Page Contents for Island City, Oregon

Statistics & Facts

History & History-related items

Government

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Statistics & Facts

The Oregon state capital is Salem.
The population of Island City is approximately 830 (1990), 989 (2010).
The approximate number of families is 269 (1990), 399 (2010).
The amount of land area in Island City is 1.029 sq. kilometers.
The amount of surface water is 0 sq kilometers.
The distance from Island City to Washington DC is 2213 miles.
The distance to the Oregon state capital is 255 miles. (as the crow flies)
Island City is positioned 45.33 degrees north of the equator and 118.04 degrees west of the prime meridian.

History & History Related Items

Island City is a small community of 830 people situated on an island eight miles in length and from one to one-and-one-halfmiles in width formed by the Grande Ronde River in the center of Union County. It began as a business center in 1872 andwas designated a post office in 1873. The original town was platted and dedicated by J.L. Caviness and M. Sterling. Thisinstrument was signed March 10, 1874 by President Ulysses S. Grant. Island City became an incorporated city on February3, 1904.

Early settlers to the Grande Ronde Valley found all stream beds, as well as the Grande Ronde River, choked with brush,beaver dams, and debris. About one mile below the present Riverside Park, the river bed was so clogged that the GrandeRonde River divided and flowed off to the south and joined a stream that now runs through the La Grande Country Club golfcourse. It rejoined the main Grande Ronde River several miles to the east. The land between the river branches becameknown as "The Island."

In 1972 Sterling and Caviness decided to build a grist mill on the island and E.S. Comas built a small store. Sterling andCaviness thought it was a good place for a town and immediately had the land surveyed. When it came to the question of whatthey would name the town, they said, "Why, Island City, of course."

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The settling of Island City

1872

The incorporation of Island City

3 February 1904

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Island City City Government

Island City has a Mayor/Council form of government with an appointed City Recorder. Address correspondence to CityRecorder, 10202 S. McAlister Road, Island City, OR 97850. Phone: 963-5017.