Springfield is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States, separated from Eugene, Oregon primarily by Interstate 5. Springfield was named after a natural spring located in a field or prairie within the current city boundaries. As of the 2010 census, the city has a total population of 59,403.More
Economy
For years, the economy of Springfield hinged on the lumber industry, with the largest employer being Weyerhaeuser Company. Weyerhaeuser opened its Springfield complex in 1949, and after years of aggressive logging was forced to downsize as old growth lumber became less available. In the 1990s, the Weyerhaeuser sawmill and veneer (plywood) plants closed, and the paper plant was downsized. Springfield has now developed a more diversified economy, and the largest employers are now PeaceHealth, which recently opened a new hospital, Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend, McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center, and PeaceHealth Laboratories.
Ken Kesey's brother Chuck, and Chuck's wife Sue started the Springfield Creamery in 1960, and the business survives today based partly on sales of their flagship product, Nancy's Yogurt, developed from recipes of Nancy Hamren. In the 1970s, the Creamery staved off bankruptcy with the help of the rock band the Grateful Dead, who over time held a series of 10 benefit concerts on behalf of the creamery.More
Education
There are 15 elementary, 5 middle, and 4 high schools in the Springfield School District, making it one of the largest in the state. The largest public high schools, by enrollment, are Thurston High School and Springfield High School. Pioneer Pacific College also has a campus in the Gateway area of Springfield.More