Milwaukie is a city mostly in

Clackamas County Clackamas County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the population was 421,401, making it Oregon's third-most populous county. Its county seat is Oregon City. The county was named after the Native ...

Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...

, United States; a very small portion of the city extends into

Multnomah County Multnomah County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 815,428. Multnomah County is part of the Portland–Vancouver– Hillsboro, OR–WA Metropolitan Statistical Area. Th ...

. The population was 20,291 at the 2010 census. Founded in 1847 on the banks of the

Willamette River The Willamette River ( ) is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States. Flowing northward b ...

, the city, known as the

Dogwood ''Cornus'' is a genus of about 30–60 species of woody plants in the family Cornaceae, commonly known as dogwoods, which can generally be distinguished by their blossoms, berries, and distinctive bark. Most are deciduous trees or shru ...

City of the West, was incorporated in 1903 and is the birthplace of the

Bing cherry Bing is a cultivar of the wild or sweet cherry (''Prunus avium'') that originated in the Pacific Northwest, in Milwaukie, Oregon, United States. The Bing remains a major cultivar in Oregon,Zebian, Maureen. (8/11/2011) "'Bing' Those Cherries On!" ...

. The city is now a suburb of

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

and also adjoins the unincorporated areas of Clackamas and Oak Grove.

History

Milwaukie was settled in 1847 and formally platted in 1849 as a rival to the upriver Oregon City by Lot Whitcomb, who named it for

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at th ...

. At the time, the Wisconsin city was also frequently spelled "Milwaukie" before the current spelling was adopted. Some accounts also state that the Oregon city used an alternate spelling to prevent confusion at the post office. Whitcomb arrived in Oregon in 1848 and settled on a

donation land claim The Donation Land Claim Act of 1850, sometimes known as the Donation Land Act, was a statute enacted by the United States Congress in late 1850, intended to promote homestead settlements in the Oregon Territory. It followed the Distribution-Preem ...

, where he built a

sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes (dimensi ...

and a

gristmill A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that has been separat ...

. Milwaukie rivaled Portland and Oregon City for a time, but Portland eventually became the bigger city because it had a deeper

port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as H ...

. The first post office at Milwaukie was established in 1850, with Whitcomb as the first postmaster. The community was incorporated by the Oregon Legislative Assembly on February 4, 1903, originally as the Town of Milwaukie. The

Oregon and California Railroad The Oregon and California Railroad was formed from the Oregon Central Railroad when it was the first to operate a stretch south of Portland in 1869. This qualified the railroad for land grants in California, whereupon the name of the railroad s ...

named their station there Milwaukee in 1870 and corrected it to Milwaukie in 1892. As the city center grew further from the railroad and a branch line was built across the Willamette to Oswego, Milwaukie station was replaced and renamed Lambert for Joseph H. Lambert, a pioneer orchardist who developed the

Lambert cherry Joseph Hamilton Lambert (December 1, 1825 – November 12, 1909), was an American pioneer of Oregon and an orchardist who developed the Lambert cherry. A native of Indiana, he also served as a county commissioner in Multnomah and Clackamas coun ...

. The name of the station was changed to East Milwaukee in 1913 and corrected to East Milwaukie in 1916. The

, among other varieties, was developed in Milwaukie by Ah Bing, an orchard foreman employed by

Seth Lewelling Seth Lewelling (1820 – February 21, 1896), alternatively spelled Luelling (including by Lewelling himself), was a pioneer orchardist from the U.S. state of Oregon, best known for developing the Bing cherry. Born in 1820 in North Carolina as ...

. A mural in the city commemorates Mr. Bing's accomplishment.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Parks include Dogwood Park, Elk Rock Island, Kronberg Park, Milwaukie Riverfront Park, and Spring Park.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2010, there were 20,291 people, 8,667 households, and 5,075 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was . There were 9,138 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 88.5%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 1.3%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 1.3% Native American, 2.5%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.3%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 2.5% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 3.6% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 7.0% of the population. There were 8,667 households, of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no spouse present, 5.2% had a male householder with no spouse present, and 41.4% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age in the city was 39.9 years. 20.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.8% were from 25 to 44; 29.2% were from 45 to 64; and 13.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.6% male and 51.4% female. LDSMeetinghouse

Economy

Currently, the downtown area of Milwaukie is undergoing a revival in which new apartments and retail space are under construction and a riverfront park is being developed. Lewelling2

Milwaukie is the home of

Dark Horse Comics Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, and manga publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, Oregon comic book shops know ...

