Stevenson, Washington

Image:Port entrance - Stevenson, Washington 2.jpg

Stevenson is named for early settler George H. Stevenson.{{cite book|last=Meany|first=Edmond S.|title=Origin of Washington geographic names|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015027074981;view=1up;seq=306|year=1923|publisher=University of Washington Press|location=Seattle|page=290}} The Stevenson family, who settled in the Gorge in the 1800s from Missouri, founded the town of Stevenson on the old Shepard donation land claim. Under the auspices of the Stevenson Land Company, George Stevenson purchased the original townsite for $24,000 in 1893, building the town along the lower flat near the river. Settlers expanded the original dock to serve the daily arrivals of sternwheelers unloading passengers, cargo and loading logs.

In 1893, in a dispute over rental fees, an unknown crew transported the county records from the town of Cascades to Stevenson. Stevenson became the county seat of Skamania overnight. Stevenson was officially incorporated on December 16, 1907. In 1908 the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway arrived, pushing the town up the hill away from the river. Streets were graded, wooden sidewalks constructed and the city asked residents to keep their cows from roaming the streets.{{cite web|title=History of Stevenson|url=http://www.cityofstevenson.com/history.html|publisher=City of Stevenson, Washington|url-status=usurped|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20130109091059/http://www.cityofstevenson.com/history.html|archive-date=January 9, 2013|accessdate=July 13, 2012}}

File:View of Stevenson, Washington facing south toward the Columbia River, the Oregon Cascades, and Bridge of the Gods, May 2022.jpg

The city is situated on the north bank of the Columbia River within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area and is the county seat of Skamania County. Stevenson is approximately {{convert|45|mi|km}} east of Portland, Oregon, and {{convert|20|mi|km}} west of Hood River.{{cite WSDOT map |year=2014 |link=yes |accessdate=May 4, 2025}} Across the river to the south is the city of Cascade Locks in Hood River County, Oregon, which is connected via the Bridge of the Gods, a toll bridge that also carries the Pacific Crest Trail. The bridge is {{convert|3|mi|km}} southwest of Stevenson and is the only crossing of the Columbia River between Portland and Hood River.{{Cite web |title=Bridge of the Gods |url=https://portofcascadelocks.org/bridge-of-the-gods/ |publisher=Port of Cascade Locks |access-date=May 3, 2025}}{{Cite web |title=Historic Bridge of the Gods |date=August 15, 2023 |url=https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/trail-sections/washington/bridge-of-the-gods/ |publisher=Pacific Crest Trail Association |access-date=May 3, 2025}}

According to the United States Census Bureau, Stevenson has a total area of {{convert|1.79|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|1.65|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.14|sqmi|km2}} is water.{{Cite web |title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files - Washington |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_53.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=May 3, 2025}} The city lies at an elevation of about {{convert|102|ft|m}} above sea level where basalt cliffs rise steeply to the north.{{cn|date=May 2025}} The Columbia widens here into a straight reach that funnels dependable winds, and the city's waterfront at Bob's Beach is a popular launch site for windsurfers and kiteboarders.{{Cite web |title=Bob's Beach |url=https://www.portofskamania.org/bob-s-beach |publisher=Port of Skamania County |access-date=May 3, 2025}}

File:View of Stevenson, Washington facing south toward the Columbia River, the Oregon Cascades, May 2022.jpgLocated in the western Columbia River Gorge, Stevenson has a warm‑summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csb) that blends the wet marine influence of the Cascades' west side with the drier interior plateau to the east. Summers are warm and distinctly dry: the average high in July is about {{convert|82|F|C|abbr=on}}, and the month typically receives only {{convert|0.6|in|mm|abbr=on}} of rain.{{Cite web |url=https://weatherspark.com/y/1224/Average-Weather-in-Stevenson-Washington-United-States-Year-Round |title =Climate and Average Weather Year Round in Stevenson, Washington |website=WeatherSpark |access-date=May 3, 2025}}{{Cite web |url=https://en.climate-data.org/north-america/united-states-of-america/washington/stevenson-124966/ |title=Stevenson Climate Data |website=Climate-Data.org |access-date=May 3, 2025}}{{better source needed|date=May 2025}}

Winters are cool, wet, and occasionally snowy; January's mean temperature is around {{convert|35|F|C|abbr=on}} and average precipitation exceeds {{convert|11|in|mm|abbr=on}}. Annual rainfall varies with elevation, ranging from about {{convert|66|in|mm|abbr=on}} at gauges near the river{{Cite web |url=https://www.bestplaces.net/climate/city/wa/stevenson |title=Climate – Stevenson, Washington |website=BestPlaces |access-date=May 3, 2025}}{{better source needed|date=May 2025}} to more than {{convert|80|in|mm|abbr=on}} on the surrounding forested slopes.

