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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.
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. One with
sidewalks with an old-fashioned grid design. 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. 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 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
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. These hill homes have all the amenities desired such
as formal dining rooms, entertainment centers, 3-car garages, and monster
kitchens. Plus many have views.
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.
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.
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.
Neighborhood Associations The City has 11
neighborhood associations.
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.
Parks 370 acres
Public Transportation Bus 35 (Macadam) travels between the
downtown Portland bus mall and West Linn. View a map and schedule for
bus 35.
1Drive
Time to Downtown About 35-40 minutes.
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.
3Crime
Stats for 2007 20 violent crimes, 40 residential burglaries,
and 13 motor vehicle thefts. Total crimes per 1,000 residents was
14.
4Shopping
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.
Renters vs. Home Owners Owner occupied - 78.6% and renter occupied
- 21.4%.
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.
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.
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.
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.
School Report Card Grades Elementary schools: A/B. Middle schools:
A/B. High school: A. Click
here for report card details.
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 2007 Home Prices
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Average price for homes sold in West
Linn in 2007: $497,804.
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Median price for homes sold in West Linn in 2007:
$444,900.
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2007 price appreciation in West Linn: 15%.
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5-year price appreciation in West Linn: 56%.
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2007 metro area home prices: The average price
was $342,900 (6.3% appreciation from 2006) and the median price was
$290,000 (7.2% appreciation from 2006).
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