Wilbur, Washington
Encyclopedia
Wilbur is a town in Lincoln County, Washington, United States
. The population was 884 at the 2010 census.
.
Wilbur was brought out of the hard times of the 1890s during a record wheat harvest in 1897 which brought over $1,000,000 to circulation in the town. The construction of a road to Republic
then a flourishing mining camp in what was to become Ferry County was expected to increase traffic to Wilbur, but the expected benefit never materialized. After a fire in 1901 destroyed several city blocks, a water works was established. Wilbur was electrically lighted in October 1903 by the Wilbur Electric Company.
Wilbur has gained news coverage recently as a result of crop circle
s found roughly 10 miles north of town, just off of Highway 2. The origin of these depressions in the wheat crop of local farmer Jim Llewellyn is unknown, and the phenomenon was covered by new stations as well as newspapers. See this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yGaulJ3IQo
Wilbur is situated in an oblong basin with Goose Creek, also named for Wild Goose Bill, running through the center of the town, and abrupt, basaltic cliffs, not of very great elevation, on the north and south. At one time this spot was, evidently, a lake.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.5 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 914 people, 396 households, and 266 families residing in the town. The population density
was 680.2 people per square mile (263.4/km²). There were 480 housing units at an average density of 357.2 per square mile (138.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.50% White, 1.20% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.55% from other races
, and 1.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.75% of the population.
There were 396 households out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.3% were married couples
living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 19.7% from 25 to 44, 30.3% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $32,563, and the median income for a family was $37,431. Men had a median income of $32,440 versus $20,417 for women. The per capita income
for the town was $16,535. About 14.4% of families and 17.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.6% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 884 at the 2010 census.
History
Just prior to the construction of the Central Washington Railroad line in 1889, no towns existed west of Davenport in Lincoln County. One place along the line, "Wild Goose Bill's Ranch", run by Samuel Wilbur Condin, was assigned a post office by the Federal government. It had been located on the stage line between Davenport and the Mines in northern Washington and with the speculation of the railroad arriving soon seemed a likely place for a town. The town grew in earnest and was platted in April 1889 by Condin. With the arrival of the railroad later that year, Wilbur's growth increased rapidly with the establishment of bigger hotels, a bank, a lumber mill and countless other businesses. After several failed attempts to incorporate in 1889, Wilbur was officially incorporated on August 11, 1890. The boom had slowed by 1891 and came to a halt with the Panic of 1893Panic of 1893
The Panic of 1893 was a serious economic depression in the United States that began in 1893. Similar to the Panic of 1873, this panic was marked by the collapse of railroad overbuilding and shaky railroad financing which set off a series of bank failures...
.
Wilbur was brought out of the hard times of the 1890s during a record wheat harvest in 1897 which brought over $1,000,000 to circulation in the town. The construction of a road to Republic
Republic, Washington
Republic is a city in Ferry County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,073 at the 2010 census, a 12.5% increase over the 2000 Census. It is the county seat of Ferry County.-History:...
then a flourishing mining camp in what was to become Ferry County was expected to increase traffic to Wilbur, but the expected benefit never materialized. After a fire in 1901 destroyed several city blocks, a water works was established. Wilbur was electrically lighted in October 1903 by the Wilbur Electric Company.
Wilbur has gained news coverage recently as a result of crop circle
Crop circle
A crop circle is a sizable pattern created by the flattening of a crop such as wheat, barley, rye, maize, or rapeseed. Crop circles are also referred to as crop formations, because they are not always circular in shape. While the exact date crop circles began to appear is unknown, the documented...
s found roughly 10 miles north of town, just off of Highway 2. The origin of these depressions in the wheat crop of local farmer Jim Llewellyn is unknown, and the phenomenon was covered by new stations as well as newspapers. See this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yGaulJ3IQo
Geography
Wilbur is located at 47°45′24"N 118°42′23"W (47.756616, -118.706282).Wilbur is situated in an oblong basin with Goose Creek, also named for Wild Goose Bill, running through the center of the town, and abrupt, basaltic cliffs, not of very great elevation, on the north and south. At one time this spot was, evidently, a lake.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.5 km²), all of it land.
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 914 people, 396 households, and 266 families residing in the town. 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 680.2 people per square mile (263.4/km²). There were 480 housing units at an average density of 357.2 per square mile (138.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.50% White, 1.20% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.55% 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 1.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.75% of the population.
There were 396 households out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.3% 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, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 19.7% from 25 to 44, 30.3% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $32,563, and the median income for a family was $37,431. Men had a median income of $32,440 versus $20,417 for women. 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 town was $16,535. About 14.4% of families and 17.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.6% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.