Sheridan, Oregon: Difference between revisions
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Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Sheridan is a city in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States. Platted in the 1860s when it received a post office, Sheridan was incorporated in 1880. In 1913, much of the town burned in a fire and a flood covered much of the community in 1964. The population of Sheridan as of the 2020 Census was 6,233, an increase from 6,127 at the 2010 census.<ref name="census 2010">Template:Cite web</ref>
Located in the western part of the Willamette Valley, Sheridan is at the base of the Northern Oregon Coast Range along the South Yamhill River. Sheridan lies around 13 miles southwest of the county seat of McMinnville, along Oregon Route 18. This highway and Oregon Route 18 Business run east–west through Sheridan and nearby Willamina, parallel to the river. Sheridan Bridge is the only river crossing within Sheridan.
Sheridan's largest employer is Federal Correctional Institution, Sheridan, a federal minimum and medium security prison. Sheridan has a Mayor–council form of government, with daily operations run by a city manager. The community has its own school district, with a single traditional high school. The main events each year in town are Sheridan Days and the Mud Drags, both held in June. Sheridan was named in honor of the American Civil War general Philip Henry Sheridan.
History
[edit]Absolem B. Faulconer laid out the plat for what became the city of Sheridan in the mid-1860s. This plat was recorded with the county on December 13, 1866.<ref name="history">Template:Cite web</ref> He had settled in the area in 1847.<ref name="history"/> The Sheridan post office was established on April 4, 1866, with Absolem's brother Thomas serving as postmaster.<ref name="history"/> By 1871, the town had grown to include two blacksmith shops, one church, one school, one hotel, one wagon shop, and two general stores.<ref name="history"/> In October 1878, the Dayton, Sheridan and Grand Ronde Railroad, a narrow-gauge railway, reached the community.<ref name="history"/>
Sheridan, a timber and farming community southwest of Portland and northwest of Salem, was incorporated in 1880.<ref name="prisontown">Template:Cite news</ref> Sheridan was named for General Philip Sheridan, who was posted to Yamhill County and Fort Yamhill in the latter half of the 1850s to monitor the Native Americans at what is now the Grand Ronde Reservation west of the city.<ref name="prisontown"/> By 1894, Sheridan had grown to 400 residents, one bank, two hotels, three churches, and a flouring mill.<ref name="handbook">Template:Cite book</ref> At that time there was a daily train to the city as well as daily stage coach service from McMinnville, and a single wooden bridge over the river.<ref name="handbook"/>
Agriculture was the main industry in Sheridan's early years.<ref name="sunset">Template:Cite journal</ref> Around 1910, the main crops included hops, clover-seed, hay, potatoes, onions, and a variety of fruits including apples, prunes, and pears.<ref name="sunset"/> In March 1910, 150 workers at a lumber yard owned by the Sheridan Lumber Company went on strike for higher wages. The strike was supported by Portland members of the Industrial Workers of the World who picketed employment agencies in Portland to prevent the company from hiring strikebreakers. The action was successful and the workers won a pay increase of twenty-five cents per day,<ref name="IWWYearbook1910">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="IW_1910_03_26">Template:Cite news</ref> Template:Inflation.Template:Inflation-fn On July 18, 1913, a fire that destroyed most of the commercial district caused $300,000 in damage.<ref name="history"/> Most of the buildings were rebuilt with brick within six months.<ref name="history"/> On October 30, 1930, the Jesuits purchased an Template:Convert farm on a hill overlooking the city.<ref name="jesuits">Template:Cite book</ref> There they started St. Francis Xavier's Novitiate, a school for training priests for the order.<ref name="jesuits"/> Opening in a new building and several existing farm buildings in 1931, St. Francis Xavier's added more buildings over the next several decades.<ref name="jesuits"/>
In 1932, the state built a highway through Sheridan from McMinnville to the Oregon Coast, which became Oregon Route 18 or the Salmon River Highway. With funds received through the Works Progress Administration, the current steel bridge across the South Yamhill River was built and opened in 1939.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> By 1940, agriculture was still a major industry, and the timber industry was growing in importance to the local economy.<ref name="wpa">Template:Cite book</ref> At that time the city had grown to a population of 1,008 people.<ref name="wpa"/>
