Wallowa County, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Wallowa County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Oregon
. It is included in the 8 county definition of Eastern Oregon
. According to Oregon Geographic Names
, the origins of the county's name are uncertain, with the most likely explanation being that it is derived from the Nez Perce
term for a structure of stakes (a weir
) used in fishing. An alternative explanation is that Wallowa is derived from a Nez Perce word for "winding water". The journals of Lewis and Clark Expedition
record the name of the Wallowa River
as Wil-le-wah.
In 2010, the county's population was 7,008. Its seat
is Enterprise
.
In 1871, the first white settlers came to the area, crossing the mountains in search of livestock feed in the Wallowa Valley. The county was established on February 11, 1887, from the eastern portion of Union County
. Boundary changes occurred with Union County in 1890, 1900, and 1915.
In 1877, the younger Chief Joseph
of the Nez Perce, incensed at the government's attempt to deprive his people of the Wallowa Valley, refused to be moved to an Idaho
reservation. Several regiments of United States troops were dispatched to force him onto the reservation. After several battles and a march of almost two thousand miles towards sanctuary in Canada
, Chief Joseph was forced to surrender in Montana
, forty miles from the Canadian border. He and some of the survivors from his band were detained in Oklahoma
, and later were relocated to Colville Reservation in Washington State. Approximately half of the survivors moved to the Nez Perce Reservation in Idaho. Chief Joseph last visited Wallowa County in 1902.
Wallowa County was the scene of perhaps the worst incident of violence against Chinese
in Oregon, when in May 1887 a gang of rustlers massacred 34 Chinese gold miners in Hells Canyon
. Of the seven rustlers and schoolboys believed to have been responsible, only three were brought to trial in Enterprise, where a jury found them not guilty on September 1, 1888. A proposal to commemorate this event on official maps was defeated June 2004.
United States Supreme Court Associate Justice
William O. Douglas
was one famous summer visitor to Wallowa County, building a vacation cabin on Lostine River Road in 1939.
In December 2003, a developer announced a proposal to buy a 62 acres (250,905.3 m²) property near Wallowa Lake
, and build 11 homes on it. This property is adjacent to the property that is home to the grave of Old Chief Joseph
, father of the younger Chief Joseph. This proposal drew opposition from a local group, as well as from the Nez Perce, Colville
, and Umatilla
tribes. Prior offers by the National Park Service
and the Trust for Public Land to buy the land were rejected. The County commissioners gave conditional approval for the developers to complete a final plat
of the land on February 13, 2004, but the attorney for the Nez Perce said the tribe would appeal the decision to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals.
foundries
and a number of related businesses specializing in statue-making have opened in Joseph
and Enterprise
, helping to stabilize the local economy. The Forest Service
is the largest landlord in the county, owning 56% of the land.
which is currently represented by Greg Smith
. It is also located in Oregon State Senate District 29
, represented by David Nelson
. Both Smith and Nelson are registered Republicans
.
of Enterprise
and was elected onto the Board of Commissioners in 2008. Dan DeBoie is a former Joseph
School Board Chairman and was elected in 2006. All three commissioners are registered Republicans
.
in Wallowa County are members of the Republican Party
. In the 2008 presidential election
, 63.52% of Wallowa County voters voted for Republican John McCain
, while 33.42% voted for Democrat
Barack Obama
and 3.06% of voters either voted for a Third Party
candidate or wrote in a candidate. These numbers have changed slightly from the 2004 presidential election
, in which 69.3% voted for George W. Bush
, while 28.1% voted for John Kerry
, and 2.6% of voters either voted for a Third Party candidate or wrote in a candidate.
and the Wallowa Mountains
attract tourists to this region. The lake is a natural glacial formation, held in on three sides by prominent moraine
s. The microclimate
is somewhat different from the surrounding areas and provides a cool retreat during the summer. Other geographic features include
of 2000, there were 7,226 people, 3,029 households, and 2,083 families residing in the county. The population density
was 2 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 3,900 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.50% White
, 0.03% Black
or African American
, 0.71% Native American
, 0.24% Asian
, 0.04% Pacific Islander
, 0.95% from other races
, and 1.54% from two or more races. 1.73% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 21.8% were of German, 15.7% American
, 12.3% English
and 11.8% Irish
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 3,029 households out of which 28.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.70% were married couples
living together, 6.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.20% were non-families. 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the county, the population was spread out with 24.30% under the age of 18, 4.90% from 18 to 24, 21.90% from 25 to 44, 30.00% from 45 to 64, and 18.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 100.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,129, and the median income for a family was $38,682. Males had a median income of $28,202 versus $21,558 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $17,276. About 9.80% of families and 14.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.30% of those under age 18 and 11.40% of those age 65 or over.
