Klamath County, Oregon

County in the United States

Klamath County, Oregon
Klamath County Courthouse in Klamath Falls
Location within the U.S. state of Oregon
Oregon's location within the U.S.
Founded	October 17, 1882
Named for	Klamath Indians
Seat	Klamath Falls
Largest city	Klamath Falls
Area
• Total	6,136 sq mi (15,892 km2)
• Land	5,941 sq mi (15,387 km2)
• Water	194 sq mi (502 km2), 3.2%
Population (est.)
• (2016)	66,443
• Density	11/sq mi (4/km2)
Congressional district	2nd
Time zone	Pacific: UTC−8/−7
Website	www.co.klamath.or.us

Klamath County (/ˈklæməθ/ KLAM-əth) is a county in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 census, the population was 66,380.^[1] The county seat is Klamath Falls.^[2] The county was named for the Klamath,^[3] the tribe of Native Americans living in the area at the time the first European explorers entered the region.

Klamath County comprises the Klamath Falls, OR Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Contents

• 
  1 History
  


• 
  2 Geography
  
  
  
  • 
    2.1 Adjacent counties
    
  
  
  • 
    2.2 National protected areas
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  3 Demographics
  
  
  
  • 
    3.1 2000 census
    
  
  
  • 
    3.2 2010 census
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  4 Communities
  
  
  
  • 
    4.1 Cities
    
  
  
  • 
    4.2 Census-designated places
    
  
  
  • 
    4.3 Other unincorporated communities
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  5 Government
  
  
  
  • 
    5.1 Politics
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  6 Economy
  


• 
  7 Education
  
  
  
  • 
    7.1 Colleges and universities
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  8 See also
  


• 
  9 References
  


• 
  10 External links
  

History

The Klamath or Clamitte tribe of Indians, for which Klamath County was named, are the descendants of varying cultures of indigenous peoples, who have lived in the area for more than 10,000 years.

When European-Americans began to travel through the area in 1846 along the Applegate Trail, they competed with the Klamath for game and water, which precipitated clashes between the peoples. This was exacerbated by European-American settlers, who cleared the land to farm and encroached on hunting territory. They were successful in demanding the removal of American Indians to reservations.

The Modoc people, having been removed to Oregon to share a reservation with the Klamath, traditional rivals, wanted a reservation created on Lost River, near present-day Merrill, Oregon. Captain Jack led his band back to Lost River, but the US Army, accompanied by militia and citizens of Linkville (present-day Klamath Falls) arrived and convinced Captain Jack to return. An argument broke out, shots were fired, and the Modoc War began as the Modoc fled to Captain Jack's Stronghold in northern California.

A treaty was signed with the Klamath on October 14, 1864, which led to the establishment of the Klamath Reservation. At various times over the next 40 years, different individuals of the Modoc tribe were settled within the reservation.

Because of the extensive tracts of forest, the Klamath were very well off as a people until the termination of the reservation by the U.S. government in 1954. Much of the money received after the termination was lost due to squandering, theft or criminal deception, resulting in increased poverty and loss of tribal identity.^{[citation needed]}

A few of the Klamath refused to accept the buyout money, most notably Edison Chiloquin (1924–2003). Instead of cash, he insisted on receiving the title to ancestral land along the Sprague River where he lived. On December 5, 1980, the Chiloquin Act was signed into law, giving him title to the properties he wanted.^[4]

Geography

A panoramic view of Klamath County, Oregon, with Klamath Lake in the background

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 6,136 square miles (15,890 km²), of which 5,941 square miles (15,390 km²) is land and 194 square miles (500 km²) (3.2%) is water.^[5] It is the fourth-largest county in Oregon.

