District 20
Oregon House District 20 includes the community of West Salem, portions of downtown and South Salem, and the cities of Independence and Monmouth.
The City of Monmouth is home to 9,630 permanent residents and Oregon's oldest public university, Western Oregon University. The city was settled by pioneers from Monmouth, Illinois, who immigrated with plans to start their own university.
Founded in 1856 as Monmouth University, Western Oregon University is a leading public liberal arts institution and home to the nationally renowned Teaching Research Institute. Enrollment in 2009 – 2010 reached 5,654, a university record. To learn more about Western Oregon University, visit www.wou.edu.
The City of Independence has a population of 9,510. It was first settled in 1845. The name was derived from Independence, Missouri. From the late 1890's until the 1940's, Independence was known as the “Hop Capital of the World.” The climate and soil of the rich river bottomland made Independence and the surrounding area ideal for growing hops. The hops production dwindled and eventually was overtaken by other crops. Today, the City of Independence is a beautiful rural community that maintains an inviting small town atmosphere.
Annually, the communities of Monmouth and Independence join together to host one of the Willamette Valley’s largest 4th of July celebrations. The highlight of the multi-day event is a festive parade that stretches the three miles between the two towns.
West Salem is located in Polk County on the west bank of the Willamette River. Originally established as a separate city and community, West Salem was annexed into the City of Salem in 1949. West Salem continues to thrive. West Salem High School is the newest of the Salem-Keizer district’s six high schools. West Salem is also home to Wallace Marine Park, combining river access for boaters and swimmers with a world-class softball facility that draws teams and tournaments from across the nation.
Across the Willamette River, District 20 stretches into Marion County, encompassing downtown Salem, the Capitol building, and Willamette University. The district boundary then parallels the river to the south, reaching as far as Judson Middle School and Sprague High School. The graceful neighborhoods south of Candelaria Grade School including Laurel Springs, Croisan Creek, Dorchester and Illahe are also part of District 20.
District 20 Links