.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
. It is included in the 8 county definition of Eastern Oregon
Eastern Oregon
Eastern Oregon is the eastern part of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is not an officially recognized geographic entity, thus the boundaries of the region vary according to context. It is sometimes understood to include only the eight easternmost counties in the state; in other contexts, it includes...
. According to Oregon Geographic Names
Oregon Geographic Names
Oregon Geographic Names is an authoritative compilation of the origin and meaning of place names in the U.S. state of Oregon. , the book is in its seventh edition and is compiled and edited by Lewis L. McArthur, who took over from his father, Lewis A. McArthur, as of the fourth edition...
, the origins of the county's name are uncertain, with the most likely explanation being that it is derived from the Nez Perce
Nez Perce language
Nez Perce , also spelled Nez Percé, is a Sahaptian language related to the several dialects of Sahaptin . The Sahaptian sub-family is one of the branches of the Plateau Penutian family...
term for a structure of stakes (a weir
Fishing weir
A fishing weir, or fish weir, is an obstruction placed in tidal waters or wholly or partially across a river, which is designed to hinder the passage of fish. Traditionally they were built from wood or stones. They can be used to trap fish...
) used in fishing. An alternative explanation is that Wallowa is derived from a Nez Perce word for "winding water". The journals of Lewis and Clark Expedition
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, or ″Corps of Discovery Expedition" was the first transcontinental expedition to the Pacific Coast by the United States. Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson and led by two Virginia-born veterans of Indian wars in the Ohio Valley, Meriwether Lewis and William...
record the name of the Wallowa River
Wallowa River
The Wallowa River is a tributary of the Grande Ronde River, approximately long, in northeastern Oregon in the United States. It drains a valley on the Columbia Plateau in the northeast corner of the state north of Wallowa Mountains. It rises in southern Wallowa County, in the Wallowa Mountains in...
as Wil-le-wah.
In 2010, the county's population was 7,008. Its seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Enterprise
Enterprise, Oregon
Enterprise is a city in and the county seat of Wallowa County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1,895 at the 2000 census, with an estimated population of 1,940 in 2007.- History :...
.
History
Union County, Oregon
Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is included in the 8 county definition of Eastern Oregon. The county is named for the town of Union, which is located within its boundaries; in 2010, the county population was 25,748. The county seat is La Grande.-History:Union County...
. Boundary changes occurred with Union County in 1890, 1900, and 1915.
In 1877, the younger Chief Joseph
Chief Joseph
Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt, popularly known as Chief Joseph, or Young Joseph was the leader of the Wal-lam-wat-kain band of Nez Perce during General Oliver O. Howard's attempt to forcibly remove his band and the other "non-treaty" Nez Perce to a reservation in Idaho...
of the Nez Perce, incensed at the government's attempt to deprive his people of the Wallowa Valley, refused to be moved to an 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....
reservation. Several regiments of United States troops were dispatched to force him onto the reservation. After several battles and a march of almost two thousand miles towards sanctuary in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Chief Joseph was forced to surrender in Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, forty miles from the Canadian border. He and some of the survivors from his band were detained in Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, and later were relocated to Colville Reservation in Washington State. Approximately half of the survivors moved to the Nez Perce Reservation in Idaho. Chief Joseph last visited Wallowa County in 1902.
Wallowa County was the scene of perhaps the worst incident of violence against Chinese
Overseas Chinese
Overseas Chinese are people of Chinese birth or descent who live outside the Greater China Area . People of partial Chinese ancestry living outside the Greater China Area may also consider themselves Overseas Chinese....
in Oregon, when in May 1887 a gang of rustlers massacred 34 Chinese gold miners in Hells Canyon
Hells Canyon
Hells Canyon is a wide canyon located along the border of eastern Oregon and western Idaho in the United States. It is North America's deepest river gorge at and part of the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area....
. Of the seven rustlers and schoolboys believed to have been responsible, only three were brought to trial in Enterprise, where a jury found them not guilty on September 1, 1888. A proposal to commemorate this event on official maps was defeated June 2004.
United States Supreme Court Associate Justice
Associate Justice
Associate Justice or Associate Judge is the title for a member of a judicial panel who is not the Chief Justice in some jurisdictions. The title "Associate Justice" is used for members of the United States Supreme Court and some state supreme courts, and for some other courts in Commonwealth...
