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 West
Linn is home to 23,090 residents and is one of the fastest growing communities
in the Portland metro area. The 7.5 square mile area has a good mix
of older homes and established neighborhoods along the Willamette River
to the soaring views of the area's luxury hilltop homes.
The town is known for a low
crime rate and high median household incomes. It's seen as a quiet bedroom
community ideal for raising a family. A list of the top 100 small U.S. cities
to live in, compiled by CNN Money Magazine, ranked West Linn at No.64. It
ranked the highest of the two Oregon cities listed
− the other was Lake Oswego, at No.79.
City of Hills, Trees and Rivers
With Portland eight miles to
the north, many who live here make their living outside the city limits.
Called the City of Hills, Trees and Rivers, among West Linn's special
assets are its dedicated
parks
(17 of them) and open spaces, where residents and visitors can stroll among
Douglas firs and take in panoramic views of the Willamette and Tualatin
rivers, with Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens and the Cascade range as
a backdrop.
The one thing that West Linn
is lacking is an established older downtown commercial area so West Linners
shop in malls and stores along the major roads.
West Linn History
 The
area was first settled in the early 1840s when Robert Moore purchased 1,000
acres of land from the "Wallamut" Indians. He built his cabin high on a
slope overlooking the Willamette Falls and set about building a town, calling
it Robin's Nest.
By 1846, Moore had built four
flour and lumber mills, along with dwelling for his mill workers. He also
operated a ferry to Oregon City. Moore became the first postmaster in 1850
and purchased an Oregon City newspaper, "the Spectator," in 1852. By then,
his Linn City enterprises included a gristmill, sawmill, warehouse, wharves
and a breakwater to create a basin for boats to tie up in for loading and
unloading cargo. But when he died in 1857, Moore had still not seen his
dream of a completed town realized.
Not long after Moore's death,
a devastating fire destroyed the sawmill, gristmill, wharves and even a
steamer ship docked there. Local businessmen began to rebuild, only to see
their hard work washed away in the terrible floods that would come later
that same year. Linn City was gone. But in 1868, the Willamette Transportation
Locks Co. began operating--providing passage to shipping over the Willamette
Falls. The locks have remained in continuous operation to this day.
Willamette Locks
 In
the 1860s, Willamette Falls was a lovely sight for those who lived and worked
on the Willamette River's shores. The falls -- between Oregon City and what's
now known as West Linn -- cascade 40 feet over a horseshoe-shaped basalt
ridge. But for river men, the falls were anything but pretty. They were
dangerous and a nuisance, interrupting river traffic attempting to travel
to or from Portland. That all changed in 1873, when Willamette Falls Locks
opened at the edge of what's now the Bolton neighborhood of West Linn, allowing
boats and their cargo to safely go around the falls.
The 130-year-old locks are
a lasting link to West Linn's past. The locks continue to operate, allowing
river traffic to pass -- though these days the locks' four chambers are
operated by hydraulics and not by hand (as they were until the 1940s). Operators
of government vessels, passenger boats, freight and towboats, log rafts,
pleasure craft and jet skis may use the locks for free, both north and south
of the falls. The locks are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Even aircraft have passed through
the locks. The enormous Spruce Goose, built by Howard Hughes
and flown just once, was transported by barge through Willamette Falls Locks
in 1993, on its way to its home at the Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville.
Home and Neighborhoods
Can't decide between a historic
neighborhood or an area of new homes? Then West Linn may be the place
for you because many of the neighborhoods offer a blend of both. Historic
homes are mainly found close to the river. Simple midcentury homes
dominate the area. Many West Linn homes built along the river in the 1800s
are beyond rejuvenating so people buy the home for the lot, remove the old
home, and build a new one. Right next to an historic home
− perhaps built by a river captain or timber
baron. This is especially true if your historic home is in the Bolton or
Robinwood neighborhood along the river. This area has all the physical
characteristics that many people desire (meandering streets, mature trees,
river views, etc.).
The Willamette neighborhood,
the largest of West Linn's 11 neighborhoods with close to 6,000 residents
offers 12 city blocks of historic residential and commercial properties,
many from the 1885 - 1915 period. An additional 28 homes elsewhere
in the City are designated as historic landmark structures.
Newer homes are concentrated
in the hills. The top of "the hill" −
the part of town that overlooks Interstate 205, which bisects West Linn
− nearly defines "bedroom community." There
are pockets of retail, but there are also neighborhoods without any retail
space. Houses in areas such as Parker Crest and Rosemont Summit dwarf most
of the other homes in town. These hill homes have all the amenities desired
such as formal dining rooms, entertainment centers, 3-car garages, and large
kitchens. Plus many have views.
Along Willamette Falls Drive, off Interstate 205 across
from the hill and along the Tualatin River, the neighborhood of Willamette
has a downtown atmosphere, with strips of small businesses. Some of the
homes here are the oldest in town.
Driving from the valley to the top of the hill is like
going through different universes. In the valley, most of the residential
areas have older homes built in a simple ranch style. There are older homes
on the hill, but most are newer homes dwarfing those in the valley or Willamette.