Adjacent counties

• 
  Jackson County (west)


• 
  Douglas County (northwest)


• 
  Lane County (northwest)


• 
  Deschutes County (north)


• 
  Lake County (east)


• 
  Siskiyou County, California (south)


• 
  Modoc County, California (south)

National protected areas

• Bear Valley National Wildlife Refuge


• 
  Crater Lake National Park (part)


• 
  Deschutes National Forest (part)


• 
  Fremont National Forest (part)


• Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge


• 
  Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge (part)


• 
  Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest (part)


• Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge


• 
  Winema National Forest (part)

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1890	2,444		—
1900	3,970		62.4%
1910	8,554		115.5%
1920	11,413		33.4%
1930	32,407		183.9%
1940	40,497		25.0%
1950	42,150		4.1%
1960	47,475		12.6%
1970	50,021		5.4%
1980	59,117		18.2%
1990	57,702		−2.4%
2000	63,775		10.5%
2010	66,380		4.1%
Est. 2016	66,443	[6]	0.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9] 1990-2000[10] 2010-2016[1]

2000 census

As of the census^[11] of 2000, there were 63,775 people, 25,205 households, and 17,290 families residing in the county. The population density 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, 0.63% Black or African American, 4.19% Native American, 0.80% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 3.45% from other races, and 3.47% from two or more races. 7.78% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 16.7% were of German, 10.8% Irish, 10.7% English and 9.8% United States or American ancestry. 92.6% spoke English and 6.1% Spanish 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 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 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.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 66,380 people, 27,280 households, and 17,831 families residing in the county.^[12] The population density was 11.2 inhabitants per square mile (4.3/km²). There were 32,774 housing units at an average density of 5.5 per square mile (2.1/km²).^[13] The racial makeup of the county was 85.9% white, 4.1% American Indian, 0.9% Asian, 0.7% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 4.1% from other races, and 4.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 10.4% of the population.^[12] In terms of ancestry, 20.0% were German, 14.7% were Irish, 11.9% were English, and 5.5% were American.^[14]

Of the 27,280 households, 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.6% were non-families, and 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.88. The median age was 41.7 years.^[12]

The median income for a household in the county was $41,818 and the median income for a family was $51,596. Males had a median income of $42,215 versus $30,413 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,081. About 12.7% of families and 16.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.8% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.^[15]

Communities

Cities

• Bonanza


• Chiloquin


• 
  Klamath Falls (county seat)


• Malin


• Merrill

Census-designated places

• Altamont


• Beatty

Other unincorporated communities

• Ady


• Algoma


• Beaver Marsh


• Bly


• Cascade Summit


• Chemult


• Crescent


• Dairy


• Fairhaven


• Falcon Heights


• Fort Klamath


• Gilchrist


• Hager


• 
  Hatfield (part)


• Haynesville


• Henley


• Hildebrand


• Hot Springs


• Keno


• Kirk


• Klamath Agency


• Lake of the Woods


• Langell Valley


• Lenz


• Lorella


• Malone


• Midland


• Modoc Point


• Odell Lake


• Odessa


• Olene


• Pelican City


• Pine Grove


• Pine Ridge


• Rocky Point


• Shevlin


• Sprague River


• Worden


• Yonna

Government

Politics

Like most of southwestern Oregon, Klamath County is a Republican stronghold. The county has reliably given a majority of its votes to Republican politicians for years; the last time a Democratic candidate for US president carried Klamath County was in 1964, when Lyndon Johnson won by a landslide nationwide against Barry Goldwater — but only by three percentage points in Klamath County.

Klamath County is represented in the Oregon House of Representatives by two Republicans, E. Werner Reschke and Mike McLane, and in the Oregon State Senate by Republican Dennis Linthicum. Federally, Greg Walden, a Republican, is Klamath County's representative in the United States House.

