Battle Ground, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Battle Ground, Washington
|
|
|---|---|
Battle Ground Post Office
|
|
Location within Clark County and Washington
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Clark |
| Settled | 1886 |
| Platted | 1902 |
| Incorporated | June 18, 1951 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager |
| Area | |
| • Total | 8.68 sq mi (22.49 km2) |
| • Land | 8.68 sq mi (22.49 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 285 ft (87 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 20,743 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
|
22,285 |
| • Density | 2,567/sq mi (991.0/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| ZIP Code |
98604
|
| Area code(s) | 360 and 564 |
| FIPS code | 53-04475 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2409796 |
Battle Ground is a city located in Clark County, Washington, United States. In 2020, about 20,743 people lived there. By 2023, the population grew to 22,285. It's a growing community with a unique history behind its name.
Contents
History
How Battle Ground Got Its Name
The city of Battle Ground got its name from an interesting event that happened long ago. It was a standoff between a group of Klickitat Native Americans and soldiers from the Vancouver Barracks. The Vancouver Barracks was a U.S. Army post at the time.
In 1855, some Klickitat people were held at the Vancouver Barracks. They decided to leave because of the difficult conditions. This group, led by Chief Umtuch, headed north. When people at Fort Vancouver found out, they sent soldiers, led by Captain William Strong, to find them. Captain Strong's group found the Klickitats near where downtown Battle Ground is today.
The details of what happened next are a bit different in various stories. But everyone agrees that Chief Umtuch and Captain Strong talked things over. The Klickitats agreed to go back to the Barracks. After this decision, a shot was fired, and Chief Umtuch was killed, reportedly by one of Captain Strong's soldiers.
The Klickitat people asked Captain Strong to leave them alone so they could properly bury their chief. Captain Strong agreed, as long as the Klickitats promised to return to the Fort. They kept their promise and returned a few days later.
Because of this event, settlers at the fort started calling the place 'Strong's Battle Ground'. Later, it was shortened to just 'Battle Ground'. Today, two schools in the city are named after Captain Strong and Chief Umtuch.
Early Days of Settlement
Battle Ground was first settled in 1886 by a person named Augustus H. Richter. He officially planned out the town in 1902. The city became an official incorporated city on June 18, 1951. In the early days, many people lived closer to Fort Vancouver and the Columbia River.
Recent Growth
Battle Ground grew a lot between 2000 and 2010. Its population doubled, making it the second-largest city in Clark County. The city opened a community center in 2008 and a new public library in 2009, showing its growth and development.
Geography
Battle Ground is located about 11 miles (18 km) north of Vancouver. It's also about 32 miles (51 km) south of Mount St. Helens. The city is close to the center of Clark County. It is 25.5 miles (41.0 km) from Portland, Oregon, and 161 miles (259 km) from Seattle.
The city covers a total area of 8.68 square miles (22.49 km²), and all of it is land.
Climate
| Climate data for Battle Ground, Washington, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1929–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 68 (20) |
74 (23) |
80 (27) |
91 (33) |
101 (38) |
112 (44) |
107 (42) |
105 (41) |
105 (41) |
93 (34) |
72 (22) |
65 (18) |
112 (44) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 57.4 (14.1) |
61.8 (16.6) |
70.0 (21.1) |
77.8 (25.4) |
85.3 (29.6) |
89.2 (31.8) |
94.7 (34.8) |
95.4 (35.2) |
90.8 (32.7) |
78.1 (25.6) |
63.6 (17.6) |
56.8 (13.8) |
98.1 (36.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 46.1 (7.8) |
50.4 (10.2) |
54.7 (12.6) |
59.7 (15.4) |
66.5 (19.2) |
71.1 (21.7) |
78.6 (25.9) |
79.6 (26.4) |
74.5 (23.6) |
62.5 (16.9) |
51.6 (10.9) |
45.1 (7.3) |
61.7 (16.5) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 39.0 (3.9) |
41.1 (5.1) |
44.7 (7.1) |
48.8 (9.3) |
54.9 (12.7) |
59.2 (15.1) |
64.6 (18.1) |
64.9 (18.3) |
60.0 (15.6) |
51.2 (10.7) |
43.5 (6.4) |
38.5 (3.6) |
50.9 (10.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 31.9 (−0.1) |
31.7 (−0.2) |
34.6 (1.4) |
37.9 (3.3) |
43.3 (6.3) |
47.3 (8.5) |
50.6 (10.3) |
50.2 (10.1) |
45.6 (7.6) |
39.9 (4.4) |
35.4 (1.9) |
31.9 (−0.1) |
40.0 (4.4) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 20.5 (−6.4) |
21.8 (−5.7) |
25.8 (−3.4) |
29.4 (−1.4) |
34.0 (1.1) |
40.0 (4.4) |
43.7 (6.5) |
42.7 (5.9) |
37.3 (2.9) |
29.1 (−1.6) |
23.9 (−4.5) |
19.7 (−6.8) |
15.4 (−9.2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −11 (−24) |
−9 (−23) |
16 (−9) |
21 (−6) |
26 (−3) |
32 (0) |
34 (1) |
35 (2) |
26 (−3) |
19 (−7) |
4 (−16) |
−1 (−18) |
−11 (−24) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 7.20 (183) |
5.32 (135) |
5.59 (142) |
4.54 (115) |
3.36 (85) |
2.31 (59) |
0.63 (16) |
0.80 (20) |
2.20 (56) |
4.82 (122) |
7.61 (193) |
7.99 (203) |
52.37 (1,330) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 1.4 (3.6) |
0.7 (1.8) |
0.3 (0.76) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.9 (2.3) |
3.3 (8.46) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 21.4 | 17.8 | 20.7 | 18.4 | 13.6 | 10.7 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 8.5 | 16.0 | 21.2 | 21.7 | 178.5 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 2.4 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1960 | 888 | — | |
| 1970 | 1,438 | 61.9% | |
| 1980 | 2,774 | 92.9% | |
| 1990 | 3,758 | 35.5% | |
| 2000 | 9,296 | 147.4% | |
| 2010 | 17,571 | 89.0% | |
| 2020 | 20,743 | 18.1% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 22,285 | 26.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2020 Census |
|||
Between 2000 and 2005, Battle Ground was one of the fastest-growing cities in Washington state.
