Cottonwood, Idaho
Encyclopedia
Cottonwood is a city in Idaho County
, Idaho
, United States
. The population was 900 at the 2010 census. Cottonwood is just west of U.S. Route 95, between Grangeville
and Lewiston
.
ski area is west of the city, on the east face of the mountain of the same name. During the Cold War
, the mountain was the site of Cottonwood Air Force Station
, an early warning radar
installation of the U.S. Air Force
. Construction of the station began in 1956 and it went operational in early 1959. The radar tower was at the summit and the cantonment
of the station was at 4400 feet (1,341.1 m), about one mile (1.6 km) below the present base of the ski area on Radar Road. The 27-unit family housing area was built in the city of Cottonwood, on Butte Drive in the north end. The radar was significantly upgraded with a new tower in 1962, but the station was obsolete within three years and was deactivated. The buildings of Cottonwood AFS became a Job Corps
center in 1965, supervised by the U.S. Forest Service
. It was transferred to the state of Idaho in 1974, and was converted to the minimum-security North Idaho Correctional Institution.
nuns traces their history to twelfth-century Switzerland
. The chapel at St. Gertrude's is among the most ornate in the state.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 944 people, 364 households, and 242 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,136.4 people per square mile (439.1/km²). There were 398 housing units at an average density of 479.1 per square mile (185.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.99% White, 0.64% Native American, 0.42% Asian, and 0.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.42% of the population.
There were 364 households out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were married couples
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.7% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,167, and the median income for a family was $39,625. Males had a median income of $30,833 versus $20,833 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,003. About 5.8% of families and 10.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.7% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.
Idaho County, Idaho
Idaho County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 16,267. The county seat is Grangeville...
, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 900 at the 2010 census. Cottonwood is just west of U.S. Route 95, between Grangeville
Grangeville, Idaho
Grangeville is the largest city in and the county seat of Idaho County, Idaho, United States, in the west central part of the state. It had a population of 3,141 at the 2010 census.- Culture :...
and Lewiston
Lewiston, Idaho
Lewiston is a city in and also the county seat of Nez Perce County in the Pacific Northwest state of Idaho. It is the second-largest city in the northern Idaho region, behind Coeur d'Alene and ninth-largest in the state. Lewiston is the principal city of the Lewiston, ID - Clarkston, WA...
.
Cottonwood Butte
The Cottonwood ButteCottonwood Butte
Cottonwood Butte is a mountain and modest ski area in northern Idaho, west of nearby Cottonwood. Its summit is at an elevation of above sea level and is the highest point on the Camas Prairie, above Cottonwood.-Ski area:...
ski area is west of the city, on the east face of the mountain of the same name. During the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, the mountain was the site of Cottonwood Air Force Station
Cottonwood Air Force Station
Cottonwood Air Force Station is a former United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. The radar site was located at the summit of Cottonwood Butte, west-northwest of Cottonwood in Idaho County, Idaho...
, an early warning radar
Early warning radar
An early warning radar is any radar system used primarily for the long-range detection of its targets, i.e., allowing defences to be alerted as early as possible before the intruder reaches its target, giving the defences the maximum time in which to operate...
installation of the U.S. Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
. Construction of the station began in 1956 and it went operational in early 1959. The radar tower was at the summit and the cantonment
Cantonment
A cantonment is a temporary or semi-permanent military or police quarters. The word cantonment is derived from the French word canton meaning corner or district, as is the name of the Cantons of Switzerland. In South Asia, the term cantonment also describes permanent military stations...
of the station was at 4400 feet (1,341.1 m), about one mile (1.6 km) below the present base of the ski area on Radar Road. The 27-unit family housing area was built in the city of Cottonwood, on Butte Drive in the north end. The radar was significantly upgraded with a new tower in 1962, but the station was obsolete within three years and was deactivated. The buildings of Cottonwood AFS became a Job Corps
Job Corps
Job Corps is a program administered by the United States Department of Labor that offers free-of-charge education and vocational training to youth ages 16 to 24.-Mission and purpose:...
center in 1965, supervised by the U.S. Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
. It was transferred to the state of Idaho in 1974, and was converted to the minimum-security North Idaho Correctional Institution.
St. Gertrude's
Also west of the city is St. Gertrude's Convent, begun in the early 1900s. The order of BenedictineBenedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
nuns traces their history to twelfth-century Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. The chapel at St. Gertrude's is among the most ornate in the state.
Geography
Cottonwood is located at 46°3′8"N 116°21′2"W (46.052231, -116.350655).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 city has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 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 944 people, 364 households, and 242 families residing in the city. 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 1,136.4 people per square mile (439.1/km²). There were 398 housing units at an average density of 479.1 per square mile (185.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.99% White, 0.64% Native American, 0.42% Asian, and 0.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.42% of the population.
There were 364 households out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% 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, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.7% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,167, and the median income for a family was $39,625. Males had a median income of $30,833 versus $20,833 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 city was $15,003. About 5.8% of families and 10.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.7% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.