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Marion County, OR
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 Established:
July 5, 1843
Population: 295,900
Elev. at Salem: 154'
Area: 1,194 sq. mi.
Average Temp.: January 39.3°, July 66.3°
Assessed Value: $15,004,583,992
Real Market Value: $24,906,908,930
Annual Precipitation: 40.35"
Economy: Government, agriculture, food processing, forest
products, manufacturing, education and tourism.
Incorporated Cities: Aumsville | Aurora | Detroit | Donald |
Gates | Gervais | Hubbard | Idanha | Jefferson | Keizer | Mill
City | Mt. Angel | Salem | Scotts Mills | Silverton | St. Paul |
Stayton | Sublimity | Turner | Woodburn
Points of Interest: State Capitol, Champoeg State Park, Silver
Falls State Park, The Oregon Garden, Wheatland Ferry, Buena
Vista Ferry, Detroit Dam and Santiam River, Breitenbush Hot
Springs, Mt. Angel Abbey, food processing plants, Willamette
University, Chemeketa Community College, Mission Mill Museum
Village, Bush House, Deepwood House and the Gilbert House
Children’s Museum.
General Information: Marion County, then called Champooick, was
created by the Provisional Government in 1843, 16 years before
Oregon gained statehood. In 1849 the name was changed to Marion
in honor of Gen. Francis Marion.
The county, located in the heart of the Willamette Valley, has
the Willamette River as its western boundary and the Cascade
Range on the east. Salem, the county seat, is one of the
valley’s oldest cities. Among its public buildings are the
Marion County Courthouse, Courthouse Square county office
building and Cherriots bus transit mall (opened in September
2000), State Capitol, Capitol Mall buildings and Salem Civic
Center. The county was presided over by the Marion County Court
until January 1, 1963, when the court was abolished and replaced
by a Board of Commissioners.
County Officials: Commissioners—Sam Brentano (R) 2008, Janet
Carlson (R) 2007, Patricia Milne (R) 2007; Dist. Atty. Walt
Beglau (NP) 2009; Clerk Bill Burgess (NP) 2008; Justices of the
Peace Steven R. Summers (NP) 2009, Janice D. Zyryanoff (NP)
2007; Sheriff Raul Ramirez (NP) 2007; Surv. Mark Riggins; Treas.
Laurie Steel (NP) 2007; Co. Admin. John Lattimer.
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County History |
Marion County, originally named Champooick District (later
Champoeg), was created on July 5, 1843, by the Provisional
Legislature. Champoeg District stretched southward to the
California border and eastward to the Rocky Mountains. The area,
however, was soon reduced with the creation of Wasco, Linn,
Polk, and other counties. Marion County's present geographical
boundaries, established in 1856, are the Willamette River and
Butte Creek on the north, the Cascade Range on the east, the
Santiam River and North Fork of the Santiam on the south, and
the Willamette River on the west. Marion County shares political
borders with Clackamas, Yamhill, Polk, and Linn Counties. The
county contains 1,194 square miles.
Champoeg District was redesignated a county in 1845 and renamed
Marion County in 1849 after General Francis Marion, a
Revolutionary War hero. That same year Salem was designated the
county seat. The territorial capital was moved from Oregon City
to Salem in 1852. The ensuing controversy over the location of
the capital was settled in 1864 when Salem was confirmed as the
state capital.
Marion County has had three courthouses, all located on the same
site in Salem. The first courthouse was completed in 1854 and
replaced in 1873. During the 1930s and 1940s efforts to move the
1873 building and preserve it as a museum failed and it was
demolished in 1952. The third and present courthouse was
completed in 1954.
Marion County had a county court form of government for the
first century of its existence. The county court exercised a
combination of executive, administrative, and judicial
functions; however as the judicial branch of state government
developed, the necessity for the county court to exercise
judicial functions diminished. In 1941 the county was divested
of all judicial responsibilities, and the remaining vestiges of
probate and civil jurisdiction were transferred to the circuit
court. In 1961 the Legislative Assembly enabled a county court
with no judicial functions to reorganize as a board of county
commissioners. With court approval, the Marion County Court was
abolished and became the Marion County Board of Commissioners in
1963.
The 2000 population of 284,834 represented an increase of 24.66%
over 1990.
Marion County is located in the center of the Willamette Valley.
Agriculture and food processing are important to the county's
economy, as are lumber, manufacturing, and education.
Government, however, is the county's main employer and economic
base. |
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