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62-623: Rising in a remote area in the mountains of northwestern Yamhill County , the river flows generally east, then southeast, then south past the city of Yamhill . It joins the South Yamhill River about 2 miles (3.2 km) east of McMinnville to form the Yamhill River. The river begins at an elevation of 2,467 feet (752 m) above sea level and falls 2,392 feet (729 m) between source and mouth to an elevation of 75 feet (23 m). It rises northeast of Trask Mountain,

124-552: A 3,412-foot (1,040 m) peak at 45°22′17″N 123°27′23″W  /  45.37139°N 123.45639°W  / 45.37139; -123.45639  ( Trask Mountain ) , in the Northern Oregon Coast Range. The source, at about river mile (RM) 31 or river kilometer (RK) 50, lies near the border between Tillamook County and Yamhill County northwest of the city of Yamhill. Flowing south and then southeast for its first 1 mile (1.6 km),

186-647: A cultural and major commercial hub, as the Oregon Country became the Oregon Territory . The Hudson's Bay Company controlled the fur trade in the valley and the rest of Oregon Country in the 1820s and 1830s from its Columbia District headquarters at Fort Vancouver. Joint US–British occupancy, in effect since the Treaty of 1818 , ended in 1846 with the Oregon Treaty . The Willamette Valley

248-619: A family was $ 61,524. Males had a median income of $ 44,946 versus $ 33,717 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 24,017. About 9.0% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line , including 16.8% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over. In the United States House of Representatives, Yamhill County lies in Oregon's 6th congressional district , which also covers Polk County and portions of Marion, Clackamas, and Washington counties. In

310-506: A true Mediterranean climate it is cooler and moister, with a longer rainy season. The main climatic features are moderate temperatures and frequent cloudiness and rains, except in summer when the northward expansion of the North Pacific High creates generally sunny and warm weather. Winters are consistently wet and cloudy, and often foggy, but quite mild. Although night frosts are common, the temperature almost always rises above

372-539: Is 425 feet (130 m) above sea level and receives 46 inches (1,200 mm) per year. Conversely, at the northern end of the valley, Portland is 50 feet (15 m) above sea level and receives only 36 inches (910 mm) per year. Most rainfall occurs from October to May, and it tends to be heaviest between November and January, when disturbances coming from the Pacific Ocean are at their most intense. Growing seasons are long, averaging 150 to 180 days per year in

434-487: Is about 1 ⁄ 2 mile (1 km) deep in some areas. In the cool moist climate of the Willamette valley, over 170 different crop and livestock items are produced, including grass and legume seeds, tree fruits and nuts, wine grapes, berries, vegetables, nursery, Christmas trees, and field crops such as wheat, oats, mint and hops, hay, livestock and poultry and miscellaneous field crops. The valley produces most of

496-534: Is also known for his work in the 1930s documenting the hundreds of non-native boulders (called erratics ) washed down by the floods, rafted on icebergs and deposited on the valley bottom and in a ring around the lower hills surrounding the Willamette Valley. One of the most prominent of these is the Bellevue Erratic , just off Oregon Route 18 west of McMinnville. It is also believed that

558-932: Is in the Willamette Valley . The earliest known inhabitants of the area were the Yamhill (Yamhelas Indian Tribe, part of the Kalapooian family ) Indians, who have inhabited the area for over 8,000 years. They are one of the tribes incorporated into the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde . In 1857 they were forced to migrate to the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation created in Oregon's Coastal Range two years earlier. The earliest non-native settlers were employees of

620-524: Is land and 2.5 square miles (6.5 km ), or 0.3%, is water. It is the fifth-smallest county in Oregon by area. The tallest mountain in the county is Trask Mountain in the northwest corner of the county. As of the 2000 census , there were 84,992 people, 28,732 households, and 21,376 families living in the county. The population density was 119 people per square mile (46 people/km ). There were 30,270 housing units at an average density of 42 units per square mile (16/km ). The racial makeup of

