Editing Yacolt, Washington

{{Short description|Town in Clark County, Washington}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Yacolt
| official_name      = Yacolt, Washington
| settlement_type    = [[Town]]
| image_skyline      = Chelatchie Prairie Railroad Station.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Chelatchie Prairie Railroad station in Yacolt
| image_map          = Clark_County_Washington_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Yacolt_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Yacolt, Washington
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       = 
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|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  = [[Clark County, Washington|Clark]]
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = Katie Listek{{cn|date=August 2024}}
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = 
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_53.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 1.49
| area_land_km2      = 1.49
| area_water_km2     = 0.00
| area_total_sq_mi   = 0.57
| area_land_sq_mi    = 0.57
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.00
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_est     = 1626
| pop_est_as_of      = 2023
| pop_est_footnotes  = <ref name="USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUse">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2019.html|date=May 24, 2020|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 27, 2020}}</ref>
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 1668
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
| timezone           = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific (PST)]]
| utc_offset         = -8
| timezone_DST       = PDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -7
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 709
| coordinates        = {{coord|45|51|55|N|122|24|23|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}<ref name=gnis/>
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 98675
| area_code          = [[Area code 360|360]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 53-79975
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2413517<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2413517}}</ref>
| website            = [http://townofyacolt.com/ Town of Yacolt]
| footnotes          = 
}}

'''Yacolt''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|j|æ|k|oʊ|l|t}} is a town in [[Clark County, Washington|Clark County]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], United States. The 2023 population is estimated to be 1,626.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Search Results|url=https://www.census.gov/search-results.html|access-date=October 19, 2020|publisher=The United States Census Bureau|language=EN-US}}</ref> It is located about {{convert|30|mi|km}} northeast of [[Vancouver, Washington|Vancouver]] which is part of the [[Portland metropolitan area, Oregon|Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area]].

==History==
Yacolt is derived from the [[Klickitat people|Klickitat]] word "Yahkohtl,"<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hunn |first1=Eugene |title=Anthropological Study of Yakama Tribe: Traditional Resource Harvest Sites West of the Crest of the Cascades Mountains in Washington State and below the Cascades of the Columbia River |date=October 11, 2003 |publisher=University of Washington Dept of Anthropology |page=64 |url=http://faculty.washington.edu/hunn/vitae/Yakam_U_and_A_draft.pdf |access-date=October 21, 2019}}</ref> meaning "haunted place" or "place of (evil) spirits."<ref name=majors>{{Cite book| last = Majors | first = Harry M. | title = Exploring Washington | publisher = Van Winkle Publishing Co | year = 1975 | page = 146 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CoWrPQAACAAJ| isbn = 978-0-918664-00-6}}</ref> The area was also known as "the valley of lost children".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Yacolt -- Thumbnail History|url=https://www.historylink.org/File/9329|access-date=November 27, 2020|website=www.historylink.org}}</ref>  In September 1902 the town, which consisted of only 15 buildings at the time, was nearly destroyed by the [[Yacolt Burn]], the largest fire in state history. Yacolt was rebuilt over time and officially incorporated on July 31, 1908.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|0.50|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all of it land.<ref name ="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 19, 2012}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1910 = 435
| 1920 = 520
| 1930 = 295
| 1940 = 297
| 1950 = 411
| 1960 = 375
| 1970 = 488
| 1980 = 544
| 1990 = 600
| 2000 = 1055
| 2010 = 1566
| 2020 = 1668
| estyear = 2023
| estimate = 1626
| 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|author=United States Census Bureau|author-link=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 19, 2013}}</ref><br>2023 Estimate<ref>{{Cite web|title=Search Results|url=https://www.census.gov/search-results.html|access-date=October 19, 2020|publisher=The United States Census Bureau|language=EN-US}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]],<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 19, 2012}}</ref> there were 1,566 people, 454 households, and 384 families living in the town. The [[population density]] was {{convert|3132.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 484 housing units at an average density of {{convert|968.0|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 95.8% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.5% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 1.1% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.4% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.2% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 2.0% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.1% of the population.

There were 454 households, of which 55.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 15.4% were non-families. 10.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.45 and the average family size was 3.68.

