Vancouver, Washington
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- Vancouver, Washington should not be confused with Vancouver, British Columbia, a major Canadian city.
Vancouver, Washington is a city on the north shore of the Columbia River, in the state of Washington, USA. It is the county seat of Clark County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 143,560, positioned as an influential neighbor to nearby Portland, Oregon.
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History
In 1806 the Lewis and Clark expedition camped in the area. Lewis wrote that it was "the only desired situation for settlement west of the Rocky Mountains." The first permanent white settlement did not occur until 1825, when Fort Vancouver was established as a fur trading post of the Hudson's Bay Company. From that time on, the area was settled by both the US and Britain under a "joint occupation" agreement. Joint occupation ended on June 15, 1846, with the signing of the Oregon Treaty, which gave the United States full control of the area.
The City of Vancouver was incorporated on January 23, 1857. (List of Mayors from 1858 on)
The much larger city of Vancouver, British Columbia is located 250 miles (400 km) north of Vancouver, Washington. Both cities were named for sea captain George Vancouver, but the Canadian city was not incorporated until 1886, nearly 30 years after Vancouver, Washington, and more than 60 years after the name Fort Vancouver was first used. Some residents of Vancouver jokingly refer to the city as 'The Couve' (pronounced in the same way that the second syllable in Vancouver is pronounced). City officials have periodically suggested changing the city's name to Fort Vancouver to reduce confusion with Vancouver, British Columbia.
Vancouver has recently experienced conflicts with other Clark County communities such as Felida because of rapid growth in the area. Due to urban growth and annexation Vancouver is often thought of as divided between two areas, East and West Vancouver. West Vancouver is home to downtown Vancouver and some of the more historical parts of the town, while East Vancouver is in transition between rural farm-land and residential and commercial development.
Geography
WAMap-doton-Vancouver.png
Location of Vancouver, Washington
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 119.5 km² (46.1 mi²). 110.8 km² (42.8 mi²) of it is land and 8.7 km² (3.3 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 7.14% water.
Vancouver lies just across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon, to the north. Because of its proximity to a major city, many people that live in Vancouver work in Portland. Consequently, much of Vancouver growth is due to Portlanders moving across the river but keeping their old jobs in Portland. In 2003, 70% of workers in Vancouver worked in Clark County. Also, many people who live Vancouver shop in Portland to take advantage of a wider variety of shopping choices and the fact that Oregon has no sales tax.
Demographics
At censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 143,560 people, 56,628 households, and 36,298 families living in the city. The population density is 1,295.4/km² (3,354.7/mi²). There were 60,039 housing units at an average density of 541.7/km² (1,403.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.81% White, 2.50% African American, 0.97% Native American, 4.51% Asian, 0.54% Pacific Islander, 2.86% from other races, and 3.80% from two or more races. 6.29% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 56,628 households out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the city the population was spread out, with 26.7% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 32.1% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,618, and the median income for a family was $47,696. Males had a median income of $37,306 versus $26,940 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,192. 12.2% of the population and 9.4% of families were below the poverty line. Of the total population, 16.1% of those under the age of 18 and 8.2% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Colleges and universities
- Clark College (two year)
- Washington State University — Vancouver Campus (this campus once only offered upper division classes, but now accepts freshmen and sophomores)
High schools
Vancouver has two school districts:
The Vancouver School District (http://www.vansd.org/) covers most of west Vancouver and has six high schools: Hudson's Bay High School, Columbia River High School, Fort Vancouver High School, Lewis and Clark High School, Skyview High School, and the Vancouver School of Arts and Academics (grades 6-12).
The Evergreen School District (http://www.egreen.wednet.edu/) covers most of east Vancouver and has three high schools: Evergreen High School, Mountain View High School, and Heritage High School.
Annual events
Each Fourth of July, Vancouver hosts a fireworks display that draws many Oregonians to the city.
Major newspapers
- The Columbian
- The Oregonian (Portland, Oregon)
Nicknames
Sometimes called "The Couve" by locals.
Nearby cities
External links
- City of Vancouver Web Site (http://www.ci.vancouver.wa.us/)
- Vancouver Chamber of Commerce Web Site (http://www.vancouverusa.com/)
- Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (http://www.nps.gov/fova/)