Kelso, Washington Kelso, Washington Location of Kelso, Washington Location of Kelso, Washington Kelso is a town/city in southwest Washington State, United States, and is the governmental center of county of Cowlitz County. At the 2010 census, the populace was 11,925.
Kelso is part of the Longview, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a populace of 102,410.
Kelso shares its long border with Longview.
The earliest known inhabitants of Kelso were Native Americans from the Cowlitz tribe.
Kelso was established by Peter W.
Crawford platted a townsite which he titled after his home town of Kelso, Scotland.
In its early days, Kelso obtained the nickname "Little Chicago" as it became famous for its large number of taverns and brothels that catered to small-town loggers.
In the late 19th century and into the first part of the 20th century, Kelso was the center for commercial smelt fishing on the Cowlitz River.
In 1910, as stated to the Oregonian Newspaper, 5,000 tons of fish were caught. The Kelso Chamber of Commerce created the slogan in 1956 and became known as the Smelt Capital of the World. The Cowlitz River has historically had heavy runs of smelt and were shipped to markets around the country.
Pieces of the mysterious 1947 Maury Island incident took place in Kelso.
A military airplane carrying suspicious slag-like material, supposedly from a UFO, crashed in southeast Kelso.
On May 18, 1980, being only 24 miles (39 km) away, Kelso inhabitants experienced the shock wave caused by the eruption of Mt.
Called the biggest volcanic eruption in historic times in the adjoining United States, Kelso received large amounts of volcanic ash through the air and from the massive mudflow caused by the eruption transported by the Toutle and Cowlitz Rivers.
Many areas of the city, including the Three Rivers Golf Course are assembled on volcanic ash dredged from the Cowlitz River by inmates in state custody and volunteers.
In March 1998, the Aldercrest-Banyon landslide began shifting the foundations of 64 homes and small-town transit framework in the east Kelso neighborhood of Aldercrest.
It was the second worst landslide disaster (in cost) in the United States, following the 1956 Portuguese Bend Landslide on Palos Verdes Hills in Southern California. This disaster at Aldercrest led to stricter town/city zoning ordinances and supervision over geological surveys.
US Post Office - Kelso Main Kelso is positioned on Interstate 5 at Exits 36, 39, 40 and 42, and is 48 miles (77 km) north of Portland, Oregon, 125 miles (201 km) south of Seattle, Washington, and 80 miles (130 km) from the Pacific Ocean beaches.
According to the United States Enumeration Bureau, the town/city has a total region of 8.50 square miles (22.01 km2), of which, 8.14 square miles (21.08 km2) is territory and 0.36 square miles (0.93 km2) is water. Three rivers, the Columbia, Cowlitz and Coweeman, running through Kelso were used as part of a historical transit route from Portland, Oregon and the Puget Sound. Cowlitz steamboats were used as a origin of transit until 1918.
Kelso and Longview comprise the "Twin Cities" of southwest Washington.
East Kelso North Kelso Old Kelso Hill South Kelso West Kelso Kelso operates under both a town/city charter and Washington state code governing municipalities.
As such, it is the only Charter Code town/city in the state of Washington.
Kelso's charter specifies that seven councilmembers are voted for by the residents, with the council choosing a mayor from inside itself every two years.
In 2015, the town/city council comprises of Mayor David Futcher, Deputy Mayor Dan Myers, Gary Schimmel, Rick Roberson, Gary Archer, Jared Franklin, and Todd Mc - Daniel. Steve Taylor joined the City of Kelso as town/city manager in September 2012 after the departure of Dennis Richards. A charter amendment allowed by people in 2006 requires that four of these council positions be filled by individuals residing in specified wards of the city, while the remaining three positions are filled on an at-large basis.
With access to the Columbia River, Interstate 5 and the west coast stockyards s, Kelso supports a large and quickly diversifying manufacturing base.
The biggest employer is the Kelso School District, followed by Foster Farms and Safeway. Other large employers are Target, ALS Environmental laboratory, Western Fabrication, PAPE Machinery, and DSU Peterbilt.
As of the census of 2010, there were 11,925 citizens , 4,720 homeholds, and 2,949 families living in the city.
There were 5,139 housing units at an average density of 631.3 per square mile (243.7/km2).
The ethnic makeup of the town/city was 85.2% White, 0.8% African American, 2.1% Native American, 1.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 5.1% from other competitions, and 5.1% from two or more competitions.
There were 4,720 homeholds of which 34.9% had kids under the age of 18 residing with them, 37.9% were married couples residing together, 17.4% had a female homeholder with no husband present, 7.2% had a male homeholder with no wife present, and 37.5% were non-families.
The median age in the town/city was 34.6 years.
26.3% of inhabitants were under the age of 18; 10.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.7% were from 25 to 44; 24.8% were from 45 to 64; and 11.7% were 65 years of age or older.
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,895 citizens , 4,616 homeholds, and 2,991 families living in the city.
There were 5,067 housing units at an average density of 626.9 per square mile (242.1/km ).
The ethnic makeup of the town/city was 90.14% White, 0.82% African American, 2.05% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.21% Pacific Islander, 3.12% from other competitions, and 2.72% from two or more competitions.
There were 4,616 homeholds out of which 33.6% had kids under the age of 18 residing with them, 43.0% were married couples residing together, 15.9% had a female homeholder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families.
In the city, the age distribution of the populace shows 28.3% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older.
The median income for a homehold in the town/city was $29,722, and the median income for a family was $36,784.
The Kelso School District is composed of the following schools.
Kelso High School, the Hilanders Kelso Virtual Academy Interstate 5, the chief north south highway on the West Coast of the United States, runs through Kelso.
Two highways, State Route 4 and State Route 432, connect Kelso to Longview via crossings of the Cowlitz River.
The Amtrak station is positioned in the Kelso Multimodal Transportation Center along the Cowlitz River.
The metros/cities of Kelso and Longview are served by River - Cities Transit.
Kelso is also served by Greyhound Bus Lines, which provides intercity bus service at the Kelso Multimodal Transportation Center.
Kelso is served by Southwest Washington Regional Airport, formerly known as Kelso-Longview Regional Airport.
Kelso and Longview are the home of the Cowlitz Black Bears baseball team.
Within the town/city limits, there are eight town/city parks totaling 50 acres (200,000 m2) and 6 miles (10 km) of bicycle and multi-use paths.
The park hosts the annual Kelso Hilander Festival which contains Scottish Highland games.
Kelso has 3 FM (KUKN, K268 - BN and KTJC) and 1 AM (KLOG) airways broadcasts licensed in the city.
Kelso is provided with cable tv from close-by Longview.
Kelso's major journal is The Daily News, which won a 1981 Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of the St.
Kelso has the two sister cities: United Kingdom Kelso, Scottish Borders, Scotland, United Kingdom Sid Snyder, Washington state legislator Washington University State Historical Society.
"The Eruption of Washington State's Mount St.
Washington Secretary of State.
"KELSO SOUTHWEST RGNL AP, WASHINGTON (454135)".
"City Council Members".
City of Kelso.
"Meet Kelso's New City Manager at Wednesday's Open House".
Kelso - Longview Chamber of Commerce.
"Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015".
United States Enumeration Bureau.
Sister Cities, Counties, States and Ports.
List of Sister Cities.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kelso, Washington.
City of Kelso Municipalities and communities of Cowlitz County, Washington, United States State of Washington
Categories:
Cities in Washington (state)Cities in Cowlitz County, Washington - County seats in Washington (state)Populated places established in 1884 - Populated places on the Columbia River
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