The state built a bypass around Sheridan and Willamina that opened in 1957 to carry Oregon Route 18 on the south end of the city. The old alignment through the center of town became Oregon Route 18 Business. Sheridan had its largest flooding in history on December 22, 1964.<ref name="floods">Template:Cite news</ref> The South Yamhill overflowed its banks and isolated the town for two days.<ref name="floods"/> The Jesuits sold their training school in 1974 to the Delphian Foundation,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> who then opened The Delphian School at the site in 1976.<ref name="sights">Template:Cite news</ref>
In 1989, a federal minimum and medium security prison called the Federal Correctional Institution opened on the south side of Sheridan.<ref name="prisontown"/> At that time, Sheridan had a population of around 2,500 people.<ref name="prisontown"/> Sheridan moved its city hall into the old railroad station in January 1993,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and expanded the renovated building in 1995.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The U.S. Census Bureau erroneously listed Sheridan's population as 3,570 in the 2000 Census after mis-listing the prison's population in the wrong census tract.<ref name=OSC>Hartung v. Bradbury, 332 Or. 570, 33 P.3d 972 (2001)</ref> This error of about 2000 people was enough to throw off the state legislative districts beyond their margin of acceptance and the Oregon Supreme Court ruled the Secretary of State must re-draw the boundary lines to match the correct data.<ref name=OSC/><ref>Bradbury gives court new map on redistricting. The Oregonian, November 29, 2001.</ref> Sheridan also counts the prison population as part of the city's official population. In December 2008, a two-alarm fire gutted the 1875 United Methodist Church in the city.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Geography
[edit]According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of Template:Convert, of which, Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert is water.<ref name="Gazetteer files">Template:Cite web</ref>
The South Yamhill River divides the city between north and south, and is prone to flooding the city.<ref name="handbook"/><ref name="floods"/> Deer Creek is the only other stream in the city. Sheridan is located in the western part of the Willamette Valley at an elevation of Template:Convert above sea level.<ref name=econ>Template:Cite web</ref> The city lies at the foothills of the Northern Oregon Coast Range.<ref name="prisontown"/>
Surrounding cities include Willamina about Template:Convert to the west along Oregon 18B, Amity about Template:Convert due east, and McMinnville about Template:Convert to the northeast. Other communities include Ballston to the southeast, Shipley due west, the Gopher Valley to the north and east, and Bellevue to the northeast along Oregon 18. Sheridan is about one-and-a-half miles north of the Polk County line,<ref name="handbook"/> with the county seat of Dallas approximately Template:Convert south of Sheridan.
Climate
[edit]Sheridan, as part of the Willamette Valley, is within the Marine west coast climate zone. Summers in there are generally warm, but temperatures year-round are moderated by a marine influence from the Pacific Ocean.<ref name=climate>Template:Cite web</ref> The city receives most of its precipitation during the mild to cool winter months, with the wettest period from November through March.<ref name=climate/> Sheridan's average annual precipitation totals Template:Convert, with the wettest month coming in December.<ref name=econ/> August is the warmest month with an average high temperature of Template:Convert, while December is the coolest month with an average high of Template:Convert.<ref name="WeatherChannel">Template:Cite web</ref> December is also on average the wettest month with Template:Convert.<ref name="WeatherChannel"/> July is the driest month of the year, on average.<ref name=econ/> The highest recorded temperature in Sheridan, Template:Convert, has occurred twice, on July 19, 1956, and August 8, 1981.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sheridan's lowest ever recorded temperature was Template:Convert on January 31, 1950.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Transportation
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The city is served by two main roads, Oregon Route 18 and Oregon Route 18 Business.<ref name=econ/> The business route, also known as Main Street, runs through downtown on the north side of the South Yamhill River and connects to Shipley and Willamina, to the west. The Sheridan Bridge on Bridge Street connects the two sides of the city across the river. The railroad has the only other bridge crossing the river in the city. Oregon Route 18 connects to McMinnville, the county seat, and beyond to the Portland metropolitan area to the east. Other major roads include Sheridan Street, Mill Street, Sherman Street, Cherry Hill Road, and Rock Creek Road.
