Philomath ( ) is a city in Benton County, Oregon, United States. It was named for Philomath (Greek, "love of learning") College. The population was 5,838 as of the 2023 census population estimates. It is part of the Corvallis Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History <span class="anchor" id="Philomath College"></span>
Philomath was named after the Philomath College which was founded in 1867 by the United Brethren Church. The college opened its doors in October of that year, with enrollment the first day at about 100. The first teachers were Joseph Hannon, who acted as principal, and Elisha Woodward, teacher in the primary department. The name of the college and city was derived from two Greek words meaning "lover of learning". The city was incorporated on October 20, 1882. The college closed in 1929 due to a dramatic decline in enrollment.
Geography
Philomath is west of Corvallis on U.S. Route 20.
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) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above . According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Philomath has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated Csb on climate maps.
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census
! Race !! Number !! Percent
|-
| White || 4,478 || 83.7%
|-
| Black or African American || 41 || 0.8%
|-
| American Indian and Alaska Native || 67 || 1.3%
|-
| Asian || 90 || 1.7%
|-
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 8 || 0.1%
|-
| Some other race || 170 || 3.2%
|-
| Two or more races || 496 || 9.3%
|-
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 487 || 9.1%
|}
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Philomath had a population of 5,350. The median age was 34.9 years. 22.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 13.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 92.2 males age 18 and over.
99.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.3% lived in rural areas.
There were 2,102 households in Philomath, of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 46.3% were married-couple households, 16.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 1,733 households, of which 38.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.7% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.6% were non-families. 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.11. and Paw Lumber Co. Gene Tools, LLC manufactures Morpholino antisense oligonucleotides. Wet Labs produces oceanographic measuring equipment. Pioneer Connect provides telephone, internet and video services, including fiber and broadband internet. Alyrica Networks provides WiFi access in the town, as well as fixed wireless high-speed Internet service. Solar Summit manufactures solar panels and alternative energy products. Gathering Together Farm is one of the first certified organic vegetable farms in the United States, and is an international agrotourism destination.
alt=Dax, Philomath's locally made delivery robot|thumb|[[Daxbot executing a delivery in Philomath]]
In 2020, Philomath residents were among the first in the world to receive their food deliveries from a robot: Daxbot, which is built by a Philomath-based business. Daxbot is a 36-in, semi-autonomous delivery robot that can keep food hot or cold, and makes free deliveries for businesses and individuals in Philomath. The Philomath City Council gave Nova Dynamics permission to allow Dax to make deliveries and travel in town. Dax is considered a pedestrian, not a vehicle, and shares roads and sidewalks with other pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists.
Education
Philomath is served by the Philomath School District, which includes the following schools:
- Philomath Elementary School
- Clemens Primary School
- Blodgett Elementary School
- Philomath Middle School
- Philomath Academy
- Philomath High School
- Kings Valley Charter School (Pre-K through 12th grade)
Parks and recreation
The city of Philomath owns and maintains at least 8 public parks within and adjacent to the city limits. The largest park in Philomath is Marys River Park, which occupies approximately 28 acres along the Marys River and includes three bridges, a covered picnic shelter, and restrooms.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Parks in Philomath, OR
!Name
!Size (Acres)
!Location
!Features
|-
|Marys River Park
|28
|300 S 11th St
|Picnic shelter, 9 hole disc golf course, horseshoe pits, walking paths, playground area, off-leash dog area.
|-
|Philomath City Park
|10.5
|299 S 23rd St
|Baseball field, beginners skate park, 2 large playground areas, horseshoe pits, fitness area.
|-
|Flossie Overman Discovery Park
|.42
|524 N 11th St
|Basketball court, swings, slide, sand jump, climbing features, with a natural playscape.
|-
|Westbrook Park
|.78
|250 Jade Place
|Small basketball court, playground equipment, covered picnic area, gravel walking path.
|-
|Newton Creek Park & Path
|3.46
|2686 Applegate St
|Neighborhood park stretching from Applegate St. to Main Street featuring a paved bike path, two playground areas, and picnic tables.
|-
|Triangle Park
|N/A
|700 College Street
|Small basketball court, small covered shelter, playground area and benches.
|-
|Reservoir Park
|2.03
|3100 Applegate Street
|Nature park including a park bench and picnic tables with views of Philomath and Marys Peak.
|-
|Pioneer Park
|N/A
|1202 Pioneer Street
|Small neighborhood pocket park with a park bench and grass.
|-
|Dale Collins Park
|N/A
|1501 Applegate Street
|Features an electronic board that displays local events, a mosaic public art structure, a bench, and picnic tables.
|}
Media
The Philomath News is a digital newspaper owned by Brad Fuqua.
Documentary
The film Clear Cut: The Story of Philomath, Oregon documents the clash of cultures in Philomath between the old-time timber industry and the professionals and techies of the Information Age. The film was shown at the Sundance Film Festival in 2006.
References
External links
- Entry for Philomath in the Oregon Blue Book
- Philomath Area Chamber of Commerce
- Historic images of Philomath from Salem Public Library
- Philomath Community Wiki