Union is a city in Union County, Oregon, United States, originally platted in 1864, and located southeast of La Grande. It is the namesake of Union County, which references the Union states, or Northern States, of the American Civil War. The population was 2,152 at the 2020 census. It is also home to Oregon State University's Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, founded in 1888, which is contemporarily housed in the former Union train station.

History

Union was platted on November 11, 1864 along the Oregon Trail. The name references the Union states, or Northern States, of the American Civil War. J. W. Shelton, a local attorney, chartered the Union Electric Power and Light Company in March 1890 to bring the railroad from Union Junction (2.5 miles away) to Union itself. Since then, one newspaper reports that "talk around town about whether the young mayor will succeed ranges from skepticism to sunny optimism."

Geography

thumb|[[Catherine Creek diversion dam in Union.]]

Union lies in the extreme southeast corner of the Grande Ronde Valley near the western edge of the Wallowa Mountains. Oregon Route 237 runs through the city between Cove to the north and North Powder to the south. Oregon Route 203 also passes through Union, linking it to La Grande, about to the northwest. Catherine Creek, a tributary of the Grande Ronde River, passes through the city.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.

Climate

Demographics

thumb|Union City Hall

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Union had a population of 2,152; the median age was 43.5 years, 24.1% of residents were under the age of 18, and 22.3% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 103.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 99.8 males age 18 and over.

There were 877 households in Union, of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 50.2% were married-couple households, 19.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

! Race !! Number !! Percent

|-

| White || 1,942 || 90.2%

|-

| Black or African American || 10 || 0.5%

|-

| American Indian and Alaska Native || 23 || 1.1%

|-

| Asian || 12 || 0.6%

|-

| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0 || 0%

|-

| Some other race || 30 || 1.4%

|-

| Two or more races || 135 || 6.3%

|-

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 69 || 3.2%

|}

2010 census

thumb|left|Union [[Rexall Drugstore]]

As of the census of 2010, there were 2,121 people, 859 households, and 603 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 933 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.6% White, 0.1% African American, 1.1% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.3% of the population.

There were 859 households, of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.7% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 29.8% were non-families. 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.93.

Union County is not in the boundary of any community college district.

See also

  • Union Main Street Historic District

Notes

  • City of Union (official website)
  • Entry for Union in the Oregon Blue Book
  • Union County Museum