Sherwood is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States. Located in the southeast corner of the county, it is a residential community in the Tualatin Valley, southwest of Portland. The population was 20,450 at the 2020 census.[4] Sherwood was first incorporated in 1893 as a town. Originally named Smockville after its founder, James Christopher Smock, the town was given its current name by local businessman Robert Alexander in 1891. The name "Sherwood" may have come from Sherwood, Michigan or the Sherwood Forest in England.
History
Sherwood downtown from the corner of Railroad and Main looking north
The name "Sherwood" came either after Sherwood Forest in England or Sherwood, Michigan[6][7] In 1885, the Smocks gave a right-of-way on their property to the Portland and Willamette Valley Railway. The Smocks platted the town in 1889, the same year rail service began. Tradition has it that no one, not even the town's founders, liked the name "Smock Ville," and so a public meeting was held to rename the town.[8] Robert Alexander, who was both a local resident and prominent businessman, suggested the name "Sherwood." According to post office records, Alexander was from Sherwood, Michigan,[9] and also said the forest which surrounded the city was like Sherwood Forest in England. The U.S. Postal Department began sending mail to the Town of Sherwood, Oregon, on July 5, 1891. Smock was the first postmaster. The Town of Sherwood was incorporated under Oregon Senate Bill 36 in 1893.[10][11]
The main industry in the 1890s was a pressed brick yard which closed in 1896, a victim of the deep recession of 1893.[12] The Klondike Gold Rush of 1897 revived Sherwood's economy.[citation needed] In 2014, Money ranked Sherwood fifth among the top fifty best places to live in the United States.[13] In August 2009, Family Circle named the city one of America's most "family friendly" small towns.[citation needed]
The population of the city in 1911 was 350 within a 1-square-mile (2.6 km2) city limit. The city has since expanded to nearly 4.5 square miles (12 km2).[14]
As of the 2020 census, there were 20,450 people and 6,829 households in the city.
2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 18,194 people, 6,316 households, and 4,857 families living in the city. The population density was 4,221.3 inhabitants per square mile (1,629.9/km2). There were 6,569 housing units at an average density of 1,524.1 per square mile (588.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 88.5% White, 0.8% African American, 0.5% Native American, 3.5% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 2.7% from other races, and 3.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.0% of the population.
There were 6,316 households, of which 49.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.5% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 23.1% were non-families. 19.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.31.
The median age in the city was 34.3 years. 33.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 32.9% were from 25 to 44; 21.6% were from 45 to 64; and 6.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.9% male and 51.1% female.
The median income for a household in the city was $82,579, and the median income for a family was $90,492. Males had a median income of $66,052 versus $47,013 for females. The per capita income for the city was $31,047. About 2.2% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 1.0% of those age 65 or over.
2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 11,791 people, 4,253 households, and 3,300 families living in the city. The population density was 2,895.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,118.0/km2). There were 4,412 housing units at an average density of 1,083.4 per square mile (418.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 92.36% White, 0.43% African American, 0.51% Native American, 2.22% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.76% from other races, and 2.67% from two or more ethnicity. Hispanic or Latino of any ethnicity were 4.72% of the population.
There were 4,253 households, out of which 46.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.7% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.4% were non-families. 17.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 31.7% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 41.2% from 25 to 44, 16.4% from 45 to 64, and 5.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $62,518, and the median income for a family was $67,277. Males had a median income of $47,920 versus $33,657 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,793. About 1.5% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.
Sherwood has five elementary schools (Hawks View, Middleton, Archer Glen, Ridges, Charter), one middle school, Sherwood Middle School, and one high school, Sherwood High School, in the Sherwood School District. As of the 2017–2018 school year, there were between 500 and 600 students attending each of the four elementary schools, 490 students at Laurel Ridge Middle School (Laurel Ridge Middle School does not exist as of now, at some point it merged with SMS causing the enrollment at SMS to rise), 686 at Sherwood Middle School, and 1,712 students enrolled at Sherwood High School.[21]
As of the 2022–2023 school year, the amount of students attending the five elementary schools are between 212 (being Sherwood Charter School, which counts both as a elementary school and middle school) and 619 (being Ridges), at Sherwood Middle School there are 1,209 students attending, and at Sherwood High School there are 1,619 students attending. The total amount of students attending the Sherwood School District is 4,854 students.[22]
Notable people
Del Baker (1892–1973) was a professional baseball player, coach, and manager with the Detroit Tigers.
Jim Benning (born 1963), is a former Canadian professional ice hockey executive and former player.
Dave Edstrom (1938–2019) was a decathlete, He won the gold medal in the men's decathlon event at the 1959 Pan American Games in Chicago
^McArthur, Lewis Ankeny (1944). Oregon Geographic Names. Binfords & Mort. p. 447. although there is a local tradition that the name was chosen in compliment to Sherwood Forest , England
^McArthur, Lewis A. (1992). Oregon geographic names. Lewis L. McArthur (6th ed., rev. & enl. ed.). Portland: Oregon Historical Society Press. p. 760. ISBN0-87595-236-4. OCLC25874046. It is supposed he did so because he had formerly lived near Sherwood , Michigan , although there is a local tradition that the name was chosen in compliment to Sherwood Forest
^
Legislative Assembly (1893). Journal of the Senate. 17th Regular Session. State of Oregon. pp. 38, 94, 117, 121, 122, 501, 529, 537. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
