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Hillsboro is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Oregon, United States.3 The community was founded in 1842 and was named Hillsborough in 1850; in 1876 the city was incorporated as Hillsboro. Located in the Tualatin Valley, the city is home to a number of technology companies such as microprocessor chip manufacturers and related suppliers, giving rise to the term Silicon Forest, which includes other high-tech employers in the region. Hillsboro is governed by a council-manager government consisting of a city manager and a city council headed by a mayor. Transportation modes in the city include the Tualatin Valley Highway, the Sunset Highway, and the Hillsboro Airport, with public transportation available through TriMet, including MAX Light Rail. The city has four high schools and four middle schools, and is also home to Pacific University’s Health Professions Campus. Hillsboro's population was 70,186 as of the 2000 census. As of 2007, the estimated population is 88,300,4 making it the most populated city in the county and fifth most populated in the state. Additionally, there is a daytime population, due to commuting, of 110,000.5 The population is approximately 78% White, with those of Hispanic heritage as the largest minority group, comprising approximately 19% of the total population as of the 2000 census. Median household income was $51,737.
HistoryThe community was founded by David Hill, Isaiah Kelsey, and Richard Williams, who arrived in the Tualatin Valley in 1841, followed by six more pioneers in 1842.6 The locality went by two other names—East Tualatin Plains and Columbia—before it was named "Hillsborough" in February 1850 in honor of Hill, when he sold part of his land claim to the county.7 On February 5, 1850, the community was chosen as the seat of the county government, as designated by commissioners chosen by the territorial legislature.7 Hill was to be paid $200 for his land after plots had been sold for the town site,7 but he died before this occurred, so his widow Lucinda received the funds.8 The spelling of town's name was later simplified to Hillsboro. A log cabin was built in 1853 to serve as the community’s first school, with classes first held in October 1854.9 Riverboats provided transportation to Hillsboro as early as 1867 when the side-wheel steamer Yamhill worked on the Tualatin River.6
Shute Park Sculpture
In 1871, the Oregon and California Railroad line was extended to the area, but it ran just south of town because of a dispute over the city not giving the railroad land in exchange for the rail connection.6 Hillsboro was incorporated in 1876.10 The first mayor was A. Luelling, who took office on December 8, 1876 and served a one-year term.11 Notable later mayors included Congressman Thomas H. Tongue (1882 & 1886) and state senator William D. Hare (1885).11 On September 30, 1908, the Oregon Electric Railway connected the city to Portland with an interurban electric rail line.6 In 1923, the city altered its charter and adopted a council-manager form of city government, with a six-person city council and a part-time mayor who determined major policies, while day-to-day city operations were run by the city manager.12 In 1852, a brick building was constructed to house the county government, followed by a brick courthouse in 1873.13 In 1891, the courthouse was remodeled and a clock tower was added.14 The building was expanded with an annex in 1912. In 1928, a new courthouse was built to replace the brick structure. The last major remodel of the 1928 structure was in 1972, when the Justice Services Building was built and incorporated into the existing building.13 The city’s first fire department was a hook and ladder company organized in 1880 by the board of trustees (now city council).15 Hillsboro built its first sewer system in 1911, but sewage treatment was not added until 1936.16 In 1913, the city built its own water system.17 The first library was opened in December 1914 when the Carnegie City Library was dedicated.18 From 1921 to 1952, the world’s second tallest radio tower was located on the south side of the city.19 In 1952, the wireless telegraph tower was demolished. In 1972, the Hillsboro City Council passed an ordinance that banned door-to-door solicitation, but it was ruled unconstitutional by the Oregon Supreme Court in a 1988 decision.20 The court determined that the city ordinance was overly broad, in a case that was seen as a test case for many similar laws in the state.20 In 1980, Intel began construction of its first facility in Hillsboro.21 The Jones Farm campus adjacent to the airport was followed by the Hawthorne Farm campus, and