Klamath County, Oregon
Encyclopedia
National protected areas
- Bear Valley National Wildlife RefugeBear Valley National Wildlife RefugeThe Bear Valley National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife refuge located in the southwestern part of Klamath County, Oregon, near the California border. It was established in 1978 to protect the nesting areas of Bald Eagles...
- Crater Lake National ParkCrater Lake National ParkCrater Lake National Park is a United States National Park located in southern Oregon. Established in 1902, Crater Lake National Park is the sixth oldest national park in the United States and the only one in the state of Oregon...
(part) - Deschutes National ForestDeschutes National ForestThe Deschutes National Forest is a United States National Forest located in parts of Deschutes, Klamath, Lake, and Jefferson counties in central Oregon. It comprises 1.8 million acres along the east side of the Cascade mountains. In 1908, the Deschutes National Forest was established from parts...
(part) - Fremont National ForestFremont National ForestThe Fremont National Forest is a United States National Forest named after John C. Frémont, who explored the area for the United States Army Corps of Engineers in 1843. It is located in western Lake and eastern Klamath counties in Oregon, and has a land area of . There are local ranger district...
(part) - Klamath Marsh National Wildlife RefugeKlamath Marsh National Wildlife RefugeKlamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1958 when approximately were purchased from the Klamath tribe with Federal Duck Stamp Funds. In 1990 and 1998, additional acquisitions boosted Refuge acreage to 40,646...
- Lower Klamath National Wildlife RefugeLower Klamath National Wildlife RefugeThe Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife preserve operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service located in the Klamath Basin along a portion of the northern California and southern Oregon border near Klamath Falls, Oregon...
(part) - Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest (part)
- Upper Klamath National Wildlife RefugeUpper Klamath National Wildlife RefugeThe Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife refuge located in southwestern Klamath County on the shores of Upper Klamath Lake in Oregon. It was established in 1928 and contains some of freshwater marshes. It is accessible only by boat...
- Winema National ForestWinema National ForestThe Winema National Forest is a United States National Forest in Klamath County on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Range in south-central Oregon, and covers . The forest borders Crater Lake National Park near the crest of the Cascades and stretches eastward into the Klamath Basin...
(part)
Economy
Historically, Klamath County's economy was based on timber and agriculture, and although these natural resource industries now contribute only a small fraction to the region's current economic activity and employment, their legacy lives on in local politics, community identity, and landscape. Euro-American settlement in the area was spurred in the early 1900s with the coming of the railroad. In addition, the government-subsidized federal reclamation project, the Klamath Irrigation Project, dammed upper tributaries and drained much of the 128 square miles (331.5 km²) Lower Klamath and Tule lakes to convert 188000 acres (760.8 km²) of former lakebed and wetlands into farmland, to be supported by irrigation.Today the Sky Lakes Medical Center is the largest employer in the area, followed by Klamath County School District
Klamath County School District
The Klamath County School District is a public school district serving Klamath County, Oregon, United States. Communities in the district include Bly, Bonanza, Chiloquin, Gilchrist, Keno, Klamath Falls, Malin, and Merrill. As of June 2008, the school district had 6,657 students enrolled...
and Jeld-Wen
JELD-WEN
Jeld-Wen is a corporation with over 150 divisions and 20,000 employees worldwide. The business manufactures building products, including windows, interior and exterior doors, and garage doors. Jeld-Wen owns several distribution facilities and operates several resort properties...
, a manufacturer of doors and windows. The area is currently experiencing a boom in housing construction, as its proximity to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
brings waves of retirees from population centers to the south. Outdoor recreation, such as hiking, hunting, and world-class trout fishing, as well as Oregon's only National Park
Crater Lake National Park
Crater Lake National Park is a United States National Park located in southern Oregon. Established in 1902, Crater Lake National Park is the sixth oldest national park in the United States and the only one in the state of Oregon...
at Crater Lake
Crater Lake
Crater Lake is a caldera lake located in the south-central region of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the main feature of Crater Lake National Park and famous for its deep blue color and water clarity. The lake partly fills a nearly deep caldera that was formed around 7,700 years agoby the...
