Damascus is a city located in Clackamas County, Oregon, incorporated as a result of the passing of Measure 3-138, an initiative on the ballot for the 2004 general election. The city was the first new city in Oregon since the early 1980s. The city is located east of Happy Valley and Interstate 205 and west of Boring; its northern boundary is the Multnomah County line. The original heart of the community is along Oregon Highway 212, which as of 2004 now serves as part of the city's southern boundary. Clackamas County is a county located in the state of Oregon. ... In political science, the initiative (also known as popular or citizens initiative) provides a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote on a proposed statute, constitutional amendment, charter amendment or ordinance. ... Presidential election results map. ... State nickname: Beaver State Other U.S. States Capital Salem Largest city Portland Governor Ted Kulongoski (D) Official languages None Area 255,026 km² (9th)  - Land 248,849 km²  - Water 6,177 km² (2. ... Happy Valley is a city located in Clackamas County, Oregon. ... Interstate 205, also known as the War Veterans Memorial Freeway in Washington and Oregon, is a loop route that serves the Portland, Oregon-Vancouver, Washington metropolitan area. ... Categories: US geography stubs | Unincorporated communities in Oregon | Clackamas County, Oregon | Cities in Oregon ... Location in the state of Oregon Formed 22 December 1854 Seat Portland Area  - Total  - Water 1,206 km² (466 mi²) 79 km² (30 mi²) 6. ... Oregon Highway 212 is an Oregon state highway that serves the eastern Portland metro area. ...

The measure proposing incorporation estimated the population of the city to be 12,000.

The city was established in response to a 2000 decision by Metro to expand Portland's urban growth boundary to include the area now within Damascus boundaries. Its establishment prevents nearby cities from annexing the community. The current members of the new Damascus city council are Dee Wescott, Barbara Ledbury, Jim Wright, Randy Shannon, and John Hartsock. The Metropolitan Service District, usually known as Metro, is a directly-elected regional government for the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area, and the only directly-elected regional government in the United States. ... Portland is the largest city in Oregon, and county seat of Multnomah County. ... An urban growth boundary, or UGB, is a regional boundary, set in an attempt to control urbanization by designating the area inside the boundary for high density urban development and the area outside the boundary for low density rural development. ... Annexation is the legal merging of some territory into another body. ...

According to Oregon Geographic Names, Damascus can date its existence as a community back to 1867, which a post office by that name was established. That post office was closed in 1904. Oregon Geographic Names is an authoritative compilation of the origin and meaning of place names in the state of Oregon. ... 1867 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1904 is a leap year starting on a Friday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Today, the town is known as a place to buy less expensive gas then much of the surrounding metro area.

External link

• News article about incorporation

Hi There