About Oakridge
and Westfir, Oregon
(1995
Population: Oakridge-3,200 --- Westfir-300)
Nestled in the heart of a river valley
at the foot of the Cascade Mountains, the communities
of Oakridge and Westfir Oregon are located "an
inch above the fog and an inch below the snow."
Situated on the banks
of the middle and north forks of the Willamette
River, Oakridge and Westfir are less than an hour's
drive from the Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area
via scenic Highway 58. The two communities are
surrounded by thousands of acres of national forest
lands and countless rivers, lakes and streams.
Winters are mild with
more days of sunshine than the Willamette Valley. The
average winter temperature approaches 50º and
average yearly rainfall is around 45 inches. Snow
falls near the area but seldom does it remain on the
ground long. Summers and springs are mild, cool and
green.
Due to their proximity
to the Eugene-Springfield metro area, along with
being positioned on a primary east-to-west
transportation route (Oregon Highway 58), Oakridge
and Westfir are a perfect place to live, conduct
business, or just relax. With all services and
amenities readily available, the area offers the easy
pace of small-town living with no pollution, urban
sprawl or major crime.
Residents of the area
have immediate access to hunting, year-around
fishing, hiking trails and to many other outdoor
recreation opportunities associated with the
mountains.
The closeness to the
forest has long dictated logging and wood products as
the area's major industry. Looking to the future, the
very forests which have limited the community's' size
hold the potential for increased recreation and
tourism related activities. Within the city's
corporate boundaries is enough available land to
provide for light industrial development, new retail
businesses and services, and accommodate the added
population which will accompany these enterprises.
Oakridge and Westfir
are friendly, people-oriented towns where one can
enjoy a mild climate, magnificent beauty and a
relaxed, low-keyed, way of life. Residents share a
closeness an support which cannot be found in larger
urban settings. There is something here for
practically everyone.