Portland Monthly Magazine Neighborhood Guide
 The
Portland Monthly
magazine features neighborhoods in their April issue every year. It has
a ton of information about Portland neighborhoods as well as suburban communities.
To help those in the housing market, the magazine combines
all the data from about 120 neighborhoods and communities in the Portland
metro area. Include in the document are housing prices, school ratings,
demographics, crime statistics, parks, commuting information, and services.
Click
here to view the report.
Online Maps of the City
 For
some of the best maps (aerial, parks, contour, parade route, creeks, etc.)
of the area, visit the
City GIS Web site. The maps are offered by the Geographic Information
System (GIS) at the City of West Linn under the Engineering Division of
the City of West Linn's Public Works Department.
West Linn Walking Tour
West Linn's Willamette Historic
District began as a company town established in 1893 by Willamette Falls
Electric. In 1913, a typhoid epidemic led Willamette to annex to West
Linn to obtain a better water source. The walk takes you through Willamette's
historic streets, with a stop at Willamette Park, located at the confluence
of the Tualatin and Willamette Rivers. Here you can picnic along the
river while watching herons and sandpipers eat their lunch. Click
here to download
the guide.
Community Demographics
Web Sites
Search for Homes in West Linn
 To
search for homes in West Linn, go to
Search for Homes
and click on the "City Search" icon and then select "West Linn - 237."
You can use over 100 search parameters to define your criteria.
Alternatively, you can select a specific area off a community map by drawing
a box around that area. If you save your search criteria, you will
be given the option to have new listings that match your criteria automatically
e-mailed to you.
More About West Linn
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Location A 35-40 drive to downtown Portland
once you get on I-205. Driving the freeways to downtown, head
west on I-205 and then north on I-5.
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Origin of Name Robert Moore, the founder of
the area renamed his tiny town Linn City in honor of his friend, well-known
free- state advocate Dr. Lewis F. Linn, a U.S. Senator from Missouri
and sponsor of the Donation Land Claim Bill.
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Neighborhood Associations The City has
11
neighborhood associations.
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Topography Gently rolling hills in
the newer developments which are above the river. Flat along the
river (older part of town). The older areas have mature trees
in yards and parks.
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Parks 370 acres
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Public Transportation Bus 35 (Macadam)
travels between the downtown Portland bus mall and West Linn. View a
map and schedule for
bus
35.
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1Drive Time to Downtown
About 35-40 minutes.
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22000 Demographics Population
- 23, 080. Area size - 7.5 square miles. Number of households
- 8,160. Median household income of $72,010 (metro area median household
was $46,789). Diversity - 6.7% non-Caucasian. Median house value - $246,500.
Percent of residents over 25 years of age holding a bachelor's degree
or higher - 49.2%. See
City Data for more information about West Linn.
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Crime Stats The latest crime stats
are available at the
West Linn
Police Department.
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Sex Offenders Click
here for
the State of Oregon Sex Offender Inquiry System. After agreeing
to the "Conditions of Use Statement" you will be redirected to a "Enter
Search Criteria" page. Insert a zip code in the "Zip" field and
click on the "Query" button.
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3Shopping
and Services Number of supermarkets: 4.
Number of health cubs: 5. Number of public libraries: 1.
This is the land of malls: big ones and little ones.
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Renters
vs. Home Owners Owner occupied - 78.6% and renter occupied
- 21.4%.
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Parks The
City of
West Linn has 944 acres of parks located in over 20 different parks.
These growing community is continuously building and planning new parks.
As a demonstration of West Linn's commitment to parks, they have been
named as a Tree City
for 11 years.
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Who Lives in West Linn Families drawn to the
highly-regarded school system as well as people whose families have
always lived in the area. With almost 7,000 kids attending school,
the community has a strong interest in the quality of their schools.
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They Probably Drive Hill homes will have
at least one SUV along with a foreign made sedan in the garage or driveway.
Pickups are rare and you'll see a few vans.
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Schools West
Linn and Wilsonville
School District Each community has a high school as well as
at least one middle school. Both have numerous elementary schools.
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4School Report Card Grades
Elementary schools: O/S. Middle schools: O/S. High school: O/S.
Click
here for report card details.
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Housing Types and Styles West Linn’s
original neighborhoods along the river have many historic homes.
The newer hill homes are mainly 3,000 plus square foot contemporary
homes.
5West Linn Home Price
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Number of homes sold in West Linn 2010: 337.
Distressed properties sales were 23%.
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Median price for homes sold in West Linn: $350,000
in 2010; $370,000 in 2009; $410,000 in 2008; $444,900 in 2007.
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1-year median sales price change in 2010 from 2009
in West Linn: -2%.
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5-year median sales price change in West Linn:
-12%.
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Metro area median home prices: $239,900 in 2010;
$247,000 in 2009; $278,000 in 2008; $290,000 in 2007.
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Metro area average home prices: $282,100 in
2010; $289,900 in 2009; $330,300 in 2008; $342,000 in 2007.
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