finally by the Ronler Acres campus in 1994.21 TriMet opened a MAX Light Rail line into the city in 1998. A new city hall was completed in 2005. Registered Historic PlacesProperties listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in and around Hillsboro include the Old Scotch Church, completed in 1876 and located north of the city.22 Near the Orenco neighborhood is Imbrie Farm, which includes a house built in 1866 and the Frank Imbrie Barn, both of which were converted by McMenamins for use as a brewpub.2223 Built in 1935, the Harold Wass Ray House is near Intel’s Hawthorne Farm campus.22 Historic properties located in downtown include the Zula Linklater House (completed 1923), Rice-Gates House (1890), Edward Schulmerich House (circa 1915), and Charles Shorey House (circa 1908).22 The Richard and Helen Rice House is located adjacent to the Sunset Highway on the north side of the city.22 The Old Washington County Jail previously was located at the Washington County Fairgrounds,22 but was restored and moved to the Washington County Museum in 2004.24 In 2007, the Manning-Kamna Farm was added to the NRHP and includes ten buildings, dating to as early as 1883.25 GeographyHillsboro is located at Coordinates: .26 The United States Census Bureau reports the city has a total area of 21.6 square miles (55.9 km²), all of which is land. As of 2007, Hillsboro itself reports an area of 23.1 square miles (14,784 acres or 59.829 km²).27 The city is located in the Tualatin Valley, and the Tualatin River forms part of the southern city limits. The city's geography is fairly level, consistent with an agricultural past and the farms still in operation.2829 Hillsboro is about 17 miles (27 km) west of Portland, and immediately west of Beaverton, at an elevation of 196 feet (60 m) above sea level.27 In addition to the Tualatin River, other streams include Dairy Creek, McKay Creek, Rock Creek, Dawson Creek, and Turner Creek. The city is divided into eight planning areas, each of which contains several neighborhoods.30 In the northeast corner of Hillsboro is the East planning area which contains the Tanasbourne neighborhood and the section with Oregon Health & Science University’s West Campus.30 West of the East area, in the north-central area, is the Northeast planning area, which includes the Orenco, Orenco Station, Airport, and West Union neighborhoods.30 Further west is the Northwest area, which has the Jackson School, Sunrise, and Glencoe neighborhoods.30 On the western edge of Hillsboro is the West area, consisting of the Dennis, Garibaldi, and Connell neighborhoods.30 The Central planning area, in the central core of the city, includes the Downtown, Jackson Bottom, Henry, and Eastwood neighborhoods.30 Blocks in the downtown core are 400 feet (120 m) long on each side.31 South of Central is the South planning area, including the Minter Bridge, Rood Bridge, and River Road neighborhoods.30 East of the South area is the Southeast area, with the Reedville and Witch Hazel neighborhoods.30 Lastly, in the center of the city, is the Brookwood planning area which contains the Cedar, Bentley, and Brogden neighborhoods.30 Landmarks in Hillsboro include the Washington County Courthouse, the seat of county government. Along the western edge of the city is Hillsboro Pioneer Cemetery, established in 1870 and the final resting place of city pioneers and politicians. Next to the airport is the Washington County Fair Complex, home to the annual county fair.32 Located at Shute Park is the wood sculpture "Chief Kno-Tah", donated to Hillsboro in the 1980s as part of Peter Wolf Toth’s Trail of the Whispering Giants.3334 Neighboring Communities: ClimateSummers in Hillsboro are generally warm, but temperatures year-round are moderated by a marine influence from the Pacific Ocean.35 The Willamette Valley in which Hillsboro lies receives the majority of its precipitation during the winter months, with the wettest period from November through March.35 Hillsboro receives 161 days of precipitation per year.36 The average yearly precipitation between 1930 and 1998 was 38 inches (970 mm).37 August is the hottest month with the average high temperature registering 80.2 °F (26.8 °C), while January is the coolest month at 45.3 °F (7.4 °C).35 The average high temperature for the year is a high of 62.4 °F (16.9 °C). The coolest average low temperature is in January with a reading of 32.5 °F (0.3 °C). July has the warmest average low temperature at 51.8 °F (11.0 °C), with the average low temperature overall at 41.3 °F (5.2 °C).35 EconomyManufacturing is the leading employment sector in Hillsboro, employing 24% of the workforce, followed by health care, education, and social services