Damascus Map
Damascus is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. Incorporated in 2004, the city is located east of Happy Valley and Interstate 205 and west of Boring. The area that later became the city had a population of 9,022 in 2000. The population estimate for the city on July 1, 2005, was 9,670 (the first estimate available after incorporation), with the population growing to 9,985 residents as of the 2009 estimate.
According to Oregon Geographic Names, Damascus can date its existence as a community back to 1867, when a post office by that name was established. That post office was closed in 1904, but re-opened in February 2007 inside a coffee house. The original heart of the community is along Oregon Route 212, which as of 2004 serves as part of the city's southern boundary.
A 2000 decision by Metro to expand Portland's urban growth boundary into the area prompted some citizens of the community to submit Measure 3-138, a measure on the ballot for the 2004 general election in November. The initiative's passage resulted in the incorporation of the former unincorporated communities of Damascus and Carver into the City of Damascus, a step which prevents nearby cities from annexing the community. The city was the first new city in Oregon in 22 years.
Nearby cities include Lake Oswego, Estacada, Camas, Washougal, Portland.