Sisters, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Sisters is a city in Deschutes County
, Oregon
, United States
. It is part of the Bend, Oregon
Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 959 at the 2000 census, but more than doubled to 2038 as of the 2010 census.
was established as a military post in 1865 in response to the Paiute
Indian wars that were raging throughout eastern Oregon during the 1860s and 70s.
Named after the Oregon county
from which the camp’s commanding officer hailed, it consisted of a group of cabins along the west bank of Squaw Creek, about three miles northeast of Sisters. The troops spent the winter of 1865-66 there. After discovering that there was no Indian problem they left. Around 1870, the area was homesteaded by Samuel Hindeman who also ran the post office. The post office at Camp Polk was moved to the present site of Sisters in 1888, and the name was changed to Sisters after the Three Sisters
mountains that dominate its western skyline.
, the city has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), all land.
Whychus Creek
runs through the southern half of town.
The Santiam Highway (U.S. Route 20
) and the McKenzie Highway (Oregon Route 126) merge briefly to form Cascade Avenue, the main thoroughfare through downtown Sisters. On Cascade Avenue, there is a lot of pedestrian traffic and many specialty stores and galleries. East of Sisters the two highways split, with 126 heading to Redmond
and 20 going to Bend
. West of Sisters, the road splits once more, with the McKenzie Highway becoming Oregon Route 242 and running west over the McKenzie Pass
(a summertime-only scenic route over the Cascades.) The Santiam Highway proceeds over the Santiam Pass
.
of 2000, there were 959 people, 397 households, and 262 families residing in the city. The population density
was 663.0 people per square mile (255.4/km²). There were 482 housing units at an average density of 333.2 per square mile (128.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.83% White, 1.56% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 1.36% from other races
, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.59% of the population.
There were 397 households out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples
living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.1% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,000, and the median income for a family was $43,977. Males had a median income of $35,563 versus $21,771 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,847. About 7.4% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.3% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.
Sisters is also home to Sisters Christian Academy, a non-denominational Christian school.
published weekly on Wednesdays. It is free and available at most businesses in town.
. The Sisters Ranger District Office is located at Pine Street and Highway 20. Hiking, biking and horse riding trails go from the city limits into the Three Sisters Wilderness
. The Sisters Community Trails Committee is working to improve the trail network.
The Sisters area is also home to several mountain biking trails, including the Peterson Ridge and Suttle Lake trails.
Hoodoo
ski resort and many snow parks are nearby.
The Sisters Rodeo has been an annual event since 1941.
Deschutes County, Oregon
-National protected areas:* Deschutes National Forest * Newberry National Volcanic Monument-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 115,367 people, 45,595 households, and 31,962 families residing in the county. The population density was 38 people per square mile . There were 54,583...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is part of the Bend, Oregon
Bend, Oregon
Bend is a city in and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States, and the principal city of the Bend, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bend is Central Oregon's largest city, and, despite its modest size, is the de facto metropolis of the region, owing to the low population...
Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 959 at the 2000 census, but more than doubled to 2038 as of the 2010 census.
History
Camp PolkCamp Polk (Oregon)
Camp Polk was a former army camp in the U.S. state of Oregon that was established in Deschutes County in 1865. It was a post of the District of Oregon. One of nine camps created during a time of conflict between settlers and Native Americans, it was located three miles northeast of the present-day...
was established as a military post in 1865 in response to the Paiute
Paiute
Paiute refers to three closely related groups of Native Americans — the Northern Paiute of California, Idaho, Nevada and Oregon; the Owens Valley Paiute of California and Nevada; and the Southern Paiute of Arizona, southeastern California and Nevada, and Utah.-Origin of name:The origin of...
Indian wars that were raging throughout eastern Oregon during the 1860s and 70s.
Named after the Oregon county
Polk County, Oregon
Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county is named for James Knox Polk, the 11th president of the United States. In 2010, its population was 75,403. The seat of the county is Dallas....
from which the camp’s commanding officer hailed, it consisted of a group of cabins along the west bank of Squaw Creek, about three miles northeast of Sisters. The troops spent the winter of 1865-66 there. After discovering that there was no Indian problem they left. Around 1870, the area was homesteaded by Samuel Hindeman who also ran the post office. The post office at Camp Polk was moved to the present site of Sisters in 1888, and the name was changed to Sisters after the Three Sisters
Three Sisters (Oregon)
The Three Sisters are three volcanic peaks of the Cascade Volcanic Arc and the Cascade Range in Oregon, each of which exceeds in elevation. They are the third, fourth, and fifth highest peaks in the state of Oregon and are located in the Three Sisters Wilderness, about southwest from the nearest...
mountains that dominate its western skyline.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), all land.
Whychus Creek
Whychus Creek
Whychus Creek is a stream in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in Jefferson County. It was formerly named Squaw Creek and was renamed after legislation was passed requiring geographic names in Oregon containing the word "squaw" be changed....
runs through the southern half of town.
The Santiam Highway (U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20 in Oregon
U.S. Route 20 in Oregon is a major east–west cross-state highway, especially east of the Cascade Mountains. It connects U.S. Route 101 in Newport on the central Oregon Coast to the Idaho state line east of Nyssa.- Route description :...