Snowfall averages roughly {{convert|13|in|cm|abbr=on}} per year, but sporadic Arctic‑air outflow events funneling through the Gorge can deliver heavier snow and freezing rain. 

Persistent gap winds—typically {{convert|15|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}–{{convert|25|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} westerlies in the warm season and strong easterlies during winter outbreaks—make Stevenson's waterfront "one of the windiest spots in the Gorge", and a popular venue for wind‑powered recreation. These winds arise from pressure‑gradient‑driven gap flow through the Gorge, which can generate high‑wind conditions in towns along the Columbia River year‑round.{{Cite report |url=https://publications.anl.gov/anlpubs/2022/02/173231.pdf |title=Gap Flows Along the Columbia River Observed During the WFIP2 Field Campaign |publisher=Argonne National Laboratory & NOAA Global Systems Laboratory |date=2022 |pages=1–2}}

{{Weather box

| location = Stevenson, Washington

| single line = Y

| collapsed = Y

| Jan record high F = 58

| Feb record high F = 64

| Mar record high F = 77

| May record high F = 99

| Jun record high F = 102

| Jul record high F = 105

| Aug record high F = 103

| Sep record high F = 100

| Oct record high F = 84

| Nov record high F = 64

| Dec record high F = 58

| year record high F = 105

| Jan high F = 37.9

| Feb high F = 42.6

| Mar high F = 50.5

| Apr high F = 57.4

| May high F = 65

| Jun high F = 71.4

| Jul high F = 80

| Aug high F = 80.6

| Sep high F = 73.4

| Oct high F = 60.5

| Nov high F = 45.7

| Dec high F = 37.3

| year high F = 58.5

| Jan mean F = 32.8

| Feb mean F = 35.5

| Mar mean F = 40.9

| Apr mean F = 46

| May mean F = 52.6

| Jun mean F = 58.3

| Jul mean F = 64.3

| Aug mean F = 64.1

| Sep mean F = 58.

| Oct mean F = 48.4

| Nov mean F = 39.1

| Dec mean F = 32.5

| year mean F = 47.7

| Jan low F = 27.6

| Feb low F = 28.3

| Mar low F = 31.4

| Apr low F = 34.6

| May low F = 40.2

| Jun low F = 45.3

| Jul low F = 48.5

| Aug low F = 47.6

| Sep low F = 42.7

| Oct low F = 36.3

| Nov low F = 32.6

| Dec low F = 27.8

| year low F = 36.9

| Jan record low F = -9

| Feb record low F = -4

| Mar record low F = 11

| May record low F = 27

| Jun record low F = 30

| Jul record low F = 34

| Aug record low F = 30

| Sep record low F = 26

| Oct record low F = 15

| Nov record low F = -2

| Dec record low F = -7

| year record low F = -9

| precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation inch = 13.9

| Feb precipitation inch = 11.2

| Mar precipitation inch = 9.1

| Apr precipitation inch = 6.1

| May precipitation inch = 3.4

| Jun precipitation inch = 2.3

| Jul precipitation inch = 0.6

| Aug precipitation inch = 0.9

| Sep precipitation inch = 2.7

| Oct precipitation inch = 6.4

| Nov precipitation inch = 13.8

| Dec precipitation inch = 15.3

| year precipitation inch = 85.8

| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in.

| Jan precipitation days = 19

| Feb precipitation days = 16

| Mar precipitation days = 18

| Apr precipitation days = 16

| May precipitation days = 12

| Jun precipitation days = 9

| Jul precipitation days = 3

| Aug precipitation days = 4

| Sep precipitation days = 7

| Oct precipitation days = 12

| Nov precipitation days = 19

| Dec precipitation days = 19

| year precipitation days = 154

| Jan snow inch = 23.4

| Feb snow inch = 14.6

| Mar snow inch = 5.3

| May snow inch = 0.0

| Jun snow inch = 0.0

| Jul snow inch = 0.0

| Sep snow inch = 0.0

| Oct snow inch = 0.1

| Nov snow inch = 7.3

| Dec snow inch = 21.5

| year snow inch = 73

| unit snow days = 0.1 in.

| Apr record high F = 89

| Apr record low F = 24

| Aug snow inch = 0

| Apr snow inch = 0

| source = WeatherBase{{Cite web |title=Stevenson, Washington Travel Weather Averages (Weatherbase) |url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=61154 |access-date=May 9, 2023 |website=Weatherbase}}{{better source needed|date=May 2025}}

}}

{{US Census population

| align = right

| 1910 = 387

| 1920 = 348

| 1930 = 400

| 1940 = 563

| 1950 = 584

| 1960 = 927

| 1970 = 916

| 1980 = 1172

| 1990 = 1147

| 2000 = 1200

| 2010 = 1465

| 2020 = 1491

| align-fn = center

| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|author=United States Census Bureau|author-link=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 6, 2014}}
2020 Census{{cite web |date=May 2023 |title=Census Bureau profile: Stevenson, Washington |url=https://data.census.gov/all?q=Stevenson%20city,%20Washington |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=May 14, 2024}}

