Oct record high F= 85
|Nov record high F= 69
|Dec record high F= 64

|Jan high F= 49
|Feb high F= 51
|Mar high F= 54
|Apr high F= 56
|May high F= 60
|Jun high F= 63
|Jul high F= 66
|Aug high F= 67
|Sep high F= 67
|Oct high F= 60
|Nov high F= 53
|Dec high F= 48

|Jan low F= 38
|Feb low F= 37
|Mar low F= 39
|Apr low F= 41
|May low F= 46
|Jun low F= 49
|Jul low F= 52
|Aug low F= 52
|Sep low F= 49
|Oct low F= 44
|Nov low F= 40
|Dec low F= 36

|Jan record low F= 11
|Feb record low F= 9
|Mar record low F= 22
|Apr record low F= 26
|May record low F= 27
|Jun record low F= 33
|Jul record low F= 32
|Aug record low F= 35
|Sep record low F= 30
|Oct record low F= 24
|Nov record low F= 12
|Dec record low F= 7

|precipitation colour= <!--Enter "green" for green precipitation colors, remove this line for blue coloring.-->
|Jan precipitation inch= 11.10
|Feb precipitation inch= 8.18
|Mar precipitation inch= 8.08
|Apr precipitation inch= 5.73
|May precipitation inch= 3.60
|Jun precipitation inch= 2.57
|Jul precipitation inch= 1.36
|Aug precipitation inch= 1.64
|Sep precipitation inch= 2.57
|Oct precipitation inch= 7.56
|Nov precipitation inch= 12.09
|Dec precipitation inch= 10.79
<!--Mandatory fields, source-->
|source 1= <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USWA0313|title=weather.com|access-date=November 15, 2011}}</ref>
|date=January 2012}}<!--Infobox ends-->

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1970= 800
|1980= 1692
|1990= 2301
|2000= 3836
|2010= 5569
|2020= 6715
|estyear=2023
|estimate=7549
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html |date=June 10, 2024|title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020–2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=June 10, 2024}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref><br>2020 Census<ref name="2020 Census (City)"/>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Ocean Shores Racial Composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Ocean Shores city, Washington|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Ocean%20Shores%20city,%20Washington&t=Race%20and%20Ethnicity&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2}}</ref>
!Race
!Number
!Percent
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (NH)
|5,713
|85.1%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (NH)
|66
|1.0%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]] (NH)
|141
|2.1%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]] (NH)
|127
|1.9%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]] (NH)
|9
|0.1%
|-
|[[Some Other Race]] (NH)
|45
|0.7%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed/Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|337
|5.0%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]
|277
|4.1%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''6,715'''
|'''100.0%'''
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], there were 6,715 people, 3,437 households, and 2,062 families residing in the city.<ref>{{Cite web|title=US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Ocean%20Shores%20city,%20Washington%20p16&y=2020 |access-date=June 10, 2024 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> The [[population density]] was {{convert|788.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 5,518 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 86.3% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.0% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 2.3% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.9% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.1% [[Race (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.6% from some other races and 6.8% from two or more races. [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] of any race were 4.1% of the population.<ref>{{Cite web|title=How many people live in Ocean Shores city, Washington |url=https://data.usatoday.com/census/total-population/total-population-change/princeton-city-texas/160-4859576/ |access-date=June 10, 2024 |publisher=USA Today}}</ref> 5.6% of residents were under the age of 18, 2.7% were under 5 years of age, and 41.0% were 65 and older.

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]], there were 5,569 people in 2,707 households, and 1,657 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|654.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 4,758 housing units at an average density of {{convert|559.1|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2010 census|racial makeup]] of the city was 90.2% White, 0.9% African American, 2.1% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races, and 4.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.2%.

Of the 2,707 households 14.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.8% were non-families. 30.5% of households were one person and 14.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.49.

The median age was 57.3 years. 12.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 14% were from 25 to 44; 37.5% were from 45 to 64; and 31.1% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]], there were 3,836 people in 1,789 households, and 1,198 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|444.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 3,170 housing units at an average density of 367.5 per square mile (141.8/km{{sup|2}}). The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2010 census|racial makeup]] of the city was 92.44% White, 0.60% African American, 2.19% Native American, 1.23% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.81% from other races, and 2.63% from two or more races. The city experienced an influx of West Midland residents in the late 1990s. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 1.75% of the population. 17.4% were of [[Germans|German]], 13.9% [[Irish people|Irish]], 12.0% [[English people|English]], 9.6% [[United States|American]], and 8.0% [[Norwegians|Norwegian]] ancestry.

