Independence, Oregon
Independence is a city of 10,199 people in Polk County, Oregon, founded in 1874.
Why visit Independence
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 12 parks and trails, 22 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Western Oregon University, Independence Cinema, Independence Historic District and Port–Manning House.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; December lows average 35°F.
Weather in Independence
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Independence
Independence is a city in Polk County, Oregon, United States, on the west bank of the Willamette River along Oregon Route 51, and east of nearby Monmouth. It is part of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area. Thirty square blocks of the oldest part of Independence form the National Register of Historic Places-listed Independence Historic District.
From the Wikipedia article Independence, Oregon (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Western Oregon University
School · 2.1 mi
Public university in Monmouth, Oregon, USA
Museums and landmarks6
Independence Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic district in Oregon, USA
Port–Manning House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
Historic house in Oregon, USA
Saint Patrick's Roman Catholic Church
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Church building in Independence, United States of America
Jensen Arctic Museum
Museum · 2.2 mi
Museum at Western Oregon University
Parks, trails and playgrounds12
Restaurants and cafes22
Golden Hop Saloon
Restaurant · American, Barbecue · 0.7 mi
133 C Street
Mo-Fr 11:30-21:00; Sa 10:00-22:00; Su 10:00-20:00
Mangiare Italian Restaurant
Restaurant · Italian · 0.7 mi
114 South Main Street
Su-Th 15:00-20:00; Fr-Sa 15:00-21:00
The Inferno
Restaurant · Argentinian · 0.7 mi
915 North Main Street
Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 12:00-19:00; Mo-Th 11:00-21:00
Lucky Dragon
Restaurant · Chinese · 0.6 mi
101 North Polk Street
Su-Mo, We-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-21:30
Gilgamesh Brewing: The River
Restaurant · 0.8 mi
370 South Main Street
Mo-Th 11:30-20:30; Fr 11:30-20:30; Sa 09:00-21:00; Su 09:00-20:30
10 more on the map.
History
Independence was founded by pioneers who migrated from Independence, Missouri. Elvin A. Thorp arrived in the Independence area in 1845 and staked a claim north of Ash Creek in June of that year. He platted a small townsite that later became known as "Thorp's Town of Independence" or the "Original Town of Independence", now known as "Old Town". Thorp named the town for his eponymous hometown in Missouri, as well as in honor of Andrew Jackson's characteristic of "Independence".
In 1847, Henry Hill came across the plains looking for a level piece of ground on which to raise stock. On November 14, 1847, he found his location on the west bank of the Willamette River (south of Ash Street) and marked off his donation land claim, which was 1 mile (1.6 km) square. In 1867, after returning from the California gold mines, Hill platted 40 acres (160,000 m2) for a townsite, thereafter to be referred to as Henry Hill's Town of Independence. The city charter bill of February 26, 1885, incorporated E.A. Thorp's Independence and Henry Hill's Independence. Henry Hill Elementary School was named in honor of the latter.
When the pioneers first arrived in Independence, the Kalapuya people, who had lived in the area for centuries, warned them about the dangers of flooding along the Willamette River. The Kalapuya had experienced devastating floods in the past, which had even swept away their horses.
From the History section of Independence, Oregon on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship3
Saint Patrick Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 0.7 mi
1275 E Street, Independence
Shopping3
Roth's Fresh Markets
Grocery · 1.1 mi
1517 Monmouth Independence Highway, Monmouth
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries8
Map of Independence
63 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°F | 35°F | 7.5 in |
| Feb | 51°F | 36°F | 5.6 in |
| Mar | 56°F | 38°F | 5.1 in |
| Apr | 61°F | 40°F | 3.7 in |
| May | 68°F | 45°F | 2.4 in |
| Jun | 73°F | 49°F | 1.5 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 52°F | 0.3 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 52°F | 0.5 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 49°F | 1.6 in |
| Oct | 64°F | 44°F | 3.8 in |
| Nov | 52°F | 38°F | 7.2 in |
| Dec | 46°F | 35°F | 8.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Dallas 2 Ne (8 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Polk County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-04-07: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2021-05-04: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-28: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2016-02-17: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2012-03-02: Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Salem - Willamette Valley Airport (SLE) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 11 miles away.
- Dallas 7 mi northwest, about 12 min by car
- Salem 10 mi northeast, about 16 min by car
- Four Corners 12 mi northeast, about 19 min by car
- Albany 17 mi south, about 27 min by car
- Corvallis 20 mi south, about 33 min by car
- Canby 38 mi northeast, about 1 h by car
- Beaverton 47 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Aloha 47 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Hillsboro 48 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Portland 54 mi northeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Independence Heritage Museum, Katr67, Public domain
- Saint Patrick's Roman Catholic Church Independence, 46percent, Public domain
- Jensen Arctic Museum 2 - Western Oregon University - Monmouth Oregon, Tedder, CC BY 3.0
- WOU-Todd-Hall, 77duda77, CC BY-SA 3.0
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