About Gates

Community

The City of Gates is located in the Santiam Canyon, 32 miles east of Salem, along the North Santiam Highway. Nestled in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, this quiet little town is an avenue for many outdoor recreational opportunities including Santiam Horse Camp, Rock Creek Campground and Elkhorn Golf Course, just to name a few. You can stop to eat at the Sierra Restaurant or just get out and stretch your legs at our beautiful gazebo. Detroit Lake is just 20 minutes East on Highway 22, where you can enjoy fishing, hiking, camping, and boating with the whole family.

History of Gates

The community of Gates formed in the mid to late 19th century, with schools established on both the north and south sides of the North Santiam River in the 1860s-70s. A post office was constructed on the south side in 1882 with the name Henness, as Jane Henness was its first postmaster. The name was changed to Rock Creek in 1883. Later, the post office was moved to the community of Gatesville on the north side of the river. The name of the office was once again changed, becoming “Gates” (in honor of Mary Gates, one of the oldest settlers in the area). The town was platted in 1888 by the Gates family. The Oregon Pacific Railroad reached Gates in 1891, allowing for the community’s growth as a timber service center. Gates was incorporated as a city in 1950.

Source: Oregon Cities

Demographics

According to the US Census Bureau, the population of Gates is 517 (prior to the 2020 fires), with a median age of 54.6. The average household size is 2.21 people. About 84.5% of the population identifies as white alone, 1.2% as Black or African American, 0.8% as American Indian, 0.4% as Asian, and 13.2% as “two or more races.”

Source: Headwaters Economics

Geography and Climate

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.65 square miles (1.68 km2), all land. The elevation of the city is 941 feet.

This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F (22.0 °C). According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Gates has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate.

Source: Wikipedia