Lincoln City, Oregon

Lincoln City, Oregon
City
Portion of the Lincoln City coastline looking north towards the neighborhood of Roads End
Seal
Motto(s):  A great place to try new things
Location in Oregon
Lincoln City Location within Oregon Lincoln City Location within the United States Lincoln City Lincoln City (North America) Show map of OregonShow map of the United StatesShow map of North AmericaShow all
Coordinates: 44°58′20″N 124°0′40″W / 44.97222°N 124.01111°W / 44.97222; -124.01111Coordinates: 44°58′20″N 124°0′40″W / 44.97222°N 124.01111°W / 44.97222; -124.01111
Country	United States
State	Oregon
County	Lincoln
Incorporated	1965
Named for	Abraham Lincoln
Government
• Type	Council-manager
• Mayor	Susan Wahlke
•	Lila Bradley
Area [1]
• Total	6.08 sq mi (15.76 km2)
• Land	6.05 sq mi (15.67 km2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.09 km2)
Elevation	4 ft (1 m)
Lowest elevation	0 ft (0 m)
Population  (2020)[2]
• Total	9,815
• Density	1,515.70/sq mi (585.21/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (Pacific)
ZIP code	97367
Area code(s)	541/458
FIPS code	41-42600[2]
GNIS feature ID	1158323[3]
Website	www.lincolncity.org

Lincoln City is a city in Lincoln County on the Oregon Coast between Tillamook and Newport. It is named after the county, which was named in honor of former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. The population was 9,815 at the 2020 Census. During the solar eclipse of August 21, 2017, this city was the first in the path of totality to view a total solar eclipse.

History[]

Lincoln City was incorporated on March 3, 1965, uniting the cities of Delake, Oceanlake and Taft, and the unincorporated communities of Cutler City and Nelscott. These were adjacent communities along U.S. Route 101, which serves as Lincoln City's main street. The name "Lincoln City" was chosen from contest entries submitted by local school children. The contest was held when it was determined that using one of the five communities' names would be too controversial.^[5]

Former communities[]

View overlooking the Roads End neighborhood of Lincoln City

Cutler City[]

Cutler City is located on the east shore of Siletz Bay. The community was started by Mr. and Mrs. George Cutler. It is claimed they received the property from Chief Charles "Charley" DePoe of the Siletz tribe (part of the present-day Confederated Tribes of the Siletz). Cutler City post office ran from 1930 until the formation of Lincoln City.^[6]

Delake[]

Delake is near Devils Lake, and was named for the way the local Finnish people pronounced the name of the lake. Delake post office was established in 1924, and reestablished as Oceanlake (see below) in 1927.^[6]

Nelscott[]

Nelscott was named by combining the surnames of Charles P. Nelson and Dr. W.G. Scott, who founded the community in 1926. Nelscott post office ran from 1929 until incorporation as Lincoln City.^[6] Nelscott Reef is known for its surf and was in Surfer Magazine in 2003 as one of the Pacific Ocean's best places to surf.^[7][8]

Oceanlake[]

Oceanlake was named for its position between Devils Lake and the Pacific Ocean. Its post office ran from 1927 until incorporation as Lincoln City.^[6] In 1945, Oceanlake annexed Wecoma Beach and incorporated as a city.^[9] The neighborhood is home to Oceanlake Elementary School.

Taft[]

Taft was named for the 27th U.S. president William Howard Taft. Taft post office was established in 1906, and was named when Taft was Secretary of War. The post office ran until incorporation as Lincoln City.^[6]

Portion of Lincoln City, Oregon between the Wecoma Beach and Roads End neighborhoods

Wecoma Beach[]

Oceanlake annexed Wecoma Beach, a community^[10] to the north, and was incorporated on November 3, 1945.^[11] Wecoma is a Chinook jargon word meaning "sea".^[12] The post office at this locale was originally named Wecoma.^[12] It was changed to Wecoma Beach in 1949.^[12] The office is no longer in operation.^[13]

Roads End[]

On July 1, 2013, Lincoln City forcibly annexed the Roads End community to its north, by informing homeowners they would not receive water service, unless the owner consented to the annexation.^[14][15]

Government[]