Willamette & Pacific Railroad provides freight rail service to the city, but there is no passenger rail in the city.<ref name=econ/> Sheridan does not have any public use airports, with McMinnville Municipal Airport as the closest public airport.<ref name=econ/> One local private airport is Abba's Airport, but half the airstrip is now part of a solar farm while the other half appears inactive and overgrown. There is public transportation via Yamhill Community Action Partnership with a bus to McMinnville.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Economy
[edit]
The economy of Sheridan includes agriculture, timber, manufacturing, and service sector employment. As of 2000, the Spirit Mountain Casino outside of the city employed the most people in the area with 1,000 employees.<ref name=econ/> The federal prison was the largest employer in the city with 500 employees, followed by Liberty Homes with 100 employees at the manufactured homes builder.<ref name=econ/> The closest hospital is the Willamette Valley Medical Center in McMinnville.<ref name=econ/>
The commercial district is centered on Bridge and Main streets, with their intersection as the location of the only traffic signal in the city.<ref name="rush">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="central"/> There were 12 manufacturing companies in Sheridan, one commercial bank, and one savings and loan as of 2006.<ref name=econ/> Sheridan also has one gas station, two grocery stores, one pharmacy, five restaurants, and two hardware stores among other businesses.<ref name="central">Template:Cite news</ref>
The Delphian School in unincorporated Yamhill County, near Sheridan, houses the offices of Delphi Schools and Heron Books.<ref>"About Delphi Schools, Inc. Template:Webarchive" The Delphian School. Retrieved on December 27, 2010. "Delphian School 20950 SW Rock Creek Road Sheridan, Oregon 97378."</ref><ref>"How to Contact Us Template:Webarchive." Heron Books. Retrieved on December 27, 2010. "Postal Address: Heron Books 20750 SW Rock Creek Road Sheridan, OR 97378 USA</ref>
Government
[edit]City police protection is provided under contract by the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The office maintains a substation at Sheridan's city hall.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Sheridan Fire District provides fire protection to the city and more than Template:Convert of the surrounding area including neighboring Ballston.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The district operates three fire stations, one in the city, and had 35 firefighters as of 1998.<ref name=econ/>
Sheridan is a home rule charter city, with a mayor-council government.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:CitationTemplate:Dead link</ref> Cale George is the mayor, who heads the city council that includes six others, with the mayor voting to break ties.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Council members and the mayor are elected to four-year terms.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A city manager runs the daily operations of the city's government. City hall is located in the building that once served as the city's train depot.<ref name="central"/>
Sheridan operates its own water and wastewater treatment systems, both built in 1949.<ref name=econ/> Drinking water comes from the South Yamhill River and from springs on Stony Mountain to the north.<ref name="rush"/> Sheridan has two city parks, Sheridan City Park that includes a skatepark, and South Park along Oregon Route 18 that features a fishing pond.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Additionally, there is the J. A. Art Hebert Memorial Plaza on Bridge Street near the river.<ref name="central"/>
Demographics
[edit]
2010 census
[edit]As of the census<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2010, there were 6,127 people, 1,543 households, and 1,085 families residing in the city. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 1,671 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the city was 74.9% White, 5.5% African American, 4.8% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 0.7% Pacific Islander, 7.6% from other races, and 4.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.6% of the population.
There were 1,543 households, of which 41.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 29.7% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.22.
The median age in the city was 35.7 years. 20.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 38% were from 25 to 44; 23.8% were from 45 to 64; and 8.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 63.8% male and 36.2% female.
The average household size was 2.92, while the median income for a household in the city was $49,940.<ref name="census 2010"/>
Education
[edit]Primary and secondary schools
[edit]Public schools
[edit]
Sheridan is served by the Sheridan School District, which includes four schools. The Faulconer-Chapman School serves 608 students in grades kindergarten through eighth.<ref name="ode-directory"/> Sheridan High School is the main high school, with students in grades nine through twelve. Known as the Spartans, the Class 3A school has an enrollment of 287.<ref name="ode-directory">Template:Cite web</ref> Opportunity House house is an alternative high school with 49 students in grades ten through twelve, while the Sheridan Japanese School (a charter school) had 88 students in grades four through twelve.<ref name="ode-directory"/> As of 2008, the district had 1,042<ref name="ode-directory"/> students and 69 staff members.<ref name=econ/> But in June 2022, the school shut down permanently due to finance problems and not enough students applying to the school the year after.
