Othello, Washington
Encyclopedia
Othello is a city in Adams County, Washington, United States. The population was 5,847 at the 2000 census and grew 25.9% over the next decade to 7,364 at the 2010 census. Othello refers to the city as being in the "Heart" of the Columbia Basin Project
. It is located approximately 100 miles (160.9 km) southwest of Spokane
, 180 miles (289.7 km) east of Seattle
, and about 25 miles (40.2 km) south of Interstate 90, at the intersection of SR 17 and SR 26
.
Othello has many outdoor recreation opportunities. The Columbia National Wildlife Refuge is about 5 miles (8 km) away with 23200 acres (93.9 km²) of land for hiking, fishing, biking and wildlife viewing. Othello also has a few public golf courses.
in 1884. An influx of homesteaders began after the turn of the century, and a post office was established in 1904. The post office was named Othello after a post office also called Othello in Roane County, Tennessee.
The Chicago, Milwaukee, & St. Paul Railroad
ran a track through Adams County in 1907. The railroad officially platted the town as a stop, with water to feed the boilers of steam trains. They kept the name Othello, and build a railyard and wooden roundhouse
there. Although the roundhouse burned in 1919, it was replaced with a brick structure which lasted many years. Businesses and settlers continued to follow, and the town was incorporated May 31, 1910. At the time the railroad was the eastern terminus of the second electrified district of the Milwaukee Road's "Pacific Extension" route, which extended up to Tacoma, Washington
.
The Bureau of Reclamation
located offices in Othello in 1947, which prevented the decline of this town with the decline of rail shipping after World War II. In the early 1950s, the Columbia Basin Project
brought irrigation to the Othello area, increasing both agriculture and commerce. Prior to this, water came only from Crab Creek and from local wells. The water arrived via the East Canal between Billy Clapp Lake and Scootenay Reservoir in Franklin County. Once there was irrigation available, a land drawing was held in Othello. On May 31, 1952 42 names were drawn (of more than 7000 submitted) for the privilege of purchasing this newly-desirable acreage.
From 1951 to 1973 the 637th Radar Squadron
operated the Othello Radar Station near the town. In 1958, an ice plant was opened in town to service railroad cars moving produce. Frozen food packaging came to town in the early 1960s, and has since become the main industry.
Since 1998, Othello has also been home to the Sandhill Crane Festival, celebrating the annual arrival of Sandhill Crane
s to the nearby Columbia National Wildlife Refuge
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 3.0 square miles (7.8 km²), all of it land.
, and 3.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 63.76% of the population.
There were 1,788 households out of which 48.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.0% were non-families. 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.24 and the average family size was 3.66.
In the city the age distribution of the population shows 36.1% under the age of 18, 12.0% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females there were 103.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,291, and the median income for a family was $31,282. Males had a median income of $28,423 versus $21,455 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $11,409. About 18.4% of families and 24.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.5% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.
Columbia Basin Project
The Columbia Basin Project in Central Washington, USA, is the irrigation network that the Grand Coulee Dam makes possible. It is the largest water reclamation project in the United States, supplying irrigation water to over of the large project area, all of which was originally intended to be...
. It is located approximately 100 miles (160.9 km) southwest of Spokane
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, 180 miles (289.7 km) east of Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, and about 25 miles (40.2 km) south of Interstate 90, at the intersection of SR 17 and SR 26
Washington State Route 26
State Route 26 is a state highway in the Grant, Adams, and Whitman counties, in the U.S. state of Washington. It extends from Interstate 90 east of the community of Vantage, east to U.S. Route 195 in Colfax. SR 26 intersects SR 24, SR 17, US 395, and SR 261 before...
.
Othello has many outdoor recreation opportunities. The Columbia National Wildlife Refuge is about 5 miles (8 km) away with 23200 acres (93.9 km²) of land for hiking, fishing, biking and wildlife viewing. Othello also has a few public golf courses.
History
The first white settlers in the area were two brothers, Ben and Sam Hutchinson, who built a cabin along the Crab CreekCrab Creek
Crab Creek is a stream in the U.S. state of Washington. Named for the presence of crayfish, it is one of the few perennial streams in the Columbia Basin of central Washington, flowing from the northeastern Columbia River Plateau, roughly east of Reardan, west-southwest to empty into the Columbia...
in 1884. An influx of homesteaders began after the turn of the century, and a post office was established in 1904. The post office was named Othello after a post office also called Othello in Roane County, Tennessee.