. Dark Horse is known for publishing works including ''

Sin City ''Sin City'' is a series of neo-noir comics by American comic book writer-artist Frank Miller. The first story originally appeared in ''Dark Horse Presents Fifth Anniversary Special'' (April 1991), and continued in ''Dark Horse Presents'' #51� ...

'', the character

Hellboy Hellboy is a fictional superhero created by writer-artist Mike Mignola. The character first appeared in ''San Diego Comic-Con Comics'' #2 (August 1993), and has since appeared in various eponymous miniseries, one-shots and intercompany crossover ...

, and the original

graphic novel A graphic novel is a long-form, fictional work of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comic scholars and industry ...

series ''

300 __NOTOC__ Year 300 ( CCC) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Constantius and Valerius (or, less frequently, year 1053 ''Ab ...

'', as well for producing dozens of films and television series, including '' The Mask'' and ''

Timecop ''Timecop'' is a 1994 American science fiction action film directed by Peter Hyams and co-written by Mike Richardson and Mark Verheiden. Richardson also served as executive producer. The film is based on '' Timecop'', a story created by Richar ...

'', based on characters created by Dark Horse founder Mike Richardson. The total office space of Dark Horse Comics occupies three city blocks in downtown Milwaukie, sporting numerous display windows visible to transit riders.

Bob's Red Mill Bob's Red Mill is an American brand of whole-grain foods marketed by employee-owned American company Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods of Milwaukie, Oregon. The company was established in 1978 by Bob and Charlee Moore. Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods i ...

is located here and employs a few hundred people.

Housing

In 2015–2016, Milwaukie saw a boom in real estate. It was named the ninth hottest real estate market in 2016 by realtor.com. A big draw to the city was noticed right after the Orange Line from TriMet finished in 2015. A $1.4 billion project connecting the close-in suburb right to the heart of downtown Portland. A year into the new Orange Line, pricing for homes raised up 12.2% and city officials said there are zero vacancies for retail storefronts in Milwaukie's downtown area. In addition to the new Orange Line, Milwaukie finished a $2.2 million project to the city's waterfront park. The city had a grand opening on May 1, 2015.

Top employers

According to Milwaukie's 2012 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Education

Milwaukie is served by the

North Clackamas School District North Clackamas School District (NC12) serves more than 40 square miles and is located 7 miles from downtown Portland. Included are the incorporated cities of Milwaukie, Happy Valley, and Johnson City, parts of Damascus, and the neighborhoods ...

and most children attend one of ten public elementary schools, Alder Creek Middle School or Wilbur Rowe Middle School, depending on area of residence,

Rex Putnam High School Rex Putnam High School (often Putnam High School) is a public high school in Milwaukie, Oregon, United States. History The school was named after former Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Rex Putnam. Rex Putnam has been an Internatio ...

Milwaukie High School Milwaukie High School is a public high school located in Milwaukie, Oregon, United States. It is one of seven high schools within the North Clackamas School District. The school's mascot is the mustang, and its colors are maroon and gold. Histo ...

for regular high school education, and New Urban High School for alternative education. Since 1996, Milwaukie High School has annually hosted the nationally recognized Living History Day. On this day thousands of veterans are welcomed into the school to help educate students about the past. There is also a private

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

high school, La Salle High School, named after St. Jean-Baptiste de la Salle, and the Portland Waldorf School, a private Waldorf school, which serves grades K–12. The city is home to the Ledding Library, a public library that is part of the

Library Information Network of Clackamas County Libraries in Clackamas County (LINCC) is a consortium of the public libraries of Clackamas County, Oregon. It was established in 1977 when the first county-wide funding levy was approved by county voters. LINCC is a resource and revenue sharing ...

. The city has one college campus,

Clackamas Community College Clackamas Community College (CCC) is a public community college in Oregon City, Oregon. Founded in 1966, it is one of the largest community colleges in the state of Oregon. Clackamas Community College offers courses at three campuses: the centr ...

Harmony.