, contribute to the economy of the area. A complex of six National Wildlife Refuges—Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges Complex
Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges Complex
The Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex is a wildlife preserve operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service located in the Klamath Basin of southern Oregon and northern California near Klamath Falls, Oregon...
—seasonally draw some of the largest concentrations of waterfowl in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. The area is world-renowned as a birdwatcher's paradise. Natural geothermal hot wells provide heat for many homes, businesses, and the Oregon Institute of Technology campus. The full potential of this energy resource continues to be studied.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 63,775 people, 25,205 households, and 17,290 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 11 people per square mile (4/km²). There were 28,883 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 87.33% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.63% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 4.19% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.80% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.12% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 3.45% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.47% from two or more races. 7.78% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 16.7% were of German, 10.8% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 10.7% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
and 9.8% United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
or American ancestry according to Census 2000. 92.6% spoke English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and 6.1% Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
as their first language.
There were 25,205 households out of which 30.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.20% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.40% were non-families. 25.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the county, the population was spread out with 25.80% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 25.50% from 25 to 44, 25.20% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 100.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,537, and the median income for a family was $38,171. Males had a median income of $32,052 versus $22,382 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $16,719. About 12.00% of families and 16.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.40% of those under age 18 and 7.70% of those age 65 or over.
Government
| Year | Republicans Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
Democrats Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 65.0% 19,113 | 31.9% 9,370 |
| 2004 | 72.1% 22,733 | 26.2% 8,264 |
| 2000 | 67.7% 18,855 | 27.1% 7,541 |
| 1996 | 54.2% 12,116 | 32.2% 7,207 |
| 1992 | 44.6% 11,864 | 29.8% 7,918 |
| 1988 | 60.0% 13,484 | 37.5% 8,429 |
| 1984 | 69.8% 17,686 | 29.9% 7,575 |
| 1980 | 62.8% 16,060 | 28.8% 7,371 |
| 1976 | 50.8% 10,726 | 42.9% 9,061 |
| 1972 | 58.9% 11,169 | 30.2% 5,719 |
| 1968 | 56.4% 9,604 | 33.1% 5,629 |
| 1964 | 48.5% 8,530 | 51.5% 9,066 |
| 1960 | 50.5% 9,095 | 49.5% 8,928 |
Politics
Klamath County is represented in the Oregon House of RepresentativesOregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
by two Republicans
Oregon Republican Party
The Oregon Republican Party is the state affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Oregon, headquartered in Lake Oswego. The first state party convention was held in Salem on April 21, 1859, and its first nominee for Congress, Portland attorney David Logan...
, Bill Garrard
Bill Garrard
Bill Garrard is the Republican state representative for District 56 of the Oregon House of Representatives. His district represents the voters in southern Klamath County, including Klamath Falls.- Electoral history :- External links :* *...
and George Gilman
George Gilman (Oregon politician)
George Gilman is a politician from the U.S. state of Oregon. He is the state representative for District 55 of the Oregon House of Representatives, the second largest House district in Oregon...
, and in the Oregon State Senate
Oregon State Senate
The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the State Senate, representing 30 districts across the state,...
by Republican Doug Whitsett
Doug Whitsett
Doug Whitsett is an American politician who serves in the Oregon State Senate, representing District 28. He is a Republican and currently serves on the Ways and Means Committee, the Ways and Means Public Safety subcommittee, the Emergency Board, the Judiciary Committee, and the Office of...
. Federally, Greg Walden
Greg Walden
Gregory Paul Walden is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district covers more than two-thirds of the state . He is the son of Paul E...
, a Republican, is Klamath County's representative in the United States House
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. The county has reliably given a majority of its votes to Republican politicians for years; the last time a Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
candidate for US president
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
carried Klamath County was in 1964
United States presidential election, 1964
The United States presidential election of 1964 was held on November 3, 1964. Incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson had come to office less than a year earlier following the assassination of his predecessor, John F. Kennedy. Johnson, who had successfully associated himself with Kennedy's...
, when Lyndon Johnson won by a landslide nationwide against Barry Goldwater
Barry Goldwater
Barry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. An articulate and charismatic figure during the first half of the 1960s, he was known as "Mr...
— but only by three percentage points in Klamath County.