William O. Douglas
William O. Douglas
William Orville Douglas was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. With a term lasting 36 years and 209 days, he is the longest-serving justice in the history of the Supreme Court...
was one famous summer visitor to Wallowa County, building a vacation cabin on Lostine River Road in 1939.
In December 2003, a developer announced a proposal to buy a 62 acres (250,905.3 m²) property near Wallowa Lake
Wallowa Lake
Wallowa Lake is a ribbon lake one mile south of Joseph, Oregon, United States. Impounded by high moraines, it was formed by a series of Pleistocene glaciers. On the south end of the lake is a small community made up of vacation homes, lodging, restaurants, as well as other small businesses....
, and build 11 homes on it. This property is adjacent to the property that is home to the grave of Old Chief Joseph
Old Chief Joseph
Tuekakas, commonly known as Old Chief Joseph or Joseph the Elder, was a Native American leader of the Wallowa Band of the Nez Perce. Old Joseph was one of the first Nez Percé converts to Christianity and a vigorous advocate of the tribe's early peace with whites...
, father of the younger Chief Joseph. This proposal drew opposition from a local group, as well as from the Nez Perce, Colville
Colville
-Places:Canada*Colville Lake, Northwest Territories*Colville Lake , for which the communiy is namedNew Zealand*Colville, New Zealand, on the Coromandel Peninsula, and the following nearby features:** Cape Colville...
, and Umatilla
Umatilla (tribe)
The Umatilla are a Sahaptin-speaking Native American group living on the Umatilla Indian Reservation, who traditionally inhabited the Columbia Plateau region of the northwestern United States....
tribes. Prior offers by the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
and the Trust for Public Land to buy the land were rejected. The County commissioners gave conditional approval for the developers to complete a final plat
Plat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
of the land on February 13, 2004, but the attorney for the Nez Perce said the tribe would appeal the decision to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals.
Economy
The principal industries in Wallowa County are agriculture, ranching, lumber, and tourism. Since 1985, three bronzeBronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
foundries
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
and a number of related businesses specializing in statue-making have opened in Joseph
Joseph, Oregon
Joseph is a city in Wallowa County, Oregon, United States. Originally named Silver Lake and Lake City, in 1880 the city formally named itself for Nez Perce Chief Joseph. The population was 1,054 at the 2000 census.- History :...
and Enterprise
Enterprise, Oregon
Enterprise is a city in and the county seat of Wallowa County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1,895 at the 2000 census, with an estimated population of 1,940 in 2007.- History :...
, helping to stabilize the local economy. The 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...
is the largest landlord in the county, owning 56% of the land.
State Legislature
Wallowa County is located in Oregon State House District 57Oregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
which is currently represented by Greg Smith
Greg Smith (Oregon politician)
Greg V. Smith is an American politician in the US state of Oregon. He is a member of the Oregon House of Representatives, serving District 57. He resides in Heppner with his wife Sherri and their five kids.- Educational background :...
. It is also located in Oregon State Senate District 29
Oregon State Senate
The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the State Senate, representing 30 districts across the state,...
, represented by David Nelson
David Nelson (Oregon politician)
David Nelson is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Oregon, serving his third term in the Oregon State Senate. He lives in Pendleton, and represents District 29....
. Both Smith and Nelson are registered Republicans
Oregon Republican Party
The Oregon Republican Party is the state affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Oregon, headquartered in Lake Oswego. The first state party convention was held in Salem on April 21, 1859, and its first nominee for Congress, Portland attorney David Logan...
.
Board of Commissioners
Wallowa County is represented and governed by three County Commissioners. The Wallowa County Board of Commissioners is currently made up of Mike Hayward, Susan Roberts, and Dan DeBoie. Mike Hayward, who serves as the boards Chair, is a former county planning commissioner and was first elected in 2004, then reelected in 2008. Susan Roberts is a former MayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Enterprise
Enterprise, Oregon
Enterprise is a city in and the county seat of Wallowa County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1,895 at the 2000 census, with an estimated population of 1,940 in 2007.- History :...
and was elected onto the Board of Commissioners in 2008. Dan DeBoie is a former Joseph
Joseph, Oregon
Joseph is a city in Wallowa County, Oregon, United States. Originally named Silver Lake and Lake City, in 1880 the city formally named itself for Nez Perce Chief Joseph. The population was 1,054 at the 2000 census.- History :...
School Board Chairman and was elected in 2006. All three commissioners are registered Republicans
Oregon Republican Party
The Oregon Republican Party is the state affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Oregon, headquartered in Lake Oswego. The first state party convention was held in Salem on April 21, 1859, and its first nominee for Congress, Portland attorney David Logan...
.