with a total of 15% of the city’s workforce.27 Retail employment constitutes 12%, construction makes up 7%, and 13% of workers are employed in the administrative, scientific, professional, or waste management industries.27 Sixty-eight percent of workers commute alone to the workplace, with eight percent using public transportation.27 The average commute time one-way is about 24 minutes.27 Many technology companies operate in Hillsboro, making it the center of Oregon's Silicon Forest. In particular, Intel's largest site is in Hillsboro, and includes three large campuses: Ronler Acres, Jones Farm, and Hawthorn Farm, along with several smaller campuses that employ approximately 16,000 workers.38 Sun Microsystems High-End Operations is headquartered in the city. Other high-tech companies with facilities in Hillsboro include Yahoo!,39 FEI Company,40 Credence Systems, Synopsys, Epson,41 and TriQuint Semiconductor.38 Hillsboro is the corporate headquarters for Lattice Semiconductor, RadiSys and Planar Systems.42 In March 2006, Genentech announced plans to locate a packaging and distribution facility on 100 acres (0.40 km2) in Hillsboro.43 The city is also a landing point on three fiber optic cable systems linking the United States across the Pacific Ocean: C2C, Southern Cross Cable, and VSNL Transpacific. Fujitsu and NEC formerly had factories in Hillsboro.44 Additionally, Hillsboro is the corporate headquarters for Rodgers Instruments, Soloflex, Pizza Schmizza, and Parr Lumber. The Hatfield Government Center in Hillsboro is the western terminus of the MAX Blue Line, part of the Portland metropolitan area's light-rail system. The presence of MAX prompted the development of the pedestrian-oriented community of Orenco Station within Hillsboro. (See also: Orenco, Oregon.) Orenco Station was called the Best Planned Community of 1999 by the National Association of Home Builders.45 It was also named "Best new burb" by Sunset magazine in 2006.46 Hillsboro’s primary commercial cores are concentrated along Tualatin Valley Highway and Cornell Road. Additionally, the Tanasbourne neighborhood is a regional shopping area on the eastern edge of the city.47 The neighborhood is home to the lifestyle shopping center The Streets of Tanasbourne.48 The $55 million outdoor complex with 368,000 square feet (34,200 m2) of retail space opened in 2004 with Meier & Frank (now Macy’s) as the anchor tenant.4847 The area around the city has approximately six wineries.36 Oak Knoll Winery, established in 1970, is the oldest and largest winery in Washington County.4950 Helvetia Winery & Vineyards to the north of Hillsboro started in the 1980s.36 Wineries to the south include Gypsy Dancer Estates Winery and Raptor Ridge.51 Wines produced include pinot noir, pinot gris, and chardonnay.52 Health careHospital service within the city is provided by the Tuality Community Hospital in downtown.27 Opened in 1918, the 167-bed facility is operated by Tuality Healthcare. Other significant medical facilities include Kaiser Permanente’s Sunset Medical Office and Providence Health & Services' immediate care center, both in the Tanasbourne neighborhood. Kaiser Permanente received approval in 2007 to build a 138-bed hospital at the site of their existing medical office in Tanasbourne.53 DemographicsThe population of Hillsboro was 402 in 1880, 980 in 1900 and 2,016 in 1910. According to the 1910 census, Hillsboro was the most populated city in the county. In the 1920 census, the city had grown to 2,468. The population was 3,039 in 1930, 3,747 in 1940, 5,142 in 1950, and 8,232 in 1960. In 1970, Hillsboro's population nearly doubled to 15,365, but slipped to second-largest in the county behind Beaverton.19 The city grew to 27,664 people at the 1980 census and to 37,598 in the 1990 census.54 As of the census1 of 2000, there were 70,187 people, 25,079 households, and 17,078 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,253.8 per square mile (1,256.3/km²). There were 27,211 housing units at an average density of 1,261.5/sq mi (487.1/km²). As of 2007, there were 17,126 houses lived in by their owners, with an average home price in the city of $246,900.27 The racial makeup of the city was 77.50% White, 6.53% Asian, 1.22% African American, 0.82% Native American, 0.25% Pacific Islander, 10.38% from other races, and 3.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.90% of the population. This compares to the state's overall racial makeup of 93.45% White, 2.17% African American, 3.75% Asian, and 7.63% Hispanic.55 There were 25,079 households out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.28. In the city the population was spread out with 28.3% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 37.0% from 25 to 44, 17.0% from 45 to 64, and 6.