RELOCATION GUIDE TO ALBANY, OREGON, AND SURROUNDING AREAS


History:  The Donation Land Claim Act of the 1880's granted acreage to each white male citizen who was at least 18 years of age.  Hiram Smead and Abner Hackleman staked their claims at the site where the Calapooia River meets the Willamette River and forms a large pool, called Takenah in Indian language.

Walter and Thomas Monteith purchased the Smead claim in 1848 for $400 and a pony.  On the east bank of the Willamette River, just below the mouth of the Calapooia River, town lots were laid out, and the town of Albany, Oregon, was christened in honor of the Monteiths' hometown of Albany, New York.  They built and in lived in Albany's first frame house in 1849.  This house has been used as a military headquarters, storehouse, trading post, meeting house, and the birthplace of the Republican Party in Oregon.  The Monteith house is available for tours through the Monteith Society.

Location:  Albany is located in the heart of the Willamette Valley with the Willamette River bordering the community.  The City of Portland, the Cascade Mountains, and the Pacific Ocean are all within 1-1/2 hours driving time, putting Albany in an excellent position for economic and recreational opportunities.

Size:  Albany contains 16 square miles with an urban groth boundary of 21.2 square miles.  Linn County covers an area of 2,297 square miles.

Population:  Albany has a population within its city limits of over 41,000.  Linn County's population in 2002 was approximately 105,000, and the projection for 2003 is 106,000.

Climate:  The climate of Albany is mild.  However, annual seasons of fall, winter, spring, and summer are discernable.  On the average, 72% of the total rainfall occurs from November through March.  Average maximum temperature in January is 45 degrees and in July 80 degrees.  Our annual rainfall is 42 inches.

Housing and Land:  Two and three bedroom homes in the Albany area are usually available for rent or purchase.  Construction in Albany has kept pace with recent growth, both in singe and multiple dwelling units.  The bulk of rental housing, depending on size, location, and quality will range from $500 to $1200 per month.

Mid-Valley construction of single and multiple-unit dwellings has kept pace with the recent growth in population.  The cost of a typical new 1200 square foot, three-bedroom home begins at approximately $130,000.

Medical Facilities:  Samaritan Albany General Hospital is a 76-bed acute care facility and health center that has provided medical services to the greater Albany area since 1924.  Hospital services include but are not limited to:  a trauma level III Emergency Department, a 6400 square foot Critical & Cardiac Care Unit, Physical Rehabilitation, the Women's Center (offering home-like birth suites and a variety of expectant parent classes), HomeCare Network (offering comprehensive services for a patient at home), Evergreen Hospice (services for terminally-ill patients and their families) and new stare-of-the-art Radiology Services including mammography, stereotactic biopsy, and MPI.

Samaritan Health represents the majority of Albany's primary care physicians, including those who specialize in family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics/gynecology and pediatrics.  These physicians also manage the UrgentCare Walk-In Medical Clinic and pharmacy on Geary Street SE, Rebound Physical Medicine and Albany Occupational Medicine.  Within Samaritan Health there are 165 physicians, 800 employees and 150 active volunteers service the health needs of the community.

Recreation:  The area enjoys quality libraries, museums, art galleries, community theater, a variety of musical presentations and collegiate and professional sporting events.  The cinty maintains 29 area parks; five have lakes, and three have boat ramps.  There is 785 acres of county park lands, and five National Forests.  Within a 50-mile radius there are many beautiful campground and recreational sites, state, county, and private parks.  Along the 62 mile section of the Cascdes' crest, from Mt. Hood south to the Mt. Washington Wilderness Area, there are more than 100 lakes, campsites, picnic areas, and historical markers.

Year round Albany Area sporting events consist of golfing, 5k and 10k walk/runs, frisbee golf, softball, and hiking.

Summer recreation consists of kayaking, white water rafting, rock climbing, parasailing and much more.

In the fall, a little more than one hour drive from Albany, there is excellent salmon and steelhead fishing available along the Oregon coast.  Fifty miles east of Albany, streams and lakes in the Cascades provide splendid trout fishing in the summer.  Warm water game fishing is available in ponds and backwater areas along the Willamette River.  For the hunter, when in season, there are migratory waterfowl, quail, pheasant, black tail deer, grouse and elk.

Many winter and year-round events including cross-country and downhill skiing, snowboarding, snow mobiling, tubing, backpacking, hiking, and camping can be experienced in the Cascade or Coastal Mountains.  Resorts in the area include Mt Hood (2.5 hours away), Mt. Bachelor (3 hours away), Hoodoo Ski Bowl (1.5 hours away).

Many local groups, including the Boys and Girls Club, YMCA, Albany Community Schools, local colleges, and the city's Parks and Recreation Department organize events and provide recreation and leisure activities and services.  Private recreation clubs and local businesses provide opportunities for indoor racquetball & outdoor swimming.

Albany offers many amusement activities including movie theaters, bowling alleys, roller rinks, skateboard and BMX park, summer outdoor concerts, civic theater, and other diverse entertainment.

For more information contact:  Albany Parks and Recreation (541) 917-7777 and Linn County Parks (541) 967-3917.

Education:  Greater Albany Public School District encompasses 14 elementary, 3 middle, and 2 high schools with annual enrollment of over 7,500 students.  Santiam Christian High School and other private schools operate in the Albany area.

Linn-Benton Community College is a 2 year college in Albany, providing general and technical education, lower division transfer, vocational training and skills upgrading.  Four other colleges and universities are located within 45 miles.

Oregon State University, located in Corvallis, 15 minutes west of Albany, offers world class research in forestry, agricultural sciences, veterinary science, oceanography, and engineering.

The University of Oregon, located in Eugene 45 miles south of Albany, offers world class research in molecular biology, lasers, optics and neuroscience.

Business Activity:  Albany's economic base remains one of the most stable and diverse in Oregon.  Metals manufacturing, agriculture, and secondary wood products dominate the area economy.  Indicators of economic strengths are the location of several new industries, expansion of many established manufacturers, strong service and retail sectors, and many new housing developments.

Major industries/employers include:  Wah Chang, Weyerhauser Paper Mill, Golden West Manufactured Homes, National Frozen Foods, Target Distribution Center, Oregon Freeze Dry, Pacific Cast Technologies, Oberto Smokecraft, and Unitrin Insurance Company.

Employment Services include:

Barrett Business Service  (541) 928-4130
Community Services Consortium  (541) 928-6335
Express Personnel Services  (541) 967-3600
Kelly Services, Inc.  (541) 967-8858
Linn Area Business Resource  (541) 967-3866
Oregon Employment Department  (541) 967-2171
SelecTemp Employment Service  (541)967-6881

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