Make-up of Wallowa County voters
Like all counties in eastern Oregon, the majority of registered voters who are part of a political partyPolitical party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Wallowa County are members of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. In the 2008 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, 63.52% of Wallowa County voters voted for Republican John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
, while 33.42% voted for Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
and 3.06% of voters either voted for a Third Party
Third party (politics)
In a two-party system of politics, the term third party is sometimes applied to a party other than the two dominant ones. While technically the term is limited to the third largest party or third oldest party, it is common, though innumerate, shorthand for any smaller party.For instance, in the...
candidate or wrote in a candidate. These numbers have changed slightly from the 2004 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
, in which 69.3% voted for George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, while 28.1% voted for John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
, and 2.6% of voters either voted for a Third Party candidate or wrote in a candidate.
Geography
Wallowa is the northeasternmost county of Oregon. It has a total area of 3152 square miles (8,163.6 km²), of which 3145 square miles (8,145.5 km²) is land and 6 square miles (15.5 km²) (0.20%) is water.Geographic features
Wallowa LakeWallowa Lake
Wallowa Lake is a ribbon lake one mile south of Joseph, Oregon, United States. Impounded by high moraines, it was formed by a series of Pleistocene glaciers. On the south end of the lake is a small community made up of vacation homes, lodging, restaurants, as well as other small businesses....
and the Wallowa Mountains
Wallowa Mountains
The Wallowa Mountains are a mountain range located in the Columbia Plateau of northeastern Oregon in the United States. The range runs approximately 40 mi northwest to southeast in southwestern Wallowa County between the Blue Mountains to the west and the Snake River to the east. The range is...
attract tourists to this region. The lake is a natural glacial formation, held in on three sides by prominent moraine
Moraine
A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past glacial maximum. This debris may have been plucked off a valley floor as a glacier advanced or it may have...
s. The microclimate
Microclimate
A microclimate is a local atmospheric zone where the climate differs from the surrounding area. The term may refer to areas as small as a few square feet or as large as many square miles...
is somewhat different from the surrounding areas and provides a cool retreat during the summer. Other geographic features include
- Grande Ronde RiverGrande Ronde RiverThe Grande Ronde River is a tributary of the Snake River, long, in northeastern Oregon and southeastern Washington in the United States. It drains an area southeast of the Blue Mountains and northwest of the Wallowa Mountains, on the Columbia Plateau...
- Joseph CanyonJoseph CanyonJoseph Canyon is a deep basalt canyon in northern Wallowa County, Oregon, and southern Asotin County, Washington, United States. It contains Joseph Creek, a tributary of the Grande Ronde River, which flows into the Snake River and then into the Columbia...
- Hells CanyonHells CanyonHells Canyon is a wide canyon located along the border of eastern Oregon and western Idaho in the United States. It is North America's deepest river gorge at and part of the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area....
- Wallowa RiverWallowa RiverThe Wallowa River is a tributary of the Grande Ronde River, approximately long, in northeastern Oregon in the United States. It drains a valley on the Columbia Plateau in the northeast corner of the state north of Wallowa Mountains. It rises in southern Wallowa County, in the Wallowa Mountains in...
Adjacent counties
- Umatilla County, OregonUmatilla County, OregonUmatilla County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is included in the 8 county definition of Eastern Oregon. The county is named for the Umatilla River. In 2010, its population was 75,889...
- (west) - Union County, OregonUnion County, OregonUnion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is included in the 8 county definition of Eastern Oregon. The county is named for the town of Union, which is located within its boundaries; in 2010, the county population was 25,748. The county seat is La Grande.-History:Union County...
- (west) - Baker County, OregonBaker County, OregonBaker County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is included in the 8 county definition of Eastern Oregon. It is named for Edward Dickinson Baker, a senator from Oregon who was killed at Ball's Bluff, a battle of the Civil War in Virginia in 1861. It was split from the eastern part...
- (south) - Adams County, IdahoAdams County, IdahoAdams County is a rural county located in the state of Idaho. As of the 2010 census the county had a population of 3,976. The county seat and largest city is Council.Adams County was established in 1911 and was named in honor of President John Adams...
- (southeast) - Idaho County, IdahoIdaho County, IdahoIdaho 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...
- (east) - Nez Perce County, IdahoNez Perce County, IdahoNez Perce County [Eng. pron. Nezz Purse] is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. The population was 39,265 at the 2010 Census. The county seat is Lewiston. The county is named for the Nez Percé tribe....