682-613: The Chemawa Indian School in Salem . Today, the people of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde refer to their removal from the Willamette Valley as a Trail of Tears . After reports of the Lewis and Clark Expedition were published in about 1807, a small and steadily increasing stream of isolated pioneer groups began settling in the valley and improving routes from the east set up by fur traders and mountain men . From

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744-527: The Columbia River Gorge . When floodwaters met log- and ice-jams at Kalama in southwest Washington, the water caused a backup that filled the entire Willamette Valley to a depth of 300 to 400 feet (91 to 122 m) above current sea level. Some geologists suggest that the valley flooded in this manner multiple times during the last ice age . (If floodwaters of that magnitude covered Portland (elevation 20 ft or 6.1 m) in 2010, only

806-680: The Great Flood of 1862 , events in 1899, the Christmas flood of 1964 , and the Willamette Valley flood of 1996 . Part of its floodplain is a National Natural Landmark called the Willamette Floodplain . Historically, the Willamette Valley forests were mostly an oak savanna —tall grasslands with scattered Garry oaks and groves of coast Douglas-fir . The river floodplains contained extensive wetlands, stands of willow, alder, and cottonwood, and gallery forests. This landscape

868-757: The Oregon State Senate , the county is split between the 12th and 13th districts. Within the Oregon House of Representatives , Yamhill County is part of the 23rd, 24th, and 26th districts. Although located west of the Cascades, Yamhill has remained a Republican-leaning county in Presidential elections at the same time as other Western Oregon counties have become solidly to powerfully Democratic. No Democratic presidential candidate has won Yamhill County since Lyndon Johnson 's 1964 landslide, and

930-820: The Willamette Meteorite was rafted by flood and ice to the location near West Linn where it was found in 1902. The valley may be loosely defined as the broad plain of the Willamette, bounded on the west by the Oregon Coast Range and on the east by the Cascade Range. It is bounded on the south by the Calapooya Mountains , which separate the headwaters of the Willamette from the Umpqua River valley about 25 miles (40 km) south of Hidden Valley. Interstate 5 (I-5) runs

992-419: The 1841 Oregon Trail opening, when efforts over many years resulted in widening the fur traders' mule trails into a rough road just capable of carrying the width of a wagon, settlers charged into the region along the new trail and created new settlements centered about Oregon City as the early capital. They built settlements both before and after colonial powers had resolved a dispute among them about owning

1054-454: The 1940s. The smoke is often irritating to residents; in 1988 it caused a 23-car pileup on I-5 . Over the years, several pieces of legislation have limited the amount of burning permitted. With the passage of a bill championed by legislator Paul Holvey in the 2009 session , burning has been banned since the summer of 2010, with the exception of an area of about 15,000 acres (60 km ) with steep terrain and certain species. (At its peak in

1116-463: The 1980s, about 250,000 acres (1,000 km ) were burned each year.) The marionberry , a cross between Chehalem and Olallie blackberries, was bred at Oregon State University as part of a berry-developing partnership with the US Department of Agriculture that dates back to the early 1900s. It is named for Marion County in the Willamette Valley, where most of the field trials took place. When

1178-743: The Indigenous peoples of the Willamette Valley into removal from the valley, cession of all their lands and extinction of aboriginal title in the valley. They were rounded up and taken to the Grande Ronde Reservation , with a few being assigned to the Coast Indian Reservation , today the Siletz Reservation . Boarding schools were set up both on and off reservations, and children were forcibly taken from their parents to live at these schools, such as

1240-469: The Willamette River, are vital to the economy of Oregon, as they continuously deposit highly fertile alluvial soils across its broad, flat plain. A massively productive agricultural area, the valley was widely publicized in the 1820s as a "promised land of flowing milk and honey". Throughout the 19th century, it was the destination of choice for the oxen-drawn wagon trains of emigrants who made

