Ilwaco ( ) is a city in Pacific County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,087 at the 2020 census. Founded in 1890, the city was home to the Ilwaco Railway and Navigation Company along the Long Beach Peninsula, with its core economy based on logging and timber rafting. The city is located on the southern edge of the Long Beach Peninsula, on Baker Bay on the north side of the Columbia River where it meets the Pacific Ocean. It is near the city of Astoria, Oregon, which lies to the southeast on the southern bank of the Columbia.
History
Ilwaco, initially given the name Unity, Ilwaco was officially incorporated on December 16, 1890. A narrow gauge railway, Ilwaco Railway and Navigation Company, ran for over thirty years. Similarly to the nearby city of Astoria, Oregon, and the surrounding communities, Ilwaco historically had a significant population of Finnish immigrants.
The railroad ran north up First Street in Ilwaco. A published photo shows the railroad's Ilwaco facilities, including a gallows turntable and elevated watering trough, were located on the southwest corner of the intersection of First and Spruce streets. The depot was built nearby on Spruce Street. A siding was built for the Ilwaco Mill and Lumber Company. A published photo shows the passenger depot on the west side of First Street, at a point 14.8 miles (23.8 km) from the Ilwaco Depot to Nahcotta. The train ran out on the dock in Ilwaco. Floating logs were stored behind log booms on the west side of the Ilwaco dock. At some point after 1890, First Street had been covered with wooden planks, and remained so until 1916, when it was paved over. By 1915, a published photo shows more businesses along First Street.
A fire at the Ilwaco Landing at the Port of Ilwaco began on the morning of January 22, 2024 which engulfed a dock, destroyed a receiving facility, and burned an estimated 600 crab pots. The conflagration began a few days before the beginning of the fishing season.
Geography
thumb|Fish plant at Ilwaco Harbor
Ilwaco is located on the Long Beach Peninsula. and according to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Climate
This region experiences warm (but not hot), long, and somewhat dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F. Snow is uncommon, even in winter. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Ilwaco has a cool oceanic climate, bordering very closely on a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Cfb" and "Csb" on climate maps.
Demographics
thumb|Ilwaco City Hall
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Ilwaco had a population of 1,087. The median age was 50.0 years, with 19.2% of residents under the age of 18 and 26.8% of residents 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.2 males.
60.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 39.9% lived in rural areas.
There were 476 households in Ilwaco, of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 43.9% were married-couple households, 17.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 30.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
! Race !! Number !! Percent
|-
| White || 913 || 84.0%
|-
| Black or African American || 5 || 0.5%
|-
| American Indian and Alaska Native || 21 || 1.9%
|-
| Asian || 10 || 0.9%
|-
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 2 || 0.2%
|-
| Some other race || 36 || 3.3%
|-
| Two or more races || 100 || 9.2%
|-
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 85 || 7.8%
|}
2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 936 people, 443 households, and 257 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 567 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 89.9% White, 0.3% African American, 2.1% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 3.6% from other races, and 3.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.7% of the population.
There were 443 households, of which 21.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.0% were non-families. 35.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.68.
The median age in the city was 50.2 years. 16.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.2% were from 25 to 44; 35.3% were from 45 to 64; and 21.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.5% male and 48.5% female.
2000 census
As of the 2000 census,
References
Works cited
External links
- History of Ilwaco at HistoryLink
- Ilwaco Washington: By Land or Sea
- Ilwaco in 1897
- B.A. Seaborg Cannery, Ilwaco, 1897
- Modern view of First Street in Ilwaco, looking north. The railroad would have run past some of the older buildings in this photograph
- Modern view of fishing fleet at Ilwaco