Jordan Valley, Oregon

Jordan Valley, Oregon
—  City  —
Nickname(s): Heart of the Owyhees
Location in Oregon
Coordinates:
Country United States
State Oregon
County Malheur
Incorporated 1911
Government
 • Mayor Jake Roe
Area
 • Total 2.1 sq mi (5.4 km2)
 • Land 2.1 sq mi (5.4 km2)
 • Water 0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation 4,385 ft (1,336.6 m)
Population (2000)
 • Total 239
 • Density 114.6/sq mi (44.4/km2)
Time zone Mountain (UTC-7)
 • Summer (DST) Mountain (UTC-6)
ZIP code 97910
Area code(s) 458 and 541
FIPS code 41-37850[1]
GNIS feature ID 1122534[2]
Website http://www.cityofjordanvalley.com

Jordan Valley is a city in Malheur County, Oregon, United States. It is part of the Ontario, OR–ID Micropolitan Statistical Area. The city was named after Jordan Creek, a tributary of Owyhee River, which runs through the city; the creek is named for a 19th century prospector, Michael M. Jordan. The population was 239 at the 2000 census.

Contents

History

Jordan Valley was incorporated as a city in 1911.

Sacagawea's son Jean Baptiste Charbonneau is often said to be buried in Jordan Valley, as that is the closest incorporated city to Danner, the actual site of his burial.

In the center of town stands a pelota fronton, built in 1915 by Basque settlers, many of whom had been recruited from Spain to herd sheep. Their descendants are a noticeable presence today in Malheur County.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.4 km2), all land.

Jordan Valley's most prominent landmark is the blunt plateau adjacent to town, named Pharmacy Hill.

Jordan Valley's main occupations are cattle ranching and sheep herding. People in those occupations typically live far from town on homesteads, but use Jordan Valley as their cultural and economic center. People within Jordan Valley primarily provide a number of services to tourists passing through on U.S. Route 95, which is the primary road from Boise, Idaho to Reno, Nevada.

Jordan Valley is known for its excellent hunting and fishing as well as its proximity to Jordan Craters, an extinct volcanic field. Other popular areas nearby include Leslie Gulch, Cow Lakes, Antelope Reservoir, and the Three Forks Reservoir to the south.

Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1900 110
1910 200 81.8%
1920 355 77.5%
1930 306 −13.8%
1940 274 −10.5%
1950 236 −13.9%
1960 204 −13.6%
1970 196 −3.9%
1980 473 141.3%
1990 364 −23.0%
2000 239 −34.3%
Est. 2007 230 −3.8%
source:[3][4]

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 239 people, 109 households, and 66 families residing in the city. The population density was 114.6 people per square mile (44.4/km²). There were 140 housing units at an average density of 67.2 per square mile (26.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.72% White, 0.42% Asian, 0.42% Pacific Islander, 1.67% from other races, and 3.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.09% of the population.

There were 109 households out of which 20.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% were non-families. 36.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 20.9% from 25 to 44, 30.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 88.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $25,313, and the median income for a family was $37,500. Males had a median income of $32,917 versus $16,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,501. About 13.5% of families and 20.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.0% of those under the age of eighteen and 8.9% of those sixty five or over.

References

  1. ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  2. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  3. ^ Moffatt, Riley. Population History of Western U.S. Cities & Towns, 1850-1990. Lanham: Scarecrow, 1996, 211.
  4. ^ "Subcounty population estimates: Oregon 2000-2007" (CSV). United States Census Bureau, Population Division. 2009-03-18. http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/files/SUB-EST2007-41.csv. Retrieved 2009-05-09. 

External links