}}

File:Skamania County Washington Court House.jpg

At the 2010 census there were 1,465 people in 640 households, including 390 families, in the city. The population density was {{convert|887.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 703 housing units at an average density of {{convert|426.1|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 93.9% White, 0.6% African American, 1.8% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.5% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.8%.{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=December 19, 2012}}

Of the 640 households, 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were married couples living together, 15.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.1% were non-families. 33.4% of households were one person and 12.8% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.86.

The median age was 42.1 years. 23% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.5% were from 25 to 44; 30.6% were from 45 to 64; and 15.3% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.1% male and 52.9% female.

File:Stevenson Washington city hall.jpg

As of the 2000 census, there were 1,200 people in 474 households, including 307 families, in the city. The population density was 813.4 people per square mile (313.1/km{{sup|2}}). There were 523 housing units at an average density of 354.5 per square mile (136.4/km{{sup|2}}). The racial makeup of the city was 91.92% White, 0.17% African American, 2.42% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 1.75% from other races, and 3.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.33% of the population.

Of the 474 households, 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 29.5% of households were one person and 10.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 25.1% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.

The median household income was $31,979 and the median family income was $38,750. Males had a median income of $36,042 versus $25,893 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,602. About 17.8% of families and 22.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.2% of those under age 18 and 17.0% of those age 65 or over.

File:Stevenson Washington elementary school.jpg

Stevenson is served by the Stevenson-Carson School District, which encompasses the entirety of Skamania County. It includes Carson Elementary School in Carson and Stevenson Elementary School in Stevenson. The only middle school in the area is Wind River Middle School, and the only high school is Stevenson High School, both located in Stevenson.{{Cite web |url=https://www.ci.stevenson.wa.us/community/page/schools |title=Schools |access-date=August 12, 2024 |website=City of Stevenson, Washington}}

As of the 2022 American Community Survey, 35.8% of people living in Stevenson had a high school diploma or equivalent education. 7.8% had associate's degrees, 12.5% had bachelor's degrees, and 9.4% had graduate or professional degrees.{{Cite web |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Stevenson-Carson_School_District,_Washington?g=9700000US5308520#education |title=Stevenson-Carson School District, Washington - Census Bureau Profile |access-date=August 12, 2024 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}

Stevenson is situated within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, which contains the highland terrain areas of Greenleaf Peak and Table Mountain. Hikers can access the Pacific Crest Trail south of the community.

State Route 14 runs through Stevenson and continues west to Vancouver and east to Dallesport. It is a two-lane highway with occasional truck climbing lanes. The Bridge of the Gods is southwest of Stevenson and connects the north side of the river to Cascade Locks and Interstate 84.{{cite web |date=April 2, 2018 |title=Corridor Sketch Summary – SR 14: Washougal to US 97 Jct (Maryhill) |url=https://wsdot.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-10/CSS131-SR14-Washougal-US97JctMaryhill.pdf |publisher=Washington State Department of Transportation |accessdate=May 4, 2025}}

Stevenson is also served by Skamania County Transit, the county's public transit system, which operates daily bus service to Vancouver, North Bonneville, Bingen, and Cascade Locks.{{cite web |date=January 2025 |title=Skamania County Transit Weekday Schedule |url=https://www.skamaniacounty.org/home/showpublisheddocument/15461/638711502037500000 |publisher=Skamania County |accessdate=May 4, 2025}} The system is part of the regional Gorge Translink alliance and shares a common annual pass system with other operators in the Columbia River Gorge area.{{cite web |title=About Us |url=https://gorgetransit.com/about-us/ |publisher=Gorge TransLink |accessdate=May 4, 2025}}{{cite news |last=Hewitt |first=Scott |date=June 3, 2023 |title=Car-free visits to Columbia River Gorge sites are possible — with planning |url=https://www.columbian.com/news/2023/jun/03/car-free-visits-to-columbia-river-gorge-sites-are-possible/ |work=The Columbian |accessdate=May 4, 2025}}

{{stack|{{portal|Washington (state)}}}}

• Skamania Lodge

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{{commons category|Stevenson, Washington}}

{{Wikivoyage|Stevenson}}

• [https://www.ci.stevenson.wa.us/ City of Stevenson Website]

{{Skamania County, Washington}}

{{Washington (state) county seats}}

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Category:Cities in Washington (state)

Category:Cities in Skamania County, Washington

Category:County seats in Washington (state)

Category:Columbia River Gorge

Category:Washington (state) populated places on the Columbia River