) and the McKenzie Highway (Oregon Route 126) merge briefly to form Cascade Avenue, the main thoroughfare through downtown Sisters. On Cascade Avenue, there is a lot of pedestrian traffic and many specialty stores and galleries. East of Sisters the two highways split, with 126 heading to Redmond
Redmond, Oregon
Redmond is a city in Deschutes County, Oregon, United States. Incorporated on July 6, 1910, the city is located on the eastern side of Oregon's Cascade Range, in the High Desert, and is considered the geographical heart of Central Oregon...
and 20 going to Bend
Bend, Oregon
Bend is a city in and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States, and the principal city of the Bend, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bend is Central Oregon's largest city, and, despite its modest size, is the de facto metropolis of the region, owing to the low population...
. West of Sisters, the road splits once more, with the McKenzie Highway becoming Oregon Route 242 and running west over the McKenzie Pass
McKenzie Pass
McKenzie Pass is a mountain pass in the Cascade Range in central Oregon, United States.It is located at the border of Linn and Deschutes counties, approximately 20 mi northwest of Bend, between the Three Sisters to the south and Mt. Washington to the north...
(a summertime-only scenic route over the Cascades.) The Santiam Highway proceeds over the Santiam Pass
Santiam Pass
Santiam Pass is a mountain pass in the Cascade Range in central Oregon in the United States. It is located on the border between Linn and Jefferson counties, about northwest of Sisters, between the prominent volcanic horns of Three Fingered Jack to the north and Mount Washington to the south...
.
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 959 people, 397 households, and 262 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 663.0 people per square mile (255.4/km²). There were 482 housing units at an average density of 333.2 per square mile (128.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.83% White, 1.56% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 1.36% 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 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.59% of the population.
There were 397 households out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% 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, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.1% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,000, and the median income for a family was $43,977. Males had a median income of $35,563 versus $21,771 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 $17,847. About 7.4% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.3% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The Sisters area is served by Sisters School District, which is responsible for the education of approximately 1,300 students at four schools:- Sisters Elementary School - Kindergarten through Grade 4
- Sisters Middle School - Grades 5 through 8
- Sisters High SchoolSisters High SchoolSisters High School is a public high school located in Sisters, Oregon, United States.-Academics:In 2008, 94% of the school's seniors received their high school diploma. Of 159 students, 149 graduated, 5 dropped out, 1 received a modified diploma, and 4 are still in high school....
- Grades 9 through 12 - Sisters High School Alternative Programs - Grades 9 through 12
Sisters is also home to Sisters Christian Academy, a non-denominational Christian school.
Media
The local newspaper is the Nugget NewspaperNugget Newspaper
The Nugget Newspaper is an independent weekly newspaper published in Sisters, Oregon, United States with a circulation of 7,400. It was founded in 1978 and is published by Kiki Dolson. The Nugget is an associate member of the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association...
published weekly on Wednesdays. It is free and available at most businesses in town.
Recreation
Sisters is the headquarters of the Sisters District of the Deschutes National ForestDeschutes National Forest
The Deschutes National Forest is a United States National Forest located in parts of Deschutes, Klamath, Lake, and Jefferson counties in central Oregon. It comprises 1.8 million acres along the east side of the Cascade mountains. In 1908, the Deschutes National Forest was established from parts...
. The Sisters Ranger District Office is located at Pine Street and Highway 20. Hiking, biking and horse riding trails go from the city limits into the Three Sisters Wilderness
Three Sisters Wilderness
The Three Sisters Wilderness is a wilderness area in the Cascade Range, within the Willamette and Deschutes National Forests in Oregon. It comprises 286,708 acres , making it the second largest Wilderness area in Oregon...
. The Sisters Community Trails Committee is working to improve the trail network.
The Sisters area is also home to several mountain biking trails, including the Peterson Ridge and Suttle Lake trails.
Hoodoo
Hoodoo (ski area)
Hoodoo Ski Area is a ski resort operated near the summit of Santiam Pass on U.S. Route 20, in the Cascade Range. Hoodoo is operated on federal land through agreement with the Willamette National Forests McKenzie River ranger district...
ski resort and many snow parks are nearby.
The Sisters Rodeo has been an annual event since 1941.
Transportation
- Sisters Eagle Air AirportSisters Eagle Air AirportSisters Eagle Air Airport is a public airport located one mile north of Sisters in Deschutes County, Oregon, USA. There are some subdivisions with access to the airport. It is also used for wildfire aircraft support.-External links:**...
- Oregon Route 242
- Oregon Route 126
- U.S. Route 20U.S. Route 20U.S. Route 20 is an east–west United States highway. As the "0" in its route number implies, US 20 is a coast-to-coast route. Spanning , it is the longest road in the United States, and the route sparsely parallels Interstate 90...
Notable people
- Dan FoutsDan FoutsDaniel Francis Fouts is a retired Hall of Fame American football quarterback in the National Football League. Fouts played his entire professional career with the San Diego Chargers from 1973 through 1987...
, former professional football player - Chris KlugChris KlugChris Klug is a professional alpine snowboarder. After receiving a liver transplant in 2000 to treat Primary sclerosing cholangitis, he went on to compete in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. This was the first and so far only time a transplantee had competed in the Olympics, either...
, Olympic Snowboarder - Ken RuettgersKen RuettgersKenneth Ruettgers is a former National Football League offensive lineman who played for the Green Bay Packers from 1985 to 1996.-High school career:...
, former professional football player