Private schools
[edit]The Delphian School, a K-12 Scientology-affiliated private school, is located in unincorporated Yamhill County, near Sheridan.<ref>"Sheridan city, OregonTemplate:Dead link." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on December 27, 2010.</ref><ref>"Contact Us Template:Webarchive." The Delphian School. Retrieved on December 27, 2010. "Delphian School 20950 SW Rock Creek Road Sheridan, Oregon 97378"</ref> The school uses the study methods known as Study Tech that were developed by Church of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Enrollment at the kindergarten through twelfth grade school is 260 students, which includes a majority of students living in dorms on the campus.<ref name="highschools">Template:Cite web</ref>
Colleges and universities
[edit]There are no colleges in Sheridan, but the city is within the Chemeketa Community College district that includes a campus in McMinnville.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Linfield College, also in McMinnville, is the closest four-year college with Western Oregon University in Monmouth, Willamette University in Salem, and George Fox University in Newberg all located in the surrounding areas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Culture
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Built in 1892, Travelers Home on northeast Yamhill was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1982, and is the only building on the NRHP in Sheridan (as of 2011).<ref name="OPRD list">Template:Cite web</ref> The city operates a single branch public library at Bridge and Yamhill streets on the north side of the city.<ref name=econ/> The library is a member of the Chemeketa Cooperative Regional Library Service and is housed in a Template:Convert, one-story building.<ref name="OSLstats">Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref> In 2007, it had a collection of 33,792 items with a circulation of 187,000 among 4,256 registered users.<ref name="OSLstats"/>
The local newspaper is the once per week The Sun, published on Wednesdays.<ref name="sun">Template:Cite web</ref> The paper was founded in 1890 and has a circulation of 1,263.<ref name="sun"/> Broadcast radio and television stations from Portland are also available, as is the regional newspaper The Oregonian, also from Portland.<ref name=econ/>
The city hosts two main annual events, Sheridan Hometown Days and the Mud Drags. Hometown Days takes place over a weekend each June and includes a parade.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Most events are held at the high school and includes carnival type activities and rides.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Mud Drags are held in early June and sponsored by the local Rotary International group.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Competitors race vehicles through the mud to win prize money.<ref name="drags">Template:Cite news</ref> The event draws crowds of 4,000 and includes a children's race through the mud.<ref name="drags"/>
Civic groups include those involved in history, fraternal groups, and commercial promotion. The Sheridan Museum of History is a building-less group with a collection of artifacts and photographs displayed in borrowed space, including at the Yamhill County Historical Society Museum in McMinnville.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Commercial groups include the Sheridan Chamber of Commerce and the West Valley Chamber of Commerce.<ref name="clubs">Template:Cite web</ref> Other civic groups include the Rotary International club, the Kiwanis, a Rebekah Lodge, and the Woman's Study Club of Sheridan.
McMinnville UFO Photographs
[edit]In May 1950, the Sheridan farm of Paul and Evelyn Trent was the scene of the famous UFO sighting which produced the controversial McMinnville UFO photographs, first published in the McMinnville Telephone-Register and later in Life Magazine. Although these pictures have come to be known as "The McMinville UFO Photographs", the Trent farm was actually located in Sheridan, not McMinnville, which is approximately 13 miles to the northeast of Sheridan.
Notable people
[edit]The city is home to several notable people. Barbara Roberts, who served in the state legislature and as Oregon Secretary of State before election as Governor of Oregon grew up in Sheridan and graduated from Sheridan High School.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> High jumper Joni Huntley also graduated from the high school and won a bronze medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Wally Heider, recording engineer and recording studio owner, who recorded musicians from the Big Band era to the Grateful Dead and whose work advanced the state of the art of musical recording, grew up in Sheridan, before attending the University of Oregon.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]External links
[edit]- Template:Commons category-inline
- City of Sheridan
- Listing for Sheridan in the Oregon Blue Book
- Template:Oregon Encyclopedia