Klamath Falls, Oregon
Encyclopedia : K : KL : KLA : Klamath Falls, Oregon
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 in 1892-3, and is sometimes called K Falls. The population was 19,462 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Klamath County[Geographic references#6GR6].
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".Klamath Falls was incorporated as a city in 1905.
There is a large community of Evangelical Christians. The Oregon Citizens Alliance was formed in Klamath Falls. The town has one of the worst unemployment rates in the state of Oregon since the collapse of the timber industry and has a significant crime rate related to the poverty issue. Methamphetamine sales have risen among segments of Klamath Falls society.
Geography
Klamath Falls is located at (42.223441, -121.777578)[Geographic references#1GR1], at an elevation of 4100 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.
Demographics
As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] 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, and 3.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.32% of the population.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, and 41.0% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 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.
In the city the population was spread out with 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, and 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 16.2% of families and 21.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.8% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.
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.Colleges and universities
- Oregon Institute of Technology
- Klamath Community College
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, and overlooks Upper Klamath Lake, the largest natural lake in the Pacific Northwest.Sister City
Klamath Falls has one sister city [link], as designated by Sister Cities International:
See also
- Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges
- Klamath Lake
- Klamath Reclamation Project
- Klamath River
External links
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