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 105.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $51,737, and the median income for a family was $57,379. Males had a median income of $41,046 versus $30,172 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,680. About 6.0% of families and 9.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.9% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over. As of 2007, 28% of people 25 and older hold at least a bachelor’s degree, with an additional 11% holding an associate's degree. Those with less than a high school diploma made up 15% of the population, and 22% of residents had more than a high school diploma but less than a college degree.27 CrimeFor the year 2006, the city had 192 violent crimes reported to law enforcement, and 2,752 reports of property crimes.56 The violent crime rate was 223.5 per 100,000 people compared to a national average of 473.557 and 287 for Oregon.58 Property crime nationally is 3,334.557 per 100,000 compared to 3,203 in Hillsboro, and 4,402.4 for the state.58 Violent offenses include forcible rape, robbery, murder, non-negligent manslaughter, and aggravated assault. Property crimes include arson, motor vehicle theft, larceny, and burglary.56 GovernmentHillsboro operates under a council-manager form of city government. Voters elect six at-large councilors and a mayor, who each serve four-year terms, subject to a charter-imposed limitation of two consecutive terms.59 The mayor and council appoint a city manager to conduct the ordinary business of the city. Policy decisions are the responsibility of the council and mayor. Administrative functions are carried out by the manager and manager-appointed staff.60 Government functions are centered at the Hillsboro Civic Center, which houses the office of the city manager and is the location of the twice-monthly city council meetings.59 As of February 2008, the mayor is Tom Hughes with Ed Dennis, Aron Carlson, Doug Johnson, Nenice Andrews, Olga Acuña, and Cynthia O'Donnell as the city counselors.61 Sarah Jo Chaplen serves as the city's manager.62 Hillsboro operates its own library system, fire department, parks department, water system, and police department.54 The Hillsboro Fire Department has four stations, and the Hillsboro Police Department operates two standard precincts and a mobile precinct.5410 Wastewater treatment is provided through the county’s Clean Water Services.
EducationPublic schools in Hillsboro are operated by the Hillsboro School District (1J). The district is a unified school district with 23 elementary schools, four middle schools, and four high schools.27 There is also a special alternative school and the Hare Field athletic complex. The school district covers Hillsboro, Scholls, Reedville, North Plains, West Union, and other area communities.27 Total enrollment as of 2006 was 19,938 students, making it the fourth largest district in the state.66 The four traditional public high schools are, in order of creation:
Post-secondary educational opportunities include the west campus of Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and the Portland West satellite campus of Oregon Institute of Technology. The OHSU site was formerly that of the Oregon Graduate Institute (now OGI School of Science and Engineering) and Oregon National Primate Research Center portions of OHSU. The OHSU and OIT campuses are located in the Tanasbourne neighborhood. Pacific University operates a satellite Health Professions Campus in downtown adjacent to Tuality Community Hospital.27 Other educational opportunities are available at the Work Force Training Center (Capital Center) and a branch of the University of Phoenix, both located in Tanasbourne. Hillsboro is home to a variety of private primary and secondary schools.68 These include Faith Bible High School, Saint Matthew's Parish School, Tualatin Valley Junior Academy, Swallowtail School, and Heritage Christian School, among others. TransportationFreight rail service from Portland and Western Railroad with interconnections to the BNSF Railway and the Union Pacific Railroad serves Hillsboro.69 The city is not served by passenger rail service over heavy rails.54 Public transportation is available by bus and light rail, managed by regional transit agency Tri-Met.27 The first MAX light rail line, now known as the Blue Line, was extended to serve Hillsboro on September 12, 1998.70 The western terminus is located downtown. The Willow Creek and Hillsboro transit centers are the main hubs of the public transit system, although seven other MAX stations provide varying degrees of bus interconnection.