The city operates under a city charter, with a paid city manager, Ron Chandler, acting as chief executive,^[16] and a non-paid mayor who is elected for a four-year term, and six-member city council.^[17] The city council is elected from three wards and serves four-year terms.^[16]

Economy[]

Chinook Winds Casino hotel complex from the Lincoln City beach

Lincoln City has three primary economic resources: tourism, healthcare, and retirement.^[17]

In 1995 the Confederated Tribes of Siletz opened Chinook Winds Casino at the northern end of the city on property overlooking the Pacific Ocean.^[18]

Major employers include Chinook Winds Casino, city government, Lincoln County School District, and Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital.^[17]

The Salishan Spa & Golf Resort, located south of Siletz Bay in Gleneden Beach, has dining opportunities, a shopping complex, cabin lodging, and a golf course offering views of the Pacific Ocean.

The city houses a Pig N' Pancake restaurant and a Mo's Seafood & Chowder restaurant, both of which are chains unique to the Oregon Coast.

Geography[]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.68 square miles (14.71 km²), of which, 5.65 square miles (14.63 km²) is land and 0.03 square miles (0.08 km²) is water.^[19]

Lincoln City is home to one of the world's shortest rivers, the D River, connecting Devil's Lake with the Pacific Ocean.^[20]

Climate[]

The average low temperature in December, the coldest month, is 37 °F (3 °C), and in August, the warmest month, the average high is 69 °F (21 °C). The driest month on average is July, with December the wettest. The average annual precipitation is 76.21 inches (1,936 mm). The average July afternoon humidity is 75%, and the average January afternoon humidity is 84%.^[21] The record high in Lincoln City is 100 °F (38 °C), observed on August 2, 2017, while the record low of 4 °F (−16 °C) was observed on January 31, 1950 and December 8, 1972.

Lincoln City's coastline after light snow during February 2019

Demographics[]

As of the census of 2010, there were 7,930 people, 3,645 households, and 1,959 families residing in the city. The population density was about 1,404 inhabitants per square mile (542.1/km²). There were 6,025 housing units at an average density of about 1,066 per square mile (411.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.7% White, 0.4% African American, 3.5% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 7.1% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.2% of the population.^[2]

There were 3,645 households, of which about 22% had children under the age of 18 living with them, about 37% were married couples living together, 12% had a female householder with no husband present, about 5% had a male householder with no wife present, and about 46% were non-families. About 37% of all households were made up of individuals, and about 16% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.74.^[2]

The median age in the city was about 46 years. About 18% of residents were under the age of 18; about 8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; about 23% were from 25 to 44; about 31% were from 45 to 64; and about 20% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was about 47% male and 53% female.^[2]

Healthcare[]

The Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital is the only hospital in Lincoln City and has associated outpatient medical and specialty clinics. It is a 25-bed critical access hospital with a level IV trauma designation. It is part of the five hospital Samaritan Health Services healthcare system headquartered in Corvallis, Oregon. A new hospital is currently under construction just east of the existing building and is expected to be completed in 2020.^{[citation needed]}

Arts and culture[]

The , housed in the historic DeLake School building,^[24] offers a wide variety of classes and events year-round.^[25]

Two kite festivals are held annually in Lincoln City, the Summer Kite Festival in June and the Fall Kite Festival in October. Both festivals are each held at D River Wayside, where several other world-class kite events are held. The city is known by some as the "Kite Capital of the World".^[26] Lincoln City also provides seasonal glass float drops through Finders Keepers from October to May.^[27]

The Siletz Bay Music Festival is held in Lincoln City, in late June and into July, at different locations throughout the city.

Education[]

Public schools in Lincoln City are served by the Lincoln County School District.^[28] There are a variety of private school options including, Faith Baptist Preschool and Kindergarten, Little Lighthouse Preschool, Saint James Santiago School and the Lincoln City Seventh Day Adventist School.

Media[]

Lincoln City is served by a weekly newspaper, the Lincoln City News Guard,^[29] a semi-weekly newspaper, the News-Times, and a daily news source, the Lincoln City Homepage.^[30]

KBCH AM 1400 is in Lincoln City and provides Lincoln County news coverage as well as coverage of local sports.^[31]

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lincoln City, Oregon.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Lincoln City.

• City of Lincoln City (official website)