1302-622: The Willamette River. Download coordinates as: Yamhill County, Oregon Yamhill County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon . As of the 2020 census , the population was 107,722. The county seat is McMinnville . Yamhill County was named after the Yamhelas, members of the Kalapuya Tribe. Yamhill County is part of the Portland - Vancouver - Hillsboro , OR- WA Metropolitan Statistical Area . It

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1364-542: The Willamette Valley are suitable for vineyards, however, and the largest concentration of wineries is found west of the Willamette River, on the leeward slopes of the Coast Range, or among the numerous river and stream valleys created by Willamette River tributaries. By far, the largest concentration of wineries is in Yamhill County. Grass farmers have been burning fields , as part of their production, since

1426-586: The Willamette Valley in a cultural sense, despite being mountainous areas. Cities in the valley include, from south to north, Cottage Grove , Eugene and Springfield (the two cities form a single populated area, separated in places only by I-5 and/or the McKenzie River), Corvallis, Albany , Dallas , Salem, Keizer, McMinnville, and Hillsboro . Parts of other counties lie within the valley (from south to north): Douglas , Lane , Linn , Benton , Polk , Marion , Yamhill , and Washington counties. Sometimes

1488-401: The Willamette are home to some of the best (and most expensive) Pinot noir in the world, as well as a high-quality Pinot gris . Although this distinction is not officially recognized, many wine connoisseurs further divide the Willamette Valley into northern and southern regions, the dividing line being the approximate latitude of Salem (approximately 45° north latitude). Not all portions of

1550-407: The age of 18 living with them, 56.0% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 28.0% were non-families, and 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.12. The median age was 36.8 years. The median income for a household in the county was $ 52,485 and the median income for

1612-427: The age of 18 living with them, 60.00% were married couples living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.60% were non-families. 19.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.17. In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.90% under

1674-474: The age of 18, 11.40% from 18 to 24, 28.50% from 25 to 44, 21.40% from 45 to 64, and 11.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.30 males. The median income for a household in the county is $ 44,111, and the median income for a family was $ 50,336. Males had a median income of $ 35,686 versus $ 25,254 for females. The per capita income for

1736-482: The area around Albany and Corvallis and surrounding Benton and Linn counties is referred to locally as the Mid-Valley. Marion, Polk, and other counties are sometimes included in the definition of the Mid-Valley. The climate of the Willamette Valley is a mix of Mediterranean (Köppen Csb ) and oceanic (Köppen Cfb ) influences. The Köppen climate classification system considers it Mediterranean, but compared to

1798-441: The berry was introduced in the 1950s, it was widely hailed as the most delicious blackberry commercial cultivar around. Even today, people rave over its tart-yet-sweet flavor, described as a cross between raspberries and blackberries. (Though there is some raspberry in its DNA, the red fruits are more like a genetic great-great grandparent to the marionberry.) The Willamette Valley is prone to periodic floods. Notable floods include

1860-530: The cool-season forage and turf grass, Christmas trees , and hazelnuts sold in North America. It is also noted for its hops , which are widely used in craft beer and microbreweries throughout the US. In recent decades, the valley has also become a major wine producer, with multiple American Viticultural Areas of its own. With a cooler climate than California , the gently rolling hills surrounding

1922-413: The county is 88.98% White , 1.47% Native American , 1.07% Asian , 0.85% Black or African American , 0.12% Pacific Islander , 5.08% from other races , and 2.42% from two or more races. 10.61% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 19.6% were of German , 11.4% English , 9.5% American and 8.4% Irish ancestry. There were 28,732 households, out of which 37.40% had children under

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1984-554: The county is covered with commercial timber , and the economic mainstay of the western part of the county is logging and timber products. Yamhill County is a significant focus of Oregon's wine industry , having the largest area of any Oregon county planted in vineyards . Six of the state's American Viticultural Areas are wholly or partly in the county: Chehalem Mountains AVA , Dundee Hills AVA , Eola-Amity Hills AVA , McMinnville AVA , Ribbon Ridge AVA , and Yamhill-Carlton District AVA . Over 80 wineries and 200 vineyards represent

