French Prairie settlers built a log church near this locale in 1836.[6] On January 6, 1839, Father (later Archbishop) Blanchet celebrated the first Catholic mass in Oregon at St. Paul, when he blessed the log church and dedicated it to St. Paul.[6]
St. Paul post office was established in 1874.[5] The city was incorporated in 1901.
Pioneer cemetery
St. Paul Pioneer Cemetery, founded in 1839, is the burial location for William Cannon, the only authenticated Revolutionary War veteran buried in Oregon.[8][9] He had arrived in Oregon in 1811 as part of John Jacob Astor's American Fur Company.[8][9] His is the only grave marked with an upright headstone in the cemetery.[10] Only one other grave is marked; the rest of the grave markers were mistakenly bulldozed in the 1930s.[11]
Archbishop Blanchet was originally buried in the pioneer cemetery, but his remains were later moved to St. Paul Catholic Cemetery a few blocks away.[9][11] The new cemetery was founded in 1875 and includes a "Nuns Corner", where several sisters who had originally been buried in a corner of the convent garden were reinterred.[14] Early settler and provisional legislator William J. Bailey is also buried at the new cemetery.
Geography
St. Paul's U.S. Post Office
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.29 square miles (0.75 km2), all of it land.[15]
As of the census of 2010, there were 421 people, 147 households, and 113 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,451.7 inhabitants per square mile (560.5/km2). There were 151 housing units at an average density of 520.7 per square mile (201.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.1% White, 0.5% Native American, 4.8% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.7% of the population.[4]
There were 147 households, of which 43.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.0% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 23.1% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.28.[4]
The median age in the city was 38 years. 30.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.5% were from 25 to 44; 25.7% were from 45 to 64; and 12.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.2% male and 50.8% female.[4]
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 354 people, 123 households, and 90 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,231.4 inhabitants per square mile (475.4/km2). There were 128 housing units at an average density of 445.2 per square mile (171.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 78.25% White, 0.28% African American, 0.56% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 18.08% from other races, and 2.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 25.71% of the population.[4]
There were 123 households, out of which 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.5% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families. 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% 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 3.34.[4]
In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.5% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 110.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.7 males.[4]
The median income for a household in the city was $43,750, and the median income for a family was $55,000. Males had a median income of $39,583 versus $25,357 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,144. About 3.8% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.[4]
Also, every summer, the Professional Bull Riders holds a minor-league, Touring Pro Division (TPD) event in St. Paul.
Museums and other points of interest
The center of St. Paul was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1982 as the St. Paul Historic District.[18] The district includes 63 contributing properties,[19] with St. Paul Catholic Church, which is also individually listed on the NRHP, as the centerpiece.[6]