Presidential elections results

Presidential elections results^[16]

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third parties
2016	67.0% 20,435	23.6% 7,210	9.4% 2,862
2012	67.1% 18,898	29.5% 8,302	3.4% 952
2008	65.0% 19,113	31.9% 9,370	3.1% 916
2004	72.1% 22,733	26.2% 8,264	1.6% 518
2000	67.7% 18,855	27.1% 7,541	5.2% 1,448
1996	54.2% 12,116	32.2% 7,207	13.6% 3,037
1992	44.6% 11,864	29.8% 7,918	25.6% 6,811
1988	60.0% 13,484	37.5% 8,429	2.5% 557
1984	69.8% 17,686	29.9% 7,575	0.3% 74
1980	62.8% 16,060	28.8% 7,371	8.5% 2,161
1976	52.5% 11,649	43.5% 9,659	4.0% 879
1972	58.9% 11,169	30.2% 5,719	10.9% 2,066
1968	56.4% 9,604	33.1% 5,629	10.5% 1,784
1964	48.5% 8,530	51.5% 9,066	0.0% 3
1960	50.5% 9,095	49.5% 8,928
1956	53.6% 9,740	46.4% 8,434
1952	64.0% 11,517	35.6% 6,407	0.4% 65
1948	47.5% 7,072	50.5% 7,520	2.1% 306
1944	46.9% 5,969	52.3% 6,656	0.7% 92
1940	39.5% 6,169	59.9% 9,345	0.6% 96
1936	26.4% 3,225	70.1% 8,562	3.6% 435
1932	32.4% 3,483	63.0% 6,772	4.7% 500
1928	61.3% 4,453	37.4% 2,721	1.3% 93
1924	53.5% 2,775	13.1% 680	33.4% 1,734
1920	70.2% 2,742	23.1% 901	6.8% 264
1916	44.4% 1,631	50.4% 1,853	5.2% 192
1912	22.3% 433	42.0% 815	35.8% 695
1908	54.6% 634	36.8% 427	8.6% 100
1904	68.7% 552	25.9% 208	5.4% 43

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 20th century 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 188,000 acres (760 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 and Jeld-Wen, a manufacturer of doors and windows. The area is currently experiencing a boom in housing construction, as its proximity to California 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 at Crater Lake, contribute to the economy of the area. A complex of six National Wildlife Refuges—Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges Complex—seasonally draw some of the largest concentrations of waterfowl in North America. 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.

Education

Colleges and universities

• Klamath Community College


• Oregon Institute of Technology

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Klamath County, Oregon


• List of parks in Klamath Falls, Oregon

References

1. 
   ^ ^ab "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved November 15, 2013..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
   


2. 
   ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
   


3. 
   ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Government Printing Office. p. 177.
   


4. 
   ^ "Edison Chiloquin (1923-2003)". www.oregonencyclopedia.org. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
   


5. 
   ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
   


6. 
   ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
   


7. 
   ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
   


8. 
   ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
   


9. 
   ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
   


10. 
    ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
    


11. 
    ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
    


12. 
    ^ ^abc "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
    


13. 
    ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
    


14. 
    ^ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
    


15. 
    ^ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
    


16. 
    ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
    

External links

Media related to Klamath County, Oregon at Wikimedia Commons

• 
  Klamath County, Oregon (official website)


• Klamath County Chamber of Commerce


• Klamath Visitor & Convention Bureau


• Klamath County Economic Development

Coordinates: 42°41′N 121°39′W / 42.68°N 121.65°W / 42.68; -121.65

Places adjacent to Klamath County, Oregon
Douglas County and Lane County Deschutes County Jackson County Klamath County, Oregon Lake County Siskiyou County, California and Modoc County, California

v t e Municipalities and communities of Klamath County, Oregon, United States
County seat: Klamath Falls
Cities	Bonanza Chiloquin Klamath Falls Malin Merrill
CDPs	Altamont Beatty
Other unincorporated communities	Ady Algoma Beaver Marsh Bly Cascade Summit Chemult Crescent Crescent Lake Junction Dairy Falcon Heights Fort Klamath Gilchrist Hager Hatfield‡ Henley Hildebrand Keno Kirk Klamath Agency Langell Valley Lenz Lorella Malone Midland Modoc Point Odessa Olene Pelican City Pine Grove Rocky Point Shevlin Sprague River Worden Yonna
Indian reservation	Klamath Reservation

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Authority control	ISNI: 0000 0004 0436 0070 LCCN: n79135223 NARA: 10039419 VIAF: 141886187 WorldCat Identities (via VIAF): 141886187

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