Klamath Falls, Oregon
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| Klamath Falls, Oregon |
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| Nickname: "Oregon's City of Sunshine" | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| County | Klamath County |
| Incorporated | 1905 |
| Mayor | Todd Kellstrom |
| Area | |
| - City | 48.5 km² (18.7 sq mi) |
| - Land | 46.3 km² (17.9 sq mi) |
| - Water | 2.2 km² (0.9 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,249.38 m (4099 ft) |
| Population | |
| - City (2000) | 19,462 |
| - Density | 420.7/km² (1,230.7/sq mi) |
| Time zone | Pacific (UTC-8) |
| - Summer (DST) | Pacific (UTC-7) |
| Website: www.ci.klamath-falls.or.us | |
Klamath Falls, is a city in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. Originally called Linkville when George Nurse founded the town in 1867, after the Link River on whose falls this city sits. The name was changed to Klamath Falls circa 1892, and is sometimes called K Falls. The population was 19,462 at the 2000 census, although the city limit signs on the edges of town list it as near 40,000, counting suburbs (primarily the community of Altamont). It is the county seat of Klamath CountyGR6.
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[edit] History
The Klamath Indians were the first inhabitants of the area. Their name for this place was Yulalona or Iwauna, which referred to the fact the Link River would flow upstream when the south wind blew hard. Their name for the falls was Tiwishkeni, or "where the falling waters rush".
The Modoc Tribe's homeland is about 20 miles south of Klamath Falls, and the war of 1872 - 1873 was a hugely expensive campaign for the US Calvary, costing an estimated $500,000 the equivalent over 8 Billion in yr 2000 dollars. 17 indians and 83 whites were killed.[1]
The Applegate Trail, which passes through the lower Klamath area, was blazed in 1846 from west to east to find a safer route for emigrants on the Oregon Trail.
The Klamath Reclamation Project began in 1906 to drain marshland to allow for agriculture. With the building of the main "A" Canal, water was first made available May 22, 1907. Veterans of World War I and World War II were given homesteading opportunities on the reclaimed land.[2]
The Lost River and Shortnose suckers were listed as endangered species in 1988. This led to a cutoff of irrigation water to local farmers on April 6, 2001. After many protests by farmers and concerned citizens alike, the decision was reversed the next year. [citation needed]
During World War II, a Japanese-American internment camp, the Tule Lake War Relocation Center, was located in nearby Newell, California, and a satellite of the Camp White, Oregon, POW camp was located just on the Oregon-California border near the town of Tulelake, California. In May 1945, about 30 miles east of Klamath Falls, (near Bly, Oregon) a Japanese balloon bomb killed a woman and five children on a church outing.
Timber harvesting through the use of railroad was extensive in Klamath County for the first few decades of the 20th century.[3] With the arrival of the Union Pacific in 1909, Klamath Falls grew quickly from a few hundred to several thousand. Dozens of lumber mills cut Fir and Pine lumber and the industry flourished until the late 1980's when the Northern Spotted Owl and other endangered species were drivers in changing western forest policy.
[edit] Geography
Klamath Falls is located at (42.223441, -121.777578)GR1, at an elevation of 4099 feet.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 18.7 mi² (48.5 km²). 17.9 mi² (46.3 km²) of it is land and 0.9 mi² (2.2 km²) of it (4.54%) is water.
Klamath Falls has a high desert landscape. The older part of the city sits on natural geothermal springs. These have been used for the heating of homes and streets, primarily in the downtown area.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 19,462 people, 7,916 households, and 4,670 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,089.5/mi² (420.7/km²). There were 8,722 housing units at an average density of 488.3/mi² (188.6/km²).
The racial makeup of the city was:
85.12% White
1.02% African American
4.44% Native American
1.32% Asian
0.13% Pacific Islander
4.15% from other races
3.83% from two or more races
9.32% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 7,916 households out of which:
30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them
42.2% were married couples living together
11.7% had a female householder with no husband present
41.0% were non-families
32.4% of all households were made up of individuals
11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older
The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.99.
The age distribution was:
25.5% under the age of 18
13.1% from 18 to 24
27.2% from 25 to 44
21.5% from 45 to 64
12.8% who were 65 years of age or older
The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 101.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,498, and the median income for a family was $37,021. Males had a median income of $31,567 versus $22,313 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,710. About 21.9% of the population and 16.2% of families were below the poverty line, including 26.8% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those 65 or over.
[edit] Economy
Merle West Medical Center is the largest employer in the area, followed by Klamath Falls City School District and JELD-WEN, a manufacturer of doors and windows.
Klamath Falls is home to the 173rd Fighter Wing of the Oregon Air National Guard, stationed at Kingsley Field airbase.
[edit] Colleges and universities
- Oregon Institute of Technology
- Klamath Community College
[edit] Recreation
Klamath Falls is home to many outdoor winter and summer activities. The nearby Running Y Ranch Resort, features a golf course designed by Arnold Palmer, an ice skating arena Bill Collier Community Ice Arena, trailriding, and overlooks Upper Klamath Lake, the largest natural lake in the Pacific Northwest. There is also a canoe trail through the wildlife refuge at Rocky Point.
Klamath Falls is located on the Pacific Flyway, and large numbers of waterfowl and raptors are seen at all times of the year. The largest concentration of Bald Eagles in the lower 48 winter in Bear Valley, just 10 miles west of Klamath Falls, near Keno, and the American White Pelican shows in great numbers in summer.
Crater Lake National Park is 50 miles north of Klamath Falls and the 33 mile rim drive circumnavigating the lake is a favorite of cyclists. Winter cross country skiing in the park is also very popular. The more than mile high Crater Lake Marathon [4] is an annual event.
[edit] Notable residents
- Sharron Angle, Nevada politician
- Brenda Bakke, actor
- Charles O. Porter, Oregon politician
- Manuel Sanchez, musician
- Pete Whisler, Major League Baseball player
- Paul Zahniser, Major League Baseball player
[edit] Sister City
Klamath Falls has one sister city [5], as designated by Sister Cities International:
[edit] See also
- Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges
- Klamath Lake
- Klamath Reclamation Project
- Klamath River
[edit] External links
- City of Klamath Falls, Oregon Web Page
- Oregon Blue Book entry page for Klamath Falls
- Applegate Trail
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