Incorporated cities
|
Malin, Oregon Malin is a city in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. The population was 637 at the 2000 census.-History:According to Lewis A. McArthur, Malin was settled 30 September 1909 on land that was formerly at the bottom of Tule Lake by 65 Bohemian families who named the new town for their former home.... Merrill, Oregon Merrill is a city in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. The population was 897 at the 2000 census.Merrill is an agricultural area and home to an annual Potato Festival... |
Unincorporated communities and CDPs
|
Chemult, Oregon Chemult is an unincorporated community in Klamath County, Oregon, United States, on U.S. Route 97. Chemult has a population of about 300 people. Chemult's elevation is .... Crescent, Oregon Crescent is an unincorporated community in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. Crescent is located along U.S. Route 97 south-southwest of Bend. Crescent has a post office with ZIP code 97733.... Fort Klamath, Oregon Fort Klamath was a military outpost near the western end of the Oregon Trail, between Crater Lake National Park and Upper Klamath Lake in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. The Fort Klamath Site, about a mile southeast of the present community of Fort Klamath, Oregon, is listed on the U.S... |
Gilchrist, Oregon Gilchrist is an unincorporated community in Klamath County, Oregon, United States on U.S. Route 97 between Bend and Klamath Falls.-History:Gilchrist was the last lumber company town in Oregon. The town was founded in 1938 by the family-owned Gilchrist Timber Company, with Frank and Mary Gilchrist... |
Keno, Oregon Keno is an unincorporated community in Klamath County, Oregon, United States, southwest of Klamath Falls on the Klamath River near Oregon Route 66. As of 2000, the population was 1,059. Keno's elevation is 4,108 feet.... Kirk, Oregon Kirk is an unincorporated community in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. It was named for Methodist minister Jesse Kirk as well as a train station in the area. Its post office operated from 1920 to 1948.... Klamath Agency, Oregon Klamath Agency is an unincorporated community in Klamath County, Oregon, United States on Oregon Route 62 where Agency Creek enters the Crooked River.... Langell Valley, Oregon Langell Valley, previously known as Langell's Valley, is an unincorporated community in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. The community and the valley were named after settler Arthur Langell. Its post office operated in many locations from December 11, 1871 to March 15, 1930. Langell Valley is... |
Lorella, Oregon Lorella, formerly Haynesville, is an unincorporated community in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. It became known as Lorella, for a local resident, on December 13, 1894, shortly after the establishment of a post office on August 3, 1887. Joseph K. Haynes was first postmaster. The office... Malone, Oregon Malone is an unincorporated community in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. It is located on Oregon Route 39.... Midland, Oregon Midland is an unincorporated community in Klamath County, Oregon, United States, about eight miles south of Klamath Falls on U.S. Route 97. The site was platted in 1908 and named Midland, with a post office established in 1909... Modoc Point, Oregon Modoc Point is an unincorporated community in Klamath County, Oregon, United States on U.S. Route 97 on the shore of Upper Klamath Lake.The post office takes its name from Modoc Point, a prominent point on Upper Klamath Lake just south of the community.... |
Olene, Oregon Olene is an unincorporated community in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. It is located 10 miles southeast of Klamath Falls on Oregon Route 140. Olene has a store and at one time it had a school. In 1940 Olene had a population of 62 and was considered a suburb of Klamath Falls... Pine Grove, Klamath County, Oregon Pine Grove is an unincorporated community in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. Pine Grove lies south of Oregon Route 140 just east of its interchange with Oregon Route 39 near Altamont.... Rocky Point, Oregon Rocky Point is an unincorporated community in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. It is located on Pelican Bay on the west shore of Upper Klamath Lake, about 29 miles northwest of Klamath Falls and about three miles north of Oregon Route 140 on Forest Highway 34... Sprague River, Oregon Sprague River is an unincorporated community in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. It is located about northeast of Klamath Falls near the Sprague River, northwest of Oregon Route 140.-History:... |
Worden, Oregon Worden is an unincorporated community in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. It is located about fourteen miles south of Klamath Falls and three miles north of the Oregon-California border on U.S. Route 97.... |
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Klamath County, Oregon
- List of parks in Klamath Falls, Oregon