Air travel is available at the Hillsboro Airport in the center of the city and at Stark's Twin Oaks Airpark, a general aviation field south of the city. The Hillsboro Airport is a general aviation airport operated by the Port of Portland, and is the second busiest airport in the state after Portland International Airport.71 The airport serves mainly private pilots and corporate flights, with no scheduled airline flights from the two-runway facility.54 Highways: The primary east-west corridor is served by Oregon Route 8, known locally as the Tualatin Valley Highway (TV Highway).38 The northeast corner of the city is bisected by U.S. Route 26, also known as the Sunset Highway. Other major east-west roads are Cornell Road and Main Street/Baseline Road.54 Major north-south routes are Oregon Route 219/1st Street, 10th Street/Cornell Road, Cornelius Pass Road, and Brookwood.54 185th Avenue is the eastern-most north-south route that borders Beaverton, but bisects the Tanasbourne Town Center from the rest of Hillsboro. TV Highway connects to Cornelius and Forest Grove to the west and Beaverton to the east. CultureWithin the city are three commercial movie theaters with a total of 30 screens. This includes the Venetian Theatre that re-opened at the site of the old Town Theater in 2008.72 The Oregon Chorale (50 person symphonic choir),73 a men's barbershop chorus,74 the Hillsboro Symphony Orchestra, and the Hillsboro Actors Repertory Theatre are also located in Hillsboro.75 The orchestra was founded in 2001 under the direction of Stefan Minde.76 Hillsboro operates two library branches. Opened in 2007 after a smaller location was closed, the 38,000-square-foot (3,500 m2) main branch is located in the north-central section of the city. The older, smaller second branch is in Shute Park in the southwest area of the city. The Hillsboro libraries are part of Washington County Cooperative Library Services, which allows residents to use other libraries in the county and includes inter-library loans.77 AM radio station KUIK and the twice-weekly Hillsboro Argus newspaper are based in Hillsboro. The Argus is published on Tuesday and Friday, and has been in publication since 1873.78 KUIK is a 5,000-watt station broadcasting at the 1360 frequency. The city is also served by Portland area media outlets including The Oregonian, Willamette Week, and all broadcast stations.54 RecreationHillsboro’s Department of Parks and Recreation operates over 20 facilities, including Hillsboro Stadium. There are 21 parks, two sports complexes, the Walters Cultural Arts Center, the Shute Park Aquatic and Recreation Center, and three other mixed-use facilities.79 The city also owns the Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve along the Tualatin River on the south side of the community. South of city is Bald Peak State Scenic Viewpoint, which is day-use only, and is the closest state park to Hillsboro. L. L. "Stub" Stewart Memorial State Park is the closest full-service state park. Local golf courses include The Reserve Vineyards & Golf Club (36 holes) that was completed in 1997, Meriwether National Golf Course (27 holes) established in 1961, and the nine-hole McKay Creek Golf Course that was built in 1995. Other courses in the area include Killarney West Golf Club (9 holes), Rock Creek Country Club (18 holes), Forest Hills Country Club (18 holes), and Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club (36 holes). Hillsboro's annual 4th of July Parade is the second-largest Independence Day parade in Oregon.8081 The Oregon International Airshow, Oregon's largest air show, is held each year during the summer at the Hillsboro Airport.27 Each summer the city offers a free concert series at Shute Park (Showtime at Shute),82 while the Washington County Fair is held annually at the county fairgrounds adjacent to the airport.83 Two farmers' markets operate in the city, with a Saturday one in downtown and a Sunday one in Orenco Station, both operating from May to October.27 Also downtown is a weekly market held on Tuesdays during the summer that sells craftwork, food, and artwork.27 Notable residents
Former Governor James Withycombe
Sister cityHillsboro’s only sister city relationship is with the city of Fukuroi in Japan. Fukuroi is a city of approximately 85,000 residents in the Shizuoka Prefecture in the central portion of Japan. The two cities began the sister city relationship in 1988.86 References
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