2020 Census Information
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 16,856 | 81.3% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 171 | 0.8% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 96 | 0.5% |
| Asian (NH) | 401 | 1.9% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 68 | 0.3% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 93 | 0.4% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 1,233 | 5.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,825 | 8.8% |
| Total | 20,743 | 100.0% |
According to the 2020 census, Battle Ground had 20,743 people living in 7,178 households. Most residents were White (83.9%). About 8.8% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
About 26.6% of the people were under 18 years old. About 12.4% were 65 or older. The population was almost evenly split between females (50.9%) and males (49.1%). The average income for a household was $94,360.
2010 Census Information
In the 2010 census, Battle Ground had 17,571 people. Most people were White (90.5%). About 6.5% were Hispanic or Latino. Many residents had German, Irish, or English family backgrounds.
About 34.5% of residents were under 18 years old. The average age in the city was 30 years. The city had slightly more females (51.0%) than males (49.0%).
Arts and Culture
Every summer, Battle Ground celebrates with an event called Harvest Days. This festival includes fun community activities like parades and a chili cook-off.
Battle Ground also takes part in the Portland Rose Festival's Grand Floral Parade each year. In 2019, it was the city's 65th float in the parade! In 2006, Battle Ground won the top award for the most outstanding float.
Parks and Recreation
Battle Ground has 22 parks, covering about 72.8 acres (29.5 ha) of park space. There are also 206 acres (83 ha) of open space reserves. Seven of these parks are still "undeveloped," meaning they are mostly natural areas.
One undeveloped area is Durkee Park, a 35-acre (14 ha) plot. It was given to the city in 1997 to be used for nature trails. The city had thought about using it for a sports complex, but the original owners prefer the trail idea. The final use of the land is still being decided.
Nearby, Remy Park (4.5 acres or 1.8 ha) and Gardner Oaks (13 acres or 5.3 ha) are planned to have playgrounds, pet areas, and sports activities. Remy Park already has a trail. Fairgrounds Park is a developed park with several ballfields.
In June 2007, Battle Ground opened a large 25,000 square foot (2,300 m²) skate park in its downtown area.
Economy
Battle Ground is becoming an important place for the growing wine industry in Clark County. It has three wineries and one wine tasting room.
Education
Students in Battle Ground attend schools in the Battle Ground School District. As of 2018, the district includes:
- Amboy Middle School (Grades 5-8)
- Battle Ground High School (Grades 9-12)
- Captain Strong Elementary School (Grades 1-4)
- Chief Umtuch Middle School (Grades 5-8)
- Daybreak Primary School (Grades 1-4)
- Daybreak Middle School (Grades 5-8)
- Glenwood Heights Primary School (Grades 1-4)
- Laurin Middle School (Grades 5-8)
- Maple Grove Primary School (Grades 1-4)
- Pleasant Valley Middle School (Grades 5-8)
- Pleasant Valley Primary School (Grades 1-4)
- Prairie High School (Vancouver, Washington) (Grades 9-12)
- Tukes Valley Primary School (Grades 1-4)
- Tukes Valley Middle School (Grades 5-8)
- Yacolt Primary School (Grades 1-4)
The district also offers alternative schools:
- CASEE (Center for Agriculture, Science and Environmental Education)
- Summit View (Grades 9-12)
- Community Education
- River HomeLink (Grades K-12)
- Battle Ground Virtual Academy (Grades K-12)
- CAM Academy (Grades 3-12)
- Columbia Kids Preschool & Sprouting Seeds (Grades K-8)
Chief Umtuch Primary School, which was the city's oldest primary school, was taken down in 2007. Lewisville Middle School closed in 2007 but its gym, parking lot, and meeting rooms are still used.
Transportation
You can reach Battle Ground from Interstate 5 at exits 9 and 11. You can also get there from Interstate 205 at exit 32. State Route 502 and State Route 503 meet in Battle Ground.
Bus services are provided by C-Tran, the local transit company. Buses go to Downtown Vancouver, Delta Park/Vanport station (which connects to the MAX Light Rail system), Clark College, Hazel Dell, Yacolt, and the Vancouver Mall. The closest major airport is Portland International Airport, about 18.5 miles (29.8 km) away.
Notable People
Many interesting people have connections to Battle Ground, including:
- Richie Frahm, a professional basketball player
- Tonya Harding, a famous figure skater
- Rob Hotchkiss, a musician
- Jonathan Jackson, an actor
- Bethany Joy Lenz, an actress
- Zia McCabe, a musician
- Kaleb McGary, a professional football player
- Arnold Riegger, an Olympic sport shooter
- Richie Sexson, a professional baseball player
- Gerry Staley, a professional baseball player
See also
In Spanish: Battle Ground (Washington) para niños
