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Umatilla, Oregon facts for kids

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Umatilla, Oregon
City
Umatilla Marina, Umatilla Bridge, and McNary Dam
Umatilla Marina, Umatilla Bridge, and McNary Dam
Motto(s): 
Catch the vision
Location in Oregon
Location in Oregon
Country United States
State Oregon
County Umatilla
Incorporated 1864
Area
 • Total 5.07 sq mi (13.14 km2)
 • Land 4.87 sq mi (12.61 km2)
 • Water 0.20 sq mi (0.53 km2)
Elevation
322 ft (98 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 6,906
 • Estimate 
(2019)
7,321
 • Density 1,503.29/sq mi (580.45/km2)
Time zone UTC-8 (Pacific)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-7 (Pacific)
ZIP code
97882
Area code(s) 541
FIPS code 41-75650
GNIS feature ID 1128399
Website www.umatilla-city.org

Umatilla ( YOO-mə-TIL) is a city in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. The population in 2010 was 6,906, but the city's population includes approximately 2,000 inmates incarcerated at Two Rivers Correctional Institution.

Umatilla is part of the Hermiston-Pendleton Micropolitan Statistical Area, but has the highest poverty rate (24%) and lowest Median Household Income ($38,796), of all communities in the area; trailing neighboring Hermiston in household income by nearly 23%.

The city is on the south side of the Columbia River along U.S. Route 730 and I-82. The Umatilla Chemical Depot, is 6 miles (10 km) southwest of the city, northwest of the intersection of I-84 and I-82.

History

Umitilla - city hall - July 2013
City hall in Umatilla, Oregon

The first Umatilla post office was established in September 1851 at the Umatilla Indian Agency about 5 miles (8 km) east of Pendleton, and discontinued in January 1852. This was before Timothy K. Davenport surveyed for a town site at the mouth of the Umatilla River in 1862. The site was first known as Umatilla Landing, then Umatilla City, then Columbia, then Umatilla City once again over the next year or so. Its post office was established in 1863 with Z. F. Moody as postmaster.

Umatilla's earliest importance was as a trade and distribution center on the Columbia River, during the gold rush of the 1860s and 1870s in eastern Oregon. It remained a major commercial center until the 1880s when it withered before the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company.

The Umatilla Chemical Depot opened in 1941, to prepare for World War II. The depot's mission was to store and maintain a variety of military items, from blankets to ammunition. The depot took on its chemical weapons storage mission in 1962. From 1990 to 1994 the facility reorganized in preparation for eventual closure, shipping all conventional ammunition and supplies to other installations. On October 25, 2011, the last barrel of HD mustard agent was destroyed and there is no longer a risk of chemical accident in Oregon and Washington.

Geography

Umatilla is 30 miles (48 km) northwest of Pendleton.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.63 square miles (11.99 km2), of which, 4.42 square miles (11.45 km2) is land and 0.21 square miles (0.54 km2) is water.

Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Umatilla has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.

Climate data for Umatilla
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 67
(19)
78
(26)
86
(30)
97
(36)
104
(40)
110
(43)
117
(47)
114
(46)
103
(39)
89
(32)
80
(27)
71
(22)
117
(47)
Average high °F (°C) 40
(4)
47.5
(8.6)
58.7
(14.8)
68.6
(20.3)
76.7
(24.8)
83.9
(28.8)
92.6
(33.7)
90.5
(32.5)
80.7
(27.1)
67
(19)
50.9
(10.5)
42.1
(5.6)
66.6
(19.2)
Average low °F (°C) 25.2
(−3.8)
28.9
(−1.7)
33.8
(1.0)
40.2
(4.6)
47
(8)
54
(12)
59.4
(15.2)
57.3
(14.1)
48.9
(9.4)
40.1
(4.5)
32.7
(0.4)
28.4
(−2.0)
41.3
(5.2)
Record low °F (°C) −23
(−31)
−23
(−31)
10
(−12)
20
(−7)
26
(−3)
32
(0)
36
(2)
37
(3)
25
(−4)
12
(−11)
−6
(−21)
−27
(−33)
−27
(−33)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.05
(27)
0.85
(22)
0.68
(17)
0.55
(14)
0.62
(16)
0.56
(14)
0.16
(4.1)
0.25
(6.4)
0.45
(11)
0.69
(18)
1.07
(27)
1.09
(28)
8.01
(203)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 3.9
(9.9)
2.1
(5.3)
0.2
(0.51)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0.8
(2.0)
1.1
(2.8)
8.2
(21)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 inch) 8 7 6 5 4 4 1 2 3 5 7 8 60

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1870 150
1880 149 −0.7%
1890 118 −20.8%
1900 127 7.6%
1910 198 55.9%
1920 390 97.0%
1930 345 −11.5%
1940 370 7.2%
1950 883 138.6%
1960 617 −30.1%
1970 679 10.0%
1980 3,199 371.1%
1990 3,046 −4.8%
2000 4,978 63.4%
2010 6,906 38.7%
2019 (est.) 7,321 6.0%
source:

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 6,906 people, 1,634 households, and 1,215 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,562.4 inhabitants per square mile (603.2/km2). There were 1,766 housing units at an average density of 399.5 per square mile (154.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 70.1% White, 2.3% African American, 1.5% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 23.1% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 43.1% of the population.

There were 1,634 households, of which 50.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 8.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 25.6% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.15 and the average family size was 3.59.

The median age in the city was 30.7 years. 26.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 35.6% were from 25 to 44; 20.2% were from 45 to 64; and 6.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 63.7% male and 36.3% female.

Economy

The city has seen some industrial investment in recent years through Amazon Web Service's data centers, however wages have stagnated. The 2017 median household income in Umatilla of $38,796 represented a decline of 7.3% from 2010, and has fallen well behind nearby Hermiston at $50,694. The local economy is heavily reliant on agriculture and supporting services. As of 2001, the five largest employers in Umatilla were the Two Rivers Correctional Institution, JM Manufacturing (polyvinyl chloride pipes), Gilroy Food (dehydrated onions), Boise Cascade (wood chips), and Oregon Rustic (pine furniture).

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Umatilla (Oregón) para niños

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