Basin City, Washington facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Basin City, Washington
Census-designated place
Location of Basin City, Washington
Country	United States
State	Washington
County	Franklin
Area
• Total	3.2 sq mi (8.3 km2)
• Land	3.2 sq mi (8.3 km2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation	702 ft (214 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,063
• Density	331.7/sq mi (128.1/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	99343
Area code	509
FIPS code	53-04405
GNIS feature ID	1511987

Basin City is a small community in Franklin County, Washington, United States. It's known as a census-designated place (CDP), which means it's a special area defined for collecting population data. In 2020, about 1,063 people lived there.

History of Basin City

Basin City was started in the 1950s. It was built on land owned by a farmer named Loen Bailie. The main reason for creating the town was to support the farms in the area. These farms were getting water from a big project called the Columbia Basin Project. This project helped turn dry land into rich farmland.

Many new people moved to Basin City. Most of them were young farmers from Idaho and Oregon. Also, many World War II veterans settled here. They got special help to buy land as part of the project.

Early Farming and Crops

When the town first started, farmers grew crops like sugar beets, alfalfa, corn, asparagus, wheat, and barley. Over time, some things changed. For example, sugar beet farming stopped because a local processing plant closed.

Later, farmers started growing other important crops. These included potatoes, beans, carrots, and onions. Today, Basin City is also famous for its many fruit orchards. It's a big supplier of the well-known Washington apples. Cherries and other fruits are also grown in the area.

Geography of Basin City

Basin City is located in the northwestern part of Franklin County. Its name gives a clue about its location: it sits in a natural "basin" or low area.

Surrounding Hills and Mountains

To the west of town, the land gently slopes down before rising sharply at a place called Basin Hill. This hill stretches for about 6 miles southwest, reaching the Columbia River. Further north, Basin Hill changes its name to Sage Hill. Even higher up is Radar Hill, named after an old radar base from World War II.

A bit further northwest, you can see the Saddle Mountains. The tallest mountain visible from Basin City is Rattlesnake Mountain, located about 25 miles southwest across the Columbia River. If you go to the top of nearby Basin Hill, you might even see Mount Rainier, which is about 125 miles away in the Cascade Range.

Local Water Features

Near Basin City, there's a small lake called Bailie's Lake. It was formed by water runoff from irrigation. This lake is a good spot for fishing and hunting.

The total area of Basin City is about 8.3 square kilometers (3.2 square miles), and it's all land. Even though the town itself is small, it's the center of a much larger farming area that spreads out for miles.

Population and People

In 2000, there were 968 people living in Basin City. By 2010, the population grew to 1,092. The community has many families with children. In 2000, about 43.6% of the people were under 18 years old. The average age was 20 years, meaning it's a relatively young community.

Basin City Freedom Rodeo

The Basin City Freedom Rodeo is a fun annual event that takes place in the town. It first started on July 4, 2020. The rodeo grounds at Basin City Memorial Park were fixed up especially for this event, after not being used for 40 years!

The Bailie Memorial Youth Foundation helped by donating money for the restoration. Organizers worked hard for a month to get the rodeo grounds ready. They leveled the ground, put in bleachers for people to sit, and planted grass. The first event included two days of rodeo competitions, a parade, and fireworks. The Freedom Rodeo has now become a yearly tradition for the community.

See also

In Spanish: Basin City (Washington) para niños