2046-603: The county is served by The Delphian School in Sheridan. 45°14′N 123°19′W  /  45.23°N 123.31°W  / 45.23; -123.31 Willamette Valley The Willamette Valley ( / w ɪ ˈ l æ m ɪ t / wil- AM -it ) is a 150-mile (240 km) long valley in Oregon , in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States . The Willamette River flows

2108-497: The county was $ 18,951. About 6.00% of families and 9.20% of the population were below the poverty line , including 10.10% of those under age 18 and 7.50% of those age 65 or over. As of the 2010 census , there were 99,193 people, 34,726 households, and 25,020 families living in the county. The population density was 138.6 inhabitants per square mile (53.5/km ). There were 37,110 housing units at an average density of 51.8 units per square mile (20.0 units/km ). The racial makeup of

2170-406: The county was 85.4% white, 1.5% Asian, 1.5% American Indian, 0.9% black or African American, 0.2% Pacific islander, 7.2% from other races, and 3.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 14.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 23.6% were German , 13.7% were English , 12.2% were Irish , and 5.0% were American . Of the 34,726 households, 35.8% had children under

2232-618: The entire length of the valley and is surrounded by mountains on three sides: the Cascade Range to the east, the Oregon Coast Range to the west, and the Calapooya Mountains to the south. The valley is synonymous with the cultural and political heart of Oregon and is home to approximately 70 percent of its population including the five largest cities in the state: Portland , Eugene , Salem , Gresham , and Hillsboro . The valley's numerous waterways, particularly

2294-538: The form of acorns which are leached, cooked, and eaten. Kalapuya, Chinook, and Molala peoples of the Willamette Valley currently are included among the confederated tribes that make up the Grand Ronde and Siletz Nations. As many as 90% of the Kalapuya may have died as a result of an epidemic of " fever and ague " that hit the area between 1830 and 1833. In the early 1850s, the US government coerced all of

2356-580: The freezing point in the daytime. Snow occurs on occasion, but accumulations are normally light, and in some winters no snow whatsoever falls. Very cold temperatures are atypical; the temperature very rarely falls below 20 °F (−7 °C), and readings of 5 °F (−15 °C) or lower occur only about once every 25 years. Summers are characterized by warm, sunny afternoons with little or no humidity, and cool evenings. Sometimes, heat waves can occur, with temperatures rising above 90 °F (32 °C) and occasionally even reaching 100 °F (38 °C), but

2418-597: The largest concentration of wine growers and producers in any county in the state. Vineyards often specialize in Pinot noir , but other varieties grown include Pinot gris , Pinot blanc , Chardonnay , Riesling , and Gewürztraminer . Yamhill County Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) include Linfield University and Chemeketa Community College McMinnville Campus, along with George Fox University and Portland Community College in Newberg. For private secondary education

2480-467: The last ice age. The floods were caused by the periodic rupturing of the ice dam of Glacial Lake Missoula , the waters of which swept down the Columbia River and flooded the Willamette Valley as far south as Eugene. The floodwaters carried rich volcanic and glacial soil from Eastern Washington , which was deposited across the valley floor when the waters subsided. The soil in the Willamette Valley

2542-519: The left. From Yamhill to the mouth , the North Yamhill River flows generally south and roughly parallel to Oregon Route 47 , which lies to its left. Soon the river reaches Alecs Butte, a 384-foot (117 m) summit at 45°19′13″N 123°11′04″W  /  45.32028°N 123.18444°W  / 45.32028; -123.18444  ( Alecs Butte ) , on the left at about RM 13 (RK 21). About 1 mile (1.6 km) later,

North Yamhill River - Misplaced Pages Continue

2604-551: The length of the valley, linking its major communities Because of differing cultural and political interests, the Portland metropolitan area and Tualatin River valley are sometimes not included in the local use of the term, though both are located within the geographical valley. Additionally, the east slopes of the Coast Ranges and the west slopes of the Cascade Range from Oakridge to Detroit Lake can be considered part of

