Metolius, Oregon
| Metolius, Oregon | |
|---|---|
| City | |
City of Metolius Welcome Sign
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 Location in Oregon |
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| Coordinates: 44°35′13″N 121°10′37″W / 44.58694°N 121.17694°WCoordinates: 44°35′13″N 121°10′37″W / 44.58694°N 121.17694°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Jefferson |
| Incorporated | 1913 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Bill Reynolds |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.48 sq mi (1.24 km2) |
| • Land | 0.48 sq mi (1.24 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,530 ft (771.1 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 710 |
| • Estimate (2012) | 708 |
| • Density | 1,479.2/sq mi (571.1/km2) |
| Time zone | Pacific (UTC-8) |
| • Summer (DST) | Pacific (UTC-7) |
| ZIP code | 97741 |
| Area code(s) | 458 and 541 |
| FIPS code | 41-47750 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1146116 |
Metolius is a city in Jefferson County, Oregon, United States. The city is named for the Metolius River, a nearby tributary of the Deschutes River. The name for both comes from the Warm Springs word for "white fish", referring to a light colored salmon and not a whitefish. The population was 880 at the 2010 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.48 square miles (1.24 km2), all of it land.
This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F (22.0 °C). According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Metolius has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.
Metolius was founded in the early 1900s. The earliest records are from 1903 and written in German.
In February 1911 the Oregon Trunk Railroad decided to build a depot, turntable and roundhouse in the town. The railroad was connected to Bend, Oregon. Railroad engines at the time needed water at regular intervals, and Metolius was picked as a servicing spot. Electricity was provided in 1912 from a small dam at the Cove. A high school and grade school were built in 1913. The town continued to prosper during the war years and by 1917, the population was over 1,700 - the town boasted two banks, two newspapers, a flour mill, hotels, general stores, hardware stores and a railroad maintenance hub.
As railroad technology improved, maintenance stations were required less frequently and the Metolius shop was eliminated. Without the railroad base, the population of Metolius went into decline. A major fire in the 1920s destroyed most of the downtown buildings. Drought from 1924 to 1926 drove many farmers broke. Then the great depression almost finished off the town of Metolius. By 1945 the population was down to about 45 people.
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Wikipedia