Ivan Gillis

Active Retirement Communities

State:    Washington--Northwestern

City:      Oak Harbor

Oak Harbor is a city located on Whidbey Island in Island County, Washington. The population was 22,075 at the 2010 census.

Oak Harbor was incorporated on May 14, 1915.

Oak Harbor is Whidbey Island's largest incorporated city. Named for the Garry Oak trees which grace its skyline, the city's growth coincided with two major events: the building of Deception Pass Bridge on July 31, 1935, and the completion of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island on September 21, 1942.

Oak Harbor's history goes back to the early 1850s, when three settlers staked claims where the city now stands -- Zakarias Martin Taftezon, a shoemaker from Norway; C.W. Sumner from New England, and Ulrich Freund, a Swiss Army officer. Freund retained part of his claim, which today is home to his descendants. Houses and businesses sprouted up along the shores of Oak Harbor as the pioneers relied entirely on water transportation until the 1900s. For the next thirty years, steamers and freighters carried passengers and freight from the Island to the mainland and back as well as Fidalgo Island to the north.

The Irish came in the late 1850s, making Oak Harbor grow and prosper as they fished and farmed the area. The city's Dutch heritage arrived in the 1890s when Hollanders became disillusioned with the northern Midwest region of the United States and came to Whidbey Island. Churches, schools, and more businesses followed the arrival of the Hollanders. A high school was built in 1906. Oak Harbor flourished as a small country town until Deception Pass Bridge and the U.S. Navy Base connected the city to the rest of the region and the world.

Deception Pass Bridge, a National Historic Monument since 1982, is actually two spans that link Whidbey Island to Fidalgo Island over Canoe Pass and Deception Pass. The bridge, one of the scenic wonders and destinations of the Pacific Northwest, was a Public Works Administration project built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Deception Pass State Park, Washington's second most popular state park, has over 4,100 acres (17 km²) of forest, campsites, trails, and scenic vistas of the San Juan Islands, Victoria (British Columbia, Canada), Mount Baker, and Fidalgo Island.

Income & Housing Costs Numbers:

Estimated median household income in 2009: $46,065 (it was $36,641 in 2000)

Oak Harbor:	$46,065
Washington:	$56,548

Estimated per capita income in 2009: $21,123

Oak Harbor city income, earnings, and wages data

Estimated median house or condo value in 2009: $245,961 (it was $140,300 in 2000)

Oak Harbor:	$245,961
Washington:	$287,200

Mean prices in 2009: All housing units: $221,906; Detached houses: $254,433; Townhouses or other attached units: $219,578; In 2-unit structures: $154,365; In 3-to-4-unit structures: $187,153; In 5-or-more-unit structures: $202,961; Mobile homes: $46,230

Median gross rent in 2009: $872.

Jan. 2011 cost of living index in Oak Harbor: 109.9 (more than average, U.S. average is 100)

In-Depth Facts and Figures as listed below, plus other information:

·       Climate Charts

1.      Average Temperature

2.      Precipitation (Rain)

3.      Humidity

4.      Wind Speed (MPH)

5.      Snowfall

6.      Sunshine

7.      Cloudy Days

·       Tornado Activity History

·       Hospitals & Medical

·       Airports

·       Colleges/Universities

·       High Schools

·       Locations of Interest

·       Shopping Centers

·       Churches

·       Lakes/Streams/Rivers/Creeks/Parks

·       Tourist Attractions

·       Banks

·       Housing Costs Information

·       Crime Statistics

·       Radio Stations AM/FM

·       TV Broadcast Stations

·       Discussion Forums

For the above information and photos, click this link:

http://www.city-data.com/city/Oak-Harbor-Washington.html

Total Tax Burden--Data for Calculation

http://www.retirementliving.com/RLstate3.html#WASHINGTON

Listing of Active Retirement Communities:

http://www.retirenet.com/location/communities/239-washington/1-active-lifestyles?city=98277-oak-harbor

OTHER SITES OF INTEREST:

Silly Service--38 Years of Federal Civil Service (A book in progress, with weekly additions)

www.ivanegillis.com       

Gillis Motor News (Monthly Listing of Car Events Nationwide)

www:Gillismotornews.com

World of Collectibles

http://www.collectibleshg.info

Dogs

http://www.zcanines.com

Cats

http://www.zcats.com

Bird Watching

http://www.zavians.com

Dance Sites

http://www.ezdancers.com

World of Antiques

http://www.eantiques.info

MODEL TRAINS & RAILROADING

http://www.modeltrainsetc.com

Quilts, Quilters, & Quilting

http://www.quiltscentral.com

EZ Rides

http://www.ez-ride.com

OLD TRUCKS

http://www.zoldtrucks.com

EVERTHING MUSIC

http://www.ezmusica.com

FARM TRACTOR COLLECTORS

http://www.tractorscollectors.com

DESSERT FIRST

http://www.ezdessert.com

SPORT & EXOTIC CARS

http://www.sports-exoticcars.com

HOME WINE MAKING

http://www.winemakingetal.com

OFF-ROADING

http://offroadingetc.com

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