2666-585: The lowlands to about 110 to 130 days at elevations above 800 feet (240 m). Severe storms of any kind are rare, although snow and ice storms can sometimes occur when surface low pressure systems move south along the coast, inducing offshore flow which advects cold air from the Columbia Basin westward through the Columbia River Gorge, filling the valley to the north of the surface low track. Weather systems sometimes bring high winds to

2728-559: The military and veterans. In addition to the economic surge provided by the Air Show, the Oregon International Air Show involves the community and provides grants for McMinnville. Since 1988 more than $ 3 million has donated back throughout McMinnville (Yamhill County), Hillsboro (Washington County), and throughout Oregon. Express Employment Professionals, Stoller Family Estates, and Xenium are the lead sponsors for

2790-407: The nights usually bring relief. Contemporarily, there have been heat waves in the area that reach higher than 110 °F (43 °C). Precipitation varies considerably across the valley and is closely correlated with elevation. Annual totals range from 36 inches (910 mm) at the lowest elevations to more than 80 inches (2,000 mm) in the foothills. Eugene, at the southern end of the valley,

2852-466: The northern region of the valley. Average cloud cover can exceed 70 percent in winter but drops to less than 15 percent in summer. Tornadoes are rare, but do happen a few times a year with minimal damage. The agricultural richness of the valley is partly due to the Missoula Floods that inundated the valley approximately 40 times between 15,000 and 13,000 years ago at the end of

2914-637: The only other Democrats to carry the county since Oregon's statehood have been Franklin Roosevelt in 1940, 1936 and 1932, along with Woodrow Wilson in 1912 when the Republican vote was divided. Yamhill County is currently one of 11 counties in Oregon in which therapeutic psilocybin is legal. In 2019 the Oregon International Air Show switched to the McMinnville Municipal Airport. The Air Show promotes aviation while honoring

2976-592: The original savanna vegetation remains. The remaining enclaves include a section of Garry oak savanna preserved at Mount Pisgah Arboretum in Eugene. North Pacific Oak Woodland is a major forest alliance, extending through the Willamette Valley and southward to the Klamath Range of Northern California. Many of the soils are well-drained mesic . Human habitation in the Willamette Valley is estimated to have begun between 6,000 and 10,000 years ago. Until recently,

3038-529: The perilous journey along the Oregon Trail . Today, the valley is often considered synonymous with "Oregon Wine Country", as it contains more than 19,000 acres (7,700 ha) of vineyards and 500+ wineries . Much of the Willamette's fertility is derived from a series of massive ice-age floods that came from Lake Missoula in Montana and scoured across Eastern Washington , sweeping its topsoil down

3100-553: The region . So many settlers came that the valley led the way to achieving US statehood less than 16 years after it was claimed by the United States in 1846. A small part of the Willamette Valley ecoregion is in southwestern Washington around the city of Vancouver , which was once the site of an early colonial-era settlement— Fort Vancouver . The Willamette Valley—with its sawmills, lush productive farms, river transport network, and nearby timber and mineral resources—developed as

3162-527: The river receives Perkins Creek from the right . Heading east, it receives Maroney Creek from the right before reaching the Flying M Ranch and Flying M Airport at about RM 26 (RK 42), where it receives Hanna Creek from the left and Petch Creek from the right. Continuing east, the stream receives Fairchild Creek from the left, Haskins Creek from the right, and Cedar Creek from the left before reaching Pike at RM 20 (RK 32). Shortly thereafter,

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3224-436: The river turns southeast, and Turner Creek enters from the left. About 1 mile (1.6 km) below Pike, the valley widens, and the river begins to meander and to turn more sharply south, receiving Hutchcroft Creek from the right and Salt Creek from the left near RM 16 (RK 26). Turning southeast again, the river flows by the city of Yamhill, which lies to its left, and receives Rowland Creek and Yamhill Creek, both from