The Chicago, Milwaukee, & St. Paul Railroad
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until its merger into the Soo Line Railroad on January 1, 1986. The company went through several official names...
ran a track through Adams County in 1907. The railroad officially platted the town as a stop, with water to feed the boilers of steam trains. They kept the name Othello, and build a railyard and wooden roundhouse
Roundhouse
A roundhouse is a building used by railroads for servicing locomotives. Roundhouses are large, circular or semicircular structures that were traditionally located surrounding or adjacent to turntables...
there. Although the roundhouse burned in 1919, it was replaced with a brick structure which lasted many years. Businesses and settlers continued to follow, and the town was incorporated May 31, 1910. At the time the railroad was the eastern terminus of the second electrified district of the Milwaukee Road's "Pacific Extension" route, which extended up to Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
.
The Bureau of Reclamation
United States Bureau of Reclamation
The United States Bureau of Reclamation , and formerly the United States Reclamation Service , is an agency under the U.S...
located offices in Othello in 1947, which prevented the decline of this town with the decline of rail shipping after World War II. In the early 1950s, the Columbia Basin Project
Columbia Basin Project
The Columbia Basin Project in Central Washington, USA, is the irrigation network that the Grand Coulee Dam makes possible. It is the largest water reclamation project in the United States, supplying irrigation water to over of the large project area, all of which was originally intended to be...
brought irrigation to the Othello area, increasing both agriculture and commerce. Prior to this, water came only from Crab Creek and from local wells. The water arrived via the East Canal between Billy Clapp Lake and Scootenay Reservoir in Franklin County. Once there was irrigation available, a land drawing was held in Othello. On May 31, 1952 42 names were drawn (of more than 7000 submitted) for the privilege of purchasing this newly-desirable acreage.
From 1951 to 1973 the 637th Radar Squadron
Aerospace Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. Established in 1946 under the United States Army Air Forces, its mission was to organize and administer the integrated air defense system of the Continental United States , exercise direct control of all active...
operated the Othello Radar Station near the town. In 1958, an ice plant was opened in town to service railroad cars moving produce. Frozen food packaging came to town in the early 1960s, and has since become the main industry.
Since 1998, Othello has also been home to the Sandhill Crane Festival, celebrating the annual arrival of Sandhill Crane
Sandhill Crane
The Sandhill Crane is a large crane of North America and extreme northeastern Siberia. The common name of this bird references habitat like that at the Platte River, on the edge of Nebraska's Sandhills in the American Midwest...
s to the nearby Columbia National Wildlife Refuge
Columbia National Wildlife Refuge
Columbia National Wildlife Refuge is a scenic mixture of rugged cliffs, canyons, lakes, and sagebrush grasslands. Formed by fire, ice, floods, and volcanic tempest, carved by periods of extreme violence of natural forces, the refuge lies in the middle of the Drumheller Channeled Scablands of...
.
Geography
Othello is located at 46°49′25"N 119°10′2"W (46.823679, -119.167319).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 3.0 square miles (7.8 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,847 people, 1,788 households, and 1,412 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,949.7 people per square mile (752.5/km²). There were 1,864 housing units at an average density of 621.6 per square mile (239.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 54.18% White, 0.53% African American, 1.01% Native American, 1.01% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 39.54% from other racesRace (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 3.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 63.76% of the population.
There were 1,788 households out of which 48.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.0% were non-families. 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.24 and the average family size was 3.66.
In the city the age distribution of the population shows 36.1% under the age of 18, 12.0% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females there were 103.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,291, and the median income for a family was $31,282. Males had a median income of $28,423 versus $21,455 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 $11,409. About 18.4% of families and 24.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.5% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.
Prominent people from Othello
- Pee Wee (born Irvan Salinas), singer
- Davey RichardsDavey RichardsWesley David Richards is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Davey Richards.Richards is currently under contract with Ring of Honor, where he is the current ROH World Champion, but also wrestles for several companies on the independent circuit, including Pro Wrestling...
, professional wrestlerProfessional wrestlingProfessional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport... - Bill CrowBill CrowBill Crow is an American jazz bassist and author.Crow was born in Othello, Washington in the United States of America, but spent his childhood in Kirkland, Washington. After high school, he briefly played sousaphone at the University of Washington in Seattle...
, Jazz Musician / Author