There were 1,789 households, of which 17.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.7% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 27.7% of households were one person and 12.6% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.55.

The age distribution was 16.8% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 18.9% from 25 to 44, 31.7% from 45 to 64, and 28.0% 65 or older. The median age was 52 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.6 males.

The median household income was $34,643 and the median family income was $38,520. Males had a median income of $31,371 versus $25,393 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,192. About 9.8% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 22.1% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those ages 65 or over.

==Schools==
Ocean Shores is served by the [[North Beach School District]], which operates a high school and middle school located adjacent and two elementary schools in the area.

==Infrastructure==

===Transportation===
Ocean Shores is connected to the rest of the county by [[Washington State Route 115|State Route 115]], which connects Point Brown Avenue to [[Washington State Route 109|State Route 109]]. The city is also served by [[Grays Harbor Transit]] bus route 60, which travels east to [[Hoquiam, Washington|Hoquiam]] and [[Aberdeen, Washington|Aberdeen]] and north to [[Taholah, Washington|Taholah]] on the [[Quinault Indian Reservation]], and a [[dial-a-ride]] route for in-city service.<ref>{{cite book|date=October 1, 2015|title=Grays Harbor Bus Book: Fall 2015|url=http://www.ghtransit.com/Portals/13/Schedules/Sept%202015/BusBook-FALL-15-proof-Final.pdf|publisher=[[Grays Harbor Transit]]|pages=31–33|access-date=October 19, 2015}}</ref>

{{anchor|Airport}}[[Ocean Shores Municipal Airport]] lies within the city limits, at {{convert|13|ft|m}} above sea level.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.osgov.com/airport.html|publisher=City of Ocean Shores|title=Ocean Shores Municipal Airport}}</ref>

===Tsunami protection===
Ocean Shores lies at sea level and is vulnerable to potential [[tsunami]]s that would be created by a [[Cascadia Subduction Zone]] earthquake. A [[bond measure]] to create a [[Vertical and horizontal evacuation|tsunami evacuation shelter]] and relocate a school to higher ground was rejected by voters in 2022. The state government and [[Federal Emergency Management Agency]] (FEMA) allocated $5&nbsp;million in funds to construct a vertical evacuation shelter with capacity for 800&nbsp;people; later designs are planned to be scaled back due to rising costs.<ref>{{cite news |last=Doughton |first=Sandi |author-link=Sandi Doughton |date=January 19, 2024 |title=Tsunami preparedness in WA: How Westport and its neighbors are leading the way |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/how-westport-and-its-neighbors-are-leading-the-way-on-tsunami-preparedness/ |work=[[The Seattle Times]] |access-date=February 6, 2024}}</ref>

==''Death on the Fourth of July''==
The book ''Death on the Fourth of July'' by [[David Neiwert]] documents a racially charged killing which took place in Ocean Shores on July 4, 2000.<ref>{{cite book|isbn=978-1-4039-6501-1|title=Death on the Fourth of July: The Story of a Killing, a Trial, and Hate Crime in America|first=David|last=Neiwert|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|date=2004|edition=1st|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/deathonfourthofj00neiw}}</ref> A group of young Asian-American men who were visiting Ocean Shores were attacked by a group of white men. Chris Kinison, who was from the area, was fatally stabbed by Minh Duc Hong during the confrontation. Hong was arrested and tried for manslaughter. His trial ended in a [[hung jury]], 11–1 in favor of acquittal; prosecutors decided not to retry the case.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=245|title=Hate Crimes: Asian youth freed in death of racist harasser|date=Spring 2001|access-date=July 28, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091018165041/http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=245|archive-date=October 18, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Ocean Shores, Washington}}
* [https://www.osgov.com/ City of Ocean Shores – Official Website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20010127210900/http://www.asianweek.com/2000_10_12/news7_crimeandcourt.html "Asian American Groups Seek FBI Probe of Ocean Shores Stabbing"], AsianWeek.com, October 2000 (story at the bottom of the page)

{{Grays Harbor County, Washington}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Ocean Shores, Washington| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Grays Harbor County, Washington]]
[[Category:Cities in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Washington (state)]]