3286-480: The stream enters Carlton Lake Wildlife Refuge and flows through it, reaching the city of Carlton , on the left at RM 10 (RK 16). Slightly downstream of RM 4.0 (RK 6.4), Panther Creek enters from the right. The river passes under Oregon Route 99W at about RM 1.0 (RK 1.6) before joining the South Yamhill River to form the Yamhill River, an 11-mile (18 km) tributary of

3348-463: The top of 3,154-foot (961 m) high Mount Hebo , Air Force radars operated by the 689th Radar Squadron and the 14th Missile Warning Squadron were essential parts of the nation's integrated air defenses. The large radomes protecting the radars from adverse weather effects could be seen silhouetted against the sky from many parts of Yamhill County. In 1900 the Yamhill River lock and dam

3410-582: The tops of the West Hills , Mount Tabor , Rocky Butte , Kelley Butte and Mount Scott would be visible, as would only some of the city's tallest skyscrapers.) Elevations for other cities in the valley are Newberg at 175 ft (53 m), Oregon City at 138 ft (42 m), McMinnville at 157 ft (48 m), Salem at 154 ft (47 m), Corvallis at 235 ft (72 m), and Eugene at 430 ft (130 m). The lake gradually drained away, leaving layered sedimentary soils on

3472-761: The upcoming 2020 Air Show. The major industries of the county are agriculture, forest products, manufacturing, and education. Yamhill County's economy is supported largely by its many unionized facilities such as Cascade Steel in McMinnville and Decommissioned White Birch Paper now owned by WestRock in Newberg. It boasts a thriving wine industry and was the home of Evergreen Aviation. Yamhill County ranks seventh out of Oregon's thirty-six counties in annual market value of its agricultural production. This agricultural production includes wheat , barley , horticulture , and dairy farming , with 13,201 acres or 53.42 square kilometres in 1997 planted in orchards . One-third of

3534-572: The valley floor to a height of about 180 to 200 ft (55 to 61 m) above current sea level throughout the Tualatin , Yamhill , and Willamette valleys. Geologists have come to refer to the resulting lake as Lake Allison , named for Oregon State University geologist Ira S. Allison , who first described Willamette Silt soil in 1953 and noted its similarity to soils on the floor of former Lake Lewis in Eastern Washington. Allison

3596-571: The valley was largely inhabited by bands of the Kalapuya tribe of Native Americans . Molala and Chinook peoples also have inhabited portions of the Willamette Valley since time immemorial. Sixteen thousand Kalapuyans are estimated to have populated the valley as recently as the early 19th century. Salmon, deer, and camas bulbs have provided primary food sources for the valley's first residents who used fire to encourage persistence of oak savanna . Oak trees have supplied another staple in

3658-523: The various fur companies operating in Oregon Country , who started settling there around 1814. But it was the establishment of the Oregon Trail that led to significant migration to the area. Yamhill District (later county) was created on July 5, 1843, five years before the Oregon Territory was established. It was one of the original four districts created by Oregon's first Provisional Legislature , along with Twality (later Washington ), Clackamas , and Champooick (later Marion ) counties. The district

3720-488: Was completed about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) downriver from Lafayette, Oregon . The lock was decommissioned in 1954. The dam was demolished in 1963 to allow better passage for salmon on the river. The site of the lock and dam is now a county park. According to the United States Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 718 square miles (1,860 km ), of which 716 square miles (1,850 km )

3782-475: Was maintained by the Native American inhabitants of the valley who set frequent fires that encouraged the open grasslands and killed young trees. The American settlers of the region, since the 19th century, suppressed fires and converted much of the valley to agriculture, which has caused much of the former grassland and savanna to revert to closed-canopy forest. Less than one-tenth of one percent of

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3844-487: Was originally spread over 12,000 square miles (31,000 km ), an area that was broken up into twelve present-day counties. Lafayette , the principal trading center of the western Willamette Valley in early Oregon history, was made the county seat in 1847. The county government was later (1889) moved to McMinnville where it remains today. The Mount Hebo Air Force Station was a Cold War air defense installation from 1956 to 1980. Located next to Tillamook County, at

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