The median age in the town was 25 years. 38.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.9% were from 25 to 44; 17% were from 45 to 64; and 5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 50.9% male and 49.1% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]], there were 1,055 people, 319 households, and 256 families living in the town. The [[population density]] was 2,075.2 people per square mile (798.7/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 344 housing units at an average density of 676.7 per square mile (260.4/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the town was 95.26% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.47% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 1.14% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.38% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.09% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.65% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.90% of the population. 22.1% were of American, 17.9% [[germans|German]], 8.6% English, 7.0% [[norwegians|Norwegian]], and 5.2% [[irish people|Irish]] ancestry.

There were 319 households, out of which 54.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.9% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.7% were non-families. 16.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.31 and the average family size was 3.71.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 40.2% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 13.4% from 45 to 64, and 7.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $39,444, and the median income for a family was $43,438. Males had a median income of $37,500 versus $24,306 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $12,529. About 6.4% of families and 7.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.

==Parks and recreation==
The [[Chelatchie Prairie Railroad]], a train ride excursion organization, is based in Yacolt. The railroad uses tracks built near the turn of the 20th century that eventually went into disuse in 1984. Restoration efforts in the 1990s led to the creation of the Chelatchie Prairie Railroad program in 2001. Hosting events tied to holidays throughout the year, such as the Headless Horseman Train Ride during the Halloween season, the railroad is best known for its Christmas Train Ride (also known as the Santa Train), an annual event that traverses {{convert|13.0|mi}} through the mountainous area bringing riders to Yacolt Falls, a rock tunnel, and Moulton Station.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kast |first1=Cameron |title=Holidays are full speed ahead |url=https://www.thereflector.com/stories/holidays-are-full-speed-ahead,30440? |access-date=January 30, 2024 |work=The Reflector |date=December 2, 2019}}</ref><ref name="CPRCT"/> The diesel train, a 1941 ALCO S2, pulls passenger cars originally built between from the 1910s into the 1920s.<ref name="CPRCT">{{cite news |last1=Barker |first1=Cade |title=Chelatchie Prairie Railroad Christmas Train offers family holiday adventure |url=https://www.thereflector.com/stories/chelatchie-prairie-railroad-christmas-train-offers-family-holiday-adventure,329968 |access-date=January 30, 2024 |work=The Reflector |date=November 28, 2023}}</ref>

==Education==
Yacolt is located in the [[Battle Ground Public Schools]] district.<ref name=CensusSDMap2020>{{Cite map |author=Geography Division|title=2020 Census – School District Reference Map: Clark County, WA |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st53_wa/schooldistrict_maps/c53011_clark/DC20SD_C53011.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602213406/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st53_wa/schooldistrict_maps/c53011_clark/DC20SD_C53011.pdf |date=December 21, 2020|archive-date=June 2, 2021 |access-date=2025-03-23|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st53_wa/schooldistrict_maps/c53011_clark/DC20SD_C53011_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref> The only public school located in Yacolt is Yacolt Primary School.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ams.battlegroundps.org/o/yps|title=Home|publisher=Yacolt Primary School|access-date=2025-03-23|quote=406 W Yacolt Rd. Yacolt, WA 98675}}</ref>

Yacolt is zoned to Yacolt Primary, Amboy Middle School, and [[Battle Ground High School]].<ref>{{cite map|url=https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com:443/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4958/BGPS/4750351/Yacolt_-_Amboy_Boundary_Map_2019.pdf|title= Yacolt / Amboy Service Areas|publisher=[[Battle Ground Public Schools]]|access-date=2025-03-23}}  - [https://www.battlegroundps.org/page/boundaries Linked from here]</ref>

==Notable people==

*[[Tonya Harding]], figure skater<ref>[https://www.columbian.com/news/2010/jul/02/harding-marries-yacolt-man/ "It's official: Harding marries Yacolt man."] Retrieved October 10, 2019</ref>
*[[Joe Kent]], former [[United States Army]] officer and political candidate

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://townofyacolt.com/|Town of Yacolt}}

{{Clark County, Washington}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Clark County, Washington]]
[[Category:Towns in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:1908 establishments in Washington (state)]]