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Linn County, OR
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 Established:
Dec. 28, 1847
Population: 104,900
Elev. at Albany: 210'
Area: 2,297 sq. mi.
Average Temp.: January 39.0°, July 65.6°
Assessed Value: $6,004,066,806
Real Market Value: $8,575,501,581
Annual Precipitation: 42.55"
Economy: Agriculture, forest products, rare metals,
manufacturing and recreation.
Incorporated Cities: Albany | Brownsville | Halsey | Harrisburg
| Idanha | Lebanon | Lyons | Mill City | Millersburg | Scio |
Sodaville | Sweet Home | Tangent | Waterloo
Points of Interest: Willamette and Santiam Rivers; Foster, Green
Peter and Detroit Reservoirs; Cascade Mountain range with Mt.
Jefferson, Hoodoo Ski Bowl and the Pacific Crest Trail, covered
bridges, Fair and Expo Center, Brownsville Museum and Albany
historic districts.
General Information: Linn County was created in 1847 and named
for U.S. Senator Lewis F. Linn of Missouri, who was the author
of the Donation Land Act, which provided free land to settlers
in the West. Linn County is in the center of the Willamette
Valley, with the Willamette River as its western boundary and
the crest of the Cascades as its eastern boundary. The climate
and soil conditions provide one of Oregon’s most diversified
agriculture areas, allowing a wide variety of specialty crops
and leading the nation in the production of common and perennial
ryegrass. Linn County is also home to major producers of rare
and primary metals, processed food, manufactured homes and motor
homes as well as the traditional logging and wood products
industries.
Recreational opportunities are extensive, and include hiking,
climbing and skiing, picnicking and camping in county and state
parks, boating, water skiing and fishing on lakes and rivers,
petrified wood and agate beds, covered bridges and historic
districts and events.
County Officials: Commissioners—John K. Lindsey (R) 2007, Roger
Nyquist (R) 2009, Cliff Wooten (R) 2009; Dist. Atty. Jason
Carlile (NP) 2009; Assess. Mark Noakes (NP) 2009; Clerk Steven
Druckenmiller (NP) 2007; Justices of the Peace Jad Lemhouse (NP)
2009, Richard Triska (NP) 2009; Sheriff Tim Mueller (NP) 2009;
Surv. Charles Gibbs (NP) 2009; Treas. Michelle Hawkins (NP)
2009; Co. Admin. Ralph Wyatt. |
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County History |
On December 28, 1847 the Provisional Legislature created
Linn County from the southern portion of Champoeg (later Marion)
County. The boundaries were altered in 1851 and 1854 with the
creation of Lane and Wasco Counties. The county consists of
2,297 square miles and is bounded on the north by Marion County;
on the east by Deschutes and Jefferson Counties; on the south by
Lane County; and on the west by Benton County. Linn County was
named for U.S. Senator Lewis F. Linn of Missouri who was the
author of the Donation Land Act that gave free land to settlers
in the West.
The county seat was originally located in Calapooia
(Brownsville), but in 1851 the Territorial Legislature passed an
act establishing Albany as the county seat. A special election
in 1856 reaffirmed Albany as the county seat. The Spaulding
school in Brownsville served as the first courthouse. A new
courthouse was erected in Albany in 1853 but was destroyed by
fire in 1861. A third courthouse was built in 1865 and remodeled
in 1890 and 1899. The present courthouse was constructed in 1940
adjacent to the earlier courthouses.
The general administration of Linn County business was placed in
the county court, composed of two elected commissioners and a
county judge. The county court met for the first time in
December, 1849. In 1970 the county court was replaced by a board
of county commissioners. Current county officials include three
commissioners, district attorney, assessor, clerk, sheriff,
surveyor, and treasurer.
The population in 2000 was 103,069. This represented an increase
of 12.98% over 1990.
The climate and soil conditions provide one of Oregon's most
diversified agriculture areas, allowing a wide variety of
specialty crops and leading the nation in the production of
common and perennial ryegrass. Linn County is also home to major
producers of rare and primary metals, processed food,
manufactured homes and motor homes as well as the traditional
logging and wood products industries. |
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