About HillsboroAs
the government seat of Washington county, and a prosperous center
of technological and agricultural industry, Hillsboro is a
community with much to offer. Because of such growth, Hillsboro
has many employment and education opportunities for its thriving
population.
In spite of its growth, the people of Hillsboro pride themselves
on maintaining a small-town feel. As well as its own charm,
Hillsboro is strategically located in the Willamette Valley. It is
less than 30 minutes from Portland, "America's Most Liveable
City," 60 minutes from the famed Oregon coast, and a short drive
from countless golf courses, wineries and vinyards, and any number
of venues for outdoor activities.
Population Facts:
Hillsboro was incorporated in 1876, and has grown from a small
farming community into a modern city of 70,000 residents. Today,
Hillsboro is the largest city in Washington County.
Climate:
Hillsboro averages 37.57 inches of precipitation a year. The
average growing season between frosts is six months. Over 30
years, the maximum temperature on the average has been 62.4
degrees and the minimum, 41.3 degrees. Such temperature climatic
conditions enable the Tualatin Valley to be one of the most
productive and diverse agricultural areas in the nation.
History:
When early pioneers first reached the Tualatin Valley in the
1840s, they had only an inkling of the agricultural richness of
the country. The valley was sparsely settled at the time by
retiring mountain trappers and Atfalati Indians. The trackers soon
began carving out a community and government center. Most
residents lived on farms or were engaged in milling and timber
work. Soon they founded building, trade and retail businesses.
With the arrival of the railroad in 1870s the Tualatin Valley
became the breadbasket for the river port city of Portland,
supplying dairy products, fruits and vegetables as well as timber
products.
During World War II, Hillsboro was
the residence of many new Oregonians who had come north to work in
the shipyards of Portland. Hillsboro became a bedroom community.
After the war, city fathers began luring businesses to Hillsboro
to create a new economic base. Business leaders formed an
industrial development corporation, and the city annexed land to
the north and east and laid out industrial areas. By the 1970s,
the Hillsboro area had won Intel's first plant site outside
California and spinoff companies from Tektronix.
In the 1980s came Japanese-owned
manufacturing companies. They were followed by suppliers and
customers of Intel and other manufacturers, software companies,
communication device manufacturers, Internet providers and branch
sales and corporate offices. Originally called East Tualatin
Plains, Hillsboro was named for David Hill, one of the adventurers
who traveled the Oregon Trail by wagon train to find a new life in
the Oregon Territory. |
