Washougal, Washington Washougal, Washington Downtown Washougal facing west Location of Washougal, Washington Location of Washougal, Washington Website City of Washougal Washougal /w u l/ is a town/city in Clark County, Washington, United States.
This small improve is positioned on the Washington side of the Columbia River, with its lowlands and famous prairie situated on the west entrance to the scenic Columbia River Gorge.
Motorists who approach Washougal from the west on the Lewis & Clark Highway can see Mount Hood rising above the Cascade Mountains framed by the columnar cliffs that signal the gateway of the Gorge.
It can be accurately stated that Washougal is the "crossroads to discernment " in the Pacific Northwest.
Robert Gray, a Boston fur trader, entered the mouth of the Columbia River in May 1792, the famed British explorer George Vancouver traveled to the region to verify Gray's discernment .
Broughton came as far as present day Washougal and landed near the east end of Reed Island.
In reality, the river originates some 1,000 miles to the north and east in Canada, but it would be 18 years later before the entire river was charted by another famed British explorer titled David Thompson.
Captain Gray's discernment of the Columbia opened trade between Europeans and Chinook Indians who lived along the lower Columbia between the Cascade region and the river's mouth.
The Corps of Discovery was impressed with the fertile valley positioned near Washougal.
In fact, when they finally reached the Pacific Coast and conducted their historic vote on selecting their winter camp site, the three viable options considered were the Clatsop region near Astoria (Oregon), the north bank near Chinook (Washington), and the fertile valley near the Sandy and Washougal Rivers.
Lewis wrote in his journals that they camped on the lower end of a handsome prairie two miles up from the mouth of Seal (Washougal) River and directly athwart from the upper Quicksand (Sandy) River channel.
So the handsome prairie in present-day Washougal turned into a provisioning camp which became their second longest campsite in present-day Washington State.
So inside a 13-year reconstruction - Washougal would have famous passengers visit its banks from both the east and west again in 1811 another famed explorer (David Thompson) would camp near the same "handsome prairie" on his famous journey to chart the entire length of the Columbia River. Fur trappers and loggers began to visit regions of the Columbia River and they also appointed names to familiar locations.
Washougal became known as Washougally Camp, which is thought to be a derivative of an Indian word meaning "rushing water." Then in the 1840s, Richard bought a large swath of territory near current downtown Washougal.
Both are buried in the small-town Catholic Cemetery and they have descendants who still live in Washougal.
Just downstream from the handsome prairie where Lewis & Clark and David Thompson camped there was a natural boat landing that later became known as Parker's Landing and played an meaningful part for pioneer following the Oregon Trail.
Vancouver, tried to dissuade American pioneers from settling on the north side of the Columbia River.
By arriving at Parker's Landing, they could travel to the interior of what would turn into Washington State, avoiding the British at Fort Vancouver who would try to persuade them to settle elsewhere.
A well-known no-charge black named George Washington Bush entered the state of Washington through Parker's Landing, and eventually traveled to the center of the state, where he established the improve of Tumwater.
In 1846, when the Oregon Territory territory dispute was resolved between England and the United States and the northern boundary was moved to the 49th alongside, Parker was quick to file for a territory grant, which encompassed the prominent beach landing that would later assume his name and turn into the marina for the Port of Camas-Washougal.
This is thought to be the earliest incorporated improve in the state of Washington.
Washougal is positioned 18 miles (29 km) east of Vancouver on SR 14.
According to the United States Enumeration Bureau, the town/city has a total region of 6.30 square miles (16.32 km2), of which, 5.42 square miles (14.04 km2) is territory and 0.88 square miles (2.28 km2) is water. Washougal is in the Columbia River Gorge along the Washougal River, which runs through town.
Climate data for Washougal, Washington Washougal is home to a several recreational areas and enhance parks.
Of these, Angelo Park, Beaver Park, Campen Creek Park, and Hathaway Park are four large municipal parks positioned in Washougal.
The ethnic makeup of the town/city was 90.3% White, 0.6% African American, 1.0% Native American, 2.4% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 1.7% from other competitions, and 3.8% from two or more competitions.
There were 5,256 homeholds of which 38.0% had kids under the age of 18 residing with them, 55.3% were married couples residing together, 12.0% had a female homeholder with no husband present, 5.4% had a male homeholder with no wife present, and 27.2% were non-families.
20.6% of all homeholds were made up of individuals and 7% had someone residing alone who was 65 years of age or older.
26.9% of inhabitants were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.1% were from 25 to 44; 27.1% were from 45 to 64; and 10.1% were 65 years of age or older.
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,595 citizens , 3,294 homeholds, and 2,325 families living in the city.
The ethnic makeup of the town/city was 94.0% White, 0.4% African American, 1.26% Native American, 0.78% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.83% from other competitions, and 2.56% from two or more competitions.
There were 3,294 homeholds out of which 37.9% had kids under the age of 18 residing with them, 51.3% were married couples residing together, 14.1% had a female homeholder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families.
23.6% of all homeholds were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone residing alone who was 65 years of age or older.
In the city, the age distribution of the populace shows 29.8% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older.
About 8.3% of families and 9.7% of the populace were below the poverty line, including 13.8% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.
The History of the City of Washougal-City of Washougal Washougal -- Thumbnail History Climate Summary for Washougal, Washington United States Enumeration Bureau.
Municipalities and communities of Clark County, Washington, United States
Categories:
Cities in Clark County, Washington - Cities in Washington (state)Columbia River Gorge - Populated places established in 1852 - Portland urbane region - Populated places on the Columbia River - 1852 establishments in Oregon Territor
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