Stevenson, Washington

Stevenson is a city along the Columbia River in Skamania County, Washington, United States. It is the county seat of Skamania County and part of the Portland metropolitan area. The city also lies within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area and is across the river from Cascade Locks, Oregon. The population was 1,491 at the 2020 census.

Stevenson is home to the Columbia Gorge Museum, which interprets the natural and cultural heritage of the Columbia River Gorge, and Skamania Lodge, a luxury resort.

History

thumb|left|Entrance to the Port of Skamania County in Stevenson, November 2016

Stevenson is named for early settler George H. Stevenson. The Stevenson family, who settled in the Gorge in the 1800s from Missouri, founded the town of Stevenson on the old Shepard donation land claim. Under the auspices of the Stevenson Land Company, George Stevenson purchased the original townsite for $24,000 in 1893, building the town along the lower flat near the river. Settlers expanded the original dock to serve the daily arrivals of sternwheelers unloading passengers, cargo and loading logs.

In 1893, in a dispute over rental fees, an unknown crew transported the county records from the town of Cascades to Stevenson. Stevenson became the county seat of Skamania overnight. Stevenson was officially incorporated on December 16, 1907. In 1908 the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway arrived, pushing the town up the hill away from the river. Streets were graded, wooden sidewalks constructed and the city asked residents to keep their cows from roaming the streets.

Geography

thumb|left|View of the Columbia River from Stevenson

The city is situated on the north bank of the Columbia River within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area and is the county seat of Skamania County. Stevenson is approximately east of Portland, Oregon, and west of Hood River. Across the river to the south is the city of Cascade Locks in Hood River County, Oregon, which is connected via the Bridge of the Gods, a toll bridge that also carries the Pacific Crest Trail. The bridge is southwest of Stevenson and is the only crossing of the Columbia River between Portland and Hood River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Stevenson has a total area of , of which is land and is water. The city lies at an elevation of about above sea level

Climate

thumb|Stevenson in May 2022.Located in the western Columbia River Gorge, Stevenson has a warm‑summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csb) that blends the wet marine influence of the Cascades' west side with the drier interior plateau to the east. Summers are warm and distinctly dry: the average high in July is about , and the month typically receives only of rain.

Winters are cool, wet, and occasionally snowy; January's mean temperature is around and average precipitation exceeds . Annual rainfall varies with elevation, ranging from about at gauges near the river to more than on the surrounding forested slopes.

Snowfall averages roughly per year, but sporadic Arctic‑air outflow events funneling through the Gorge can deliver heavier snow and freezing rain.

Persistent gap winds—typically – westerlies in the warm season and strong easterlies during winter outbreaks—make Stevenson's waterfront "one of the windiest spots in the Gorge", and a popular venue for wind‑powered recreation.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Stevenson had a population of 1,491, 684 households, and 399 families residing in the city.

There were 747 housing units, of which 8.4% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 1.5%.

{| class="wikitable"

|+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census

! Race !! Number !! Percent

| White || 1,303 || 87.4%

| Black or African American || 0 || 0.0%

| American Indian and Alaska Native || 23 || 1.5%

| Asian || 20 || 1.3%

| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 1 || 0.1%

| Some other race || 32 || 2.1%

| Two or more races || 112 || 7.5%

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 83 || 5.6%

2010 census

thumb|left|The Skamania County Courthouse, one of the most prominent buildings in Stevenson

At the 2010 census there were 1,465 people in 640 households, including 390 families, in the city. The population density was . There were 703 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.9% White, 0.6% African American, 1.8% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.5% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.8%.

Of the 640 households, 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were married couples living together, 15.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.1% were non-families. 33.4% of households were one person and 12.8% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.86.

The median age was 42.1 years. 23% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.5% were from 25 to 44; 30.6% were from 45 to 64; and 15.3% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.1% male and 52.9% female.

2000 census

thumb|left|Stevenson's city hall

As of the 2000 census,

As of the 2022 American Community Survey, 35.8% of people living in Stevenson had a high school diploma or equivalent education. 7.8% had associate's degrees, 12.5% had bachelor's degrees, and 9.4% had graduate or professional degrees.

Parks and recreation

Stevenson is situated within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, which contains the highland terrain areas of Greenleaf Peak and Table Mountain. Hikers can access the Pacific Crest Trail south of the community.

Infrastructure

Transportation

State Route 14 runs through Stevenson and continues west to Vancouver and east to Dallesport. It is a two-lane highway with occasional truck climbing lanes. The Bridge of the Gods is southwest of Stevenson and connects the north side of the river to Cascade Locks and Interstate 84.

Stevenson is also served by Skamania County Transit, the county's public transit system, which operates daily bus service to Vancouver, North Bonneville, Bingen, and Cascade Locks. The system is part of the regional Gorge Translink alliance and shares a common annual pass system with other operators in the Columbia River Gorge area.

Notable residents

Fabio Lanzoni, model, actor, and spokesperson
Christian Aalvik, businessman and state legislator
Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, U.S. Representative for Washington's 3rd congressional district since 2023
Charlie Hales, politician, 52nd mayor of Portland, Oregon
Dave Hood, actor, host of Real Wheels series
Darren Morningstar, former NBA basketball player

References

External links

City of Stevenson Website