Transportation

Public transit

Current

Milwaukie is within the

TriMet TriMet, formally known as the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, is a public agency that operates mass transit in a region that spans most of the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon. Created in 1969 ...

transit district and is served by several TriMet bus lines. TriMet established a

transit center A transport hub is a place where passengers and cargo are exchanged between vehicles and/or between transport modes. Public transport hubs include railway stations, rapid transit stations, bus stops, tram stops, airports and ferry slips. F ...

in downtown Milwaukie in 1981, served by as many as 12 routes (as of 2000), using on-street stops around the intersection of Jackson Street and 21st Avenue, next to Milwaukie City Hall. Since 2010, the bus stops that previously comprised Milwaukie TC are no longer designated as a "transit center" by TriMet. In fall 2015, the focal point for rider transfers between routes shifted southward from the former transit-center location, with the opening of a new light rail station at the south end of downtown. TriMet's

MAX Light Rail The Metropolitan Area Express (MAX) is a light rail system serving the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon. Owned and operated by TriMet, it consists of five color-designated lines that altogether connect the six sectio ...

service was extended to Milwaukie on September 12, 2015. Construction of the

MAX Orange Line The MAX Orange Line is a light rail service in Portland, Oregon, United States, operated by TriMet as part of the MAX Light Rail system. It connects Portland City Center, Portland State University (PSU), Southeast Portland, Milwaukie, and ...

, a light-rail connection between Portland and Milwaukie, began in 2011. Although this project had been planned for many years, it faced strong opposition by opponents of "Portland Creep"; in September 2012, opponents succeeded in passing a ballot initiative requiring that all

spending on light rail be directly approved by the voters. The line was sufficiently complete by May 15, 2015, for 500 passengers to make an initial special run along its whole length. Regular passenger service began four months later.

Past

Streetcar A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport a ...

s began serving Milwaukie in August 1892, when the East Side Railway Company extended its service beyond the then-town of Sellwood. The company built a carbarn and workshop in downtown Milwaukie, on Jackson Street at River Road (now McLoughlin Blvd. at that location), which opened in December 1892. The following year, the company extended its line to Oregon City, and

interurban The Interurban (or radial railway in Europe and Canada) is a type of electric railway, with streetcar-like electric self-propelled rail cars which run within and between cities or towns. They were very prevalent in North America between 1900 ...

service between Portland and Oregon City via Milwaukie began operating. During the several decades after 1900, a succession of other private companies, including the

Portland Railway, Light and Power Company The Portland Railway, Light and Power Company (PRL&P) was a railway company and electric power utility in Portland, Oregon, United States, from 1906 until 1924.Thompson, Richard M. (2006). ''Portland's Streetcars'', pp. 57 and 99. Arcadia Publis ...

, operated the streetcar and interurban service to and through the town. All interurban service was discontinued in January 1958. At the time, the Portland–Milwaukie–Oregon City and Portland–Sellwood–Bellrose lines had been the last streetcar or interurban service operating in the Portland metropolitan area, and not until 1986 did interurban service return—in the form of MAX ( light rail) between Portland and Gresham. Oregon Motor Stages, Inc., had provided some bus service through Milwaukie until 1954, when it abruptly ceased all operation."Oswego Fete Due Bus Line: Regular Service Set Next Monday". (February 3, 1955). ''The Oregonian'', p. 8. Replacement transit-bus service was introduced in 1955 by Intercity Buses, Inc.,"Bus Service To Start Soon" egarding Intercity Buses (January 20, 1955). ''The Oregonian'', p. 9. a member of a consortium of four bus companies collectively known as the "Blue Bus" lines, and Intercity expanded its service after the 1958 abandonment of the rail service."Runs Started by Intercity". (April 7, 1959). ''The Oregonian'', p. 11. TriMet, a new government-owned public transit authority, was established in 1969, and in September 1970 it took over all of the "Blue Bus" companies."Tri-Met Takes Over Operation Of Blue Buses, Finds Rolling Stock In Bad Condition". (September 9, 1970). ''

The Oregonian ''The Oregonian'' is a daily newspaper based in Portland, Oregon, United States, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 18 ...

'', p. 9.Ruble, Web (February 25, 1973). "Transit was created because it had to be". ''The Sunday Oregonian'', p. F1. TriMet has been the primary provider of transit service in Milwaukie since that time.

Former Amtrak service

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada ...

passenger trains pass through Milwaukie without stopping. However, for a brief period in the early 1980s an experimental Amtrak service named the '' Willamette Valley Express'' made a regular stop in Milwaukie, just east of the intersection of Harrison Street and Highway 224 (a location Amtrak referred to as East Milwaukie). The service, which ran twice a day in each direction and connected Portland with Eugene, was introduced on a trial basis in August 1980 and discontinued at the end of 1981.