- (northeast) - Asotin County, Washington - (north)
- Garfield County, Washington - (north)
- Columbia County, Washington - (north)
National protected areas
- Nez Perce National Historical ParkNez Perce National Historical ParkThe Nez Perce National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park comprising 38 sites located throughout the states of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington which are the traditional aboriginal lands of the Nez Perce. The sites commemorate the history, culture, and stories of the...
(part) - Umatilla National ForestUmatilla National ForestThe Umatilla National Forest, in the Blue Mountains of northeast Oregon and southeast Washington, covers an area of 1.4 million acres . In descending order of land area the forest is located in parts of Umatilla, Grant, Columbia, Morrow, Wallowa, Union, Garfield, Asotin, Wheeler, and Walla Walla...
(part) - Wallowa–Whitman National Forest (part)
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 7,226 people, 3,029 households, and 2,083 families residing in the county. 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 2 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 3,900 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.50% White
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...
, 0.03% Black
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...
or African American
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...
, 0.71% Native American
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...
, 0.24% Asian
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...
, 0.04% Pacific Islander
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...
, 0.95% 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 1.54% from two or more races. 1.73% of the population were Hispanic
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...
or Latino
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...
of any race. 21.8% were of German, 15.7% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 12.3% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
and 11.8% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 3,029 households out of which 28.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.70% 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, 6.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.20% were non-families. 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the county, the population was spread out with 24.30% under the age of 18, 4.90% from 18 to 24, 21.90% from 25 to 44, 30.00% from 45 to 64, and 18.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 100.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,129, and the median income for a family was $38,682. Males had a median income of $28,202 versus $21,558 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 county was $17,276. About 9.80% of families and 14.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.30% of those under age 18 and 11.40% of those age 65 or over.
Incorporated cities
- EnterpriseEnterprise, OregonEnterprise is a city in and the county seat of Wallowa County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1,895 at the 2000 census, with an estimated population of 1,940 in 2007.- History :...
- JosephJoseph, OregonJoseph is a city in Wallowa County, Oregon, United States. Originally named Silver Lake and Lake City, in 1880 the city formally named itself for Nez Perce Chief Joseph. The population was 1,054 at the 2000 census.- History :...
- LostineLostine, OregonLostine is a city in Wallowa County, Oregon, United States. The population was 263 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.-Demographics:...
- WallowaWallowa, OregonWallowa is a city in Wallowa County, Oregon, United States. The population was 869 at the 2000 census.-History:Wallowa was platted in 1889. Wallowa is a Nez Perce word describing a triangular structure of stakes that in turn supported a network of sticks called lacallas to form a fish trap. The Nez...
Unincorporated communities
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Imnaha, Oregon Imnaha is an unincorporated community at the confluence of Big Sheep Creek and the Imnaha River in Wallowa County, Oregon, United States. Its elevation is . Oregon Route 350 connects Imnaha to the nearest incorporated city, Joseph, Oregon, to the west.... |
Lewis, Oregon Lewis is an unincorporated community in Wallowa County, Oregon, United States. It was named by Herbert L. Dunbar for Frank Lewis, whose wife, Alta E. Lewis, was the first postmaster of the community's post office, which operated from September 11, 1913 to May 1935.... Maxville, Oregon Maxville is an unincorporated community, formerly a logging camp, in Wallowa County, Oregon, United States. The logging camp was owned by the Bowman-Hicks Lumber Company.-External links:* - The Oregonian... Minam, Oregon Minam is an unincorporated community in northwestern Wallowa County, Oregon, United States. It is located at the confluence of the Minam and Wallowa rivers, north of the Wallowa Mountains on Oregon Route 82... Paradise, Oregon Paradise is an unincorporated community in Wallowa County, Oregon, United States, about three miles east of Oregon Route 3 and about six miles south of the Oregon-Washington border. It is located on a plateau that overlooks Joseph Canyon. The closest incorporated cities are Enterprise, Oregon and... |
Troy, Oregon Troy is an unincorporated community in rural Wallowa County, Oregon, United States at the conflux of the Grande Ronde and Wenaha rivers and Courtney Creek. Troy is west of Flora on Oregon Route 3 close to the Washington state line. It is known for its excellent river fishing, and has an RV park and... |
Points of interest
The city of Enterprise in Wallowa County is the home of the second-oldest running theatre in Oregon. The single-screen OK Theatre was built in 1918 but had to delay opening until the spring of 1919 because of the 1918 flu pandemicSpanish flu
The 1918 flu pandemic was an influenza pandemic, and the first of the two pandemics involving H1N1 influenza virus . It was an unusually severe and deadly pandemic that spread across the world. Historical and epidemiological data are inadequate to identify the geographic origin...
.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Wallowa County, Oregon