Government

Federal and state government

In the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

, Milwaukie is in

Oregon's 5th congressional district Oregon's 5th congressional district represents Oregon's central coast through Salem, north to the southern Portland suburbs – including a sliver of Portland itself – and east to the summit of Mount Hood. It includes Lincoln, Mari ...

represented by

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

Kurt Schrader Walter Kurt Schrader (born October 19, 1951) is an American politician and veterinarian serving as the U.S. representative for since 2009. His district covered most of Oregon's central coast, plus Salem, and many of Portland's southern suburb ...

. In the Oregon Legislative Assembly, Milwaukie is in the 21st Senate district, represented by

Kathleen Taylor, and in 41st House district, represented by

Karin Power.

City government

The Mayor and City Council are elected at-large for four-year terms.

List of mayors

Current mayor Mark Gamba took office on May 19, 2015, previously serving on the Milwaukie City Council.

Notable people

* Bella Bixby, NWSL goalkeeper for

Portland Thorns FC The Portland Thorns FC is an American professional women's soccer team based in Portland, Oregon. Established in 2012, the team began play in 2013 in the then-eight-team National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), which receives support from the Uni ...

Mike Bliss Michael Duane Bliss (born April 5, 1965) is an American professional stock car racing driver. A journeyman NASCAR competitor and the 2002 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, he has run in all three national series. Racing career Bliss began ...

, NASCAR driver *

Scott Brosius Scott David Brosius (born August 15, 1966) is an American former Major League Baseball third baseman for the Oakland Athletics (–) and the New York Yankees (–). Early life Brosius grew up in Milwaukie, Oregon, where he attended Rex P ...

, Major League Baseball third baseman for Oakland Athletics and

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...

1998 World Series The 1998 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1998 season. The 94th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (AL) champion New York Yankees and the National Le ...

MVP *

Cazzey Louis Cereghino Cazzey Louis Cereghino is an American actor, novelist, stuntman, and singer-songwriter. Besides being recognized as one of the "What's in Your Wallet?" Capital One Vikings, he has also appeared in more Super Bowl commercials for more different ...

, actor, singer, and writer *

Peter Cookson Peter Cookson (May 8, 1913 – January 6, 1990) was an American stage and film actor of the 1940s and 1950s. He was known for his collaborations with his wife, Beatrice Straight, an actress and member of the Whitney family. Early life Cookso ...

, film, stage and television actor *

Dave Husted David Husted (born April 12, 1960), of Milwaukie, Oregon, is a retired professional ten-pin bowler and member of the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA). He was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1996, and became a member of the USBC Hall of ...

, professional ten-pin bowler; three-time winner of PBA U.S. Open * Keynan Middleton, Major League pitcher for the

Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion team ...

* Karin Power, State Representative * Kenneth L. Reusser, Marine Corps aviator * Mike Richardson, publisher, Emmy Award-winning producer and founder of Dark Horse Comics *

Chael Sonnen Chael Patrick Sonnen (; born April 3, 1977) is an American submission grappling promoter, mixed martial arts (MMA) analyst, and retired mixed martial artist. Beginning his MMA career in 1997, Sonnen competed for the Ultimate Fighting Champion ...

, MMA fighter * Dorothy Hester Stenzel, aviator and stunt pilot *

Monroe Sweetland Monroe Mark Sweetland (January 20, 1910 – September 10, 2006) was an American politician in the state of Oregon. A native of the state, he served in both houses of the Oregon Legislative Assembly starting in 1953 for a total of ten years. A De ...

, politician * Jason Tanamor, author *

Carolyn Tomei Carolyn Tomei (born 1936) is a Democratic politician from the US state of Oregon. She served in the Oregon House of Representatives for District 41, representing Milwaukie and parts of Southeast Portland, including Sellwood and Eastmoreland ...

, former State Representative *

William S. U'Ren William Simon U'Ren (January 10, 1859 – March 8, 1949) was an American lawyer and political activist. U'Ren promoted and helped pass a corrupt practices act, the presidential primary, and direct election of U.S. senators. As a progressive, U'Re ...

, political activist

References

External links

City of Milwaukie
(official website) {{Authority control 1847 establishments in Oregon Country Cities in Clackamas County, Oregon Cities in Multnomah County, Oregon Cities in Oregon Populated places established in 1847 Populated places on the Willamette River Portland metropolitan area