Goldendale, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Goldendale
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| Goldendale, Washington | |
Aerial view of Goldendale
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| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Klickitat |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.96 sq mi (7.67 km2) |
| • Land | 2.96 sq mi (7.67 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,637 ft (499 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,453 |
| • Density | 1,166.6/sq mi (450.2/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
98620
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| Area code(s) | 509 |
| FIPS code | 53-27435 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1505168 |
| Website | City of Goldendale |
Goldendale is a city in Washington, United States. It is the main city of Klickitat County. Goldendale is located close to the Columbia River Gorge. In 2020, about 3,453 people lived in the city.
Goldendale is in an area mostly used for farming. It is also near the Goldendale Observatory State Park. From the valley where Goldendale is, you can see the Cascade Mountains to the west. You can also see the Simcoe Mountains to the north.
Contents
History of Goldendale
How Goldendale Got Its Name
In 1859, a farmer named John Golden moved to the area. He was from Pennsylvania and settled there with his wife from Oregon. The town was named after him. His daughter's house is still standing in downtown Goldendale today.
Becoming a City
Goldendale became the main city, or county seat, of Klickitat County in 1878. It officially became a city on November 14, 1879. Sadly, a large fire in 1888 destroyed much of the young town. This included the county courthouse.
Observing Solar Eclipses
On June 9, 1918, two famous astronomers visited Goldendale. They were William Wallace Campbell and Heber Curtis. They came to watch a total solar eclipse. They wanted to take pictures of the Sun's corona. They also hoped to see how stars seemed to shift because of the Sun's gravity.
They did not have the best equipment, so they couldn't confirm the star shift. However, their work helped later. In 1919, British astronomers confirmed Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity. Goldendale was also in the path of another total eclipse on February 26, 1979. Thousands of people came to the Goldendale Observatory to see it.
Recent Events and Economy
In 2008, Goldendale hosted a big sports event called the 'Festival of Speed.' It took place on a part of the old Maryhill highway.
Goldendale is still the main place for jobs, businesses, and banking in the valley. It is also where Klickitat County's government offices and courts are located. The city has faced some tough economic times. A large aluminum factory that employed many people closed down. This caused job losses and less money for the city's upkeep.
Recently, there has been interest in building wind turbines to make electricity. This has created some jobs. However, it has not fully solved the economic problems for many residents.
Geography and Landscape
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Where Goldendale Is Located
Goldendale is located at 45.821 degrees North and 120.821 degrees West. The city covers about 2.52 square miles (6.53 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area within the city limits. The County Courthouse in Goldendale is about 1,637 feet (499 meters) above sea level.
Rivers and Creeks
The Little Klickitat River flows through the northern part of Goldendale. Bloodgood Creek also runs through the northwest part of town. It is fed by springs all year round. Both of these waterways are home to rainbow trout and birds like the great blue heron. Bloodgood Creek also provides some of Goldendale's drinking water.
Major Roads
U.S. Route 97 runs along the east side of the city. It connects Goldendale to Interstate 84 in Oregon, which is about 13 miles (21 km) south. It also connects to State Route 14, which is about 12 miles (19 km) south. State Route 14 runs along the Washington side of the Columbia River. State Route 142 is a main road that goes east and west through Goldendale. It starts at US 97 on the north side of town.
Climate and Weather
Goldendale has a type of climate called a continental Mediterranean climate. This means it has warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The Cascade Mountains create a "rain shadow" effect. This means there's a clear difference between the dry areas to the south and the greener, treed areas to the north.
Seasonal Weather
Overcast days are not common and mostly happen in late fall and winter. Summer temperatures can get very hot, sometimes over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). In winter, which is when most of the rain and snow falls, temperatures can drop below 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 degrees Celsius). This is especially true in January.
Summer thunderstorms happen sometimes in July and August. However, not much rain usually reaches the ground from them. Lightning often causes wildfires during this time. Spring is beautiful with many flowers and green fields. Spring and summer can be very windy because of winds from the Pacific Ocean. Fall is usually calm, and the oak leaves turn lovely shades of gold and red.
| Climate data for Goldendale, Washington (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1895–2022) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 66 (19) |
72 (22) |
80 (27) |
91 (33) |
102 (39) |
113 (45) |
110 (43) |
108 (42) |
103 (39) |
89 (32) |
71 (22) |
64 (18) |
113 (45) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 54.4 (12.4) |
56.8 (13.8) |
66.2 (19.0) |
75.8 (24.3) |
87.2 (30.7) |
93.5 (34.2) |
101.3 (38.5) |
100.8 (38.2) |
93.7 (34.3) |
79.4 (26.3) |
62.9 (17.2) |
52.7 (11.5) |
103.0 (39.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 37.9 (3.3) |
44.0 (6.7) |
51.8 (11.0) |
59.2 (15.1) |
68.7 (20.4) |
75.6 (24.2) |
86.1 (30.1) |
86.1 (30.1) |
77.3 (25.2) |
62.2 (16.8) |
46.8 (8.2) |
36.9 (2.7) |
61.0 (16.1) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 30.9 (−0.6) |
34.5 (1.4) |
40.5 (4.7) |
45.9 (7.7) |
54.0 (12.2) |
60.1 (15.6) |
67.9 (19.9) |
67.6 (19.8) |
59.5 (15.3) |
47.9 (8.8) |
37.3 (2.9) |
30.4 (−0.9) |
48.0 (8.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 23.9 (−4.5) |
25.1 (−3.8) |
29.1 (−1.6) |
32.7 (0.4) |
39.3 (4.1) |
44.6 (7.0) |
49.7 (9.8) |
49.2 (9.6) |
41.6 (5.3) |
33.6 (0.9) |
27.8 (−2.3) |
23.8 (−4.6) |
35.0 (1.7) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 9.0 (−12.8) |
12.6 (−10.8) |
19.0 (−7.2) |
23.3 (−4.8) |
28.2 (−2.1) |
34.5 (1.4) |
39.7 (4.3) |
39.3 (4.1) |
31.5 (−0.3) |
21.2 (−6.0) |
14.4 (−9.8) |
10.1 (−12.2) |
1.2 (−17.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −26 (−32) |
−17 (−27) |
−4 (−20) |
16 (−9) |
20 (−7) |
20 (−7) |
31 (−1) |
28 (−2) |
19 (−7) |
6 (−14) |
−12 (−24) |
−18 (−28) |
−26 (−32) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.75 (70) |
1.78 (45) |
1.61 (41) |
1.09 (28) |
1.04 (26) |
0.55 (14) |
0.12 (3.0) |
0.15 (3.8) |
0.44 (11) |
1.36 (35) |
2.43 (62) |
3.18 (81) |
16.50 (419) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 10.2 (26) |
3.5 (8.9) |
0.6 (1.5) |
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) |
2.7 (6.9) |
9.6 (24) |
26.6 (68) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 14.1 | 11.3 | 11.1 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 3.7 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 3.5 | 9.7 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 101.1 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 5.0 | 3.6 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 5.7 | 16.5 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 545 | — | |
| 1890 | 702 | 28.8% | |
| 1900 | 738 | 5.1% | |
| 1910 | 1,203 | 63.0% | |
| 1920 | 1,274 | 5.9% | |
| 1930 | 1,116 | −12.4% | |
| 1940 | 1,584 | 41.9% | |
| 1950 | 1,907 | 20.4% | |
| 1960 | 2,536 | 33.0% | |
| 1970 | 2,484 | −2.1% | |
| 1980 | 3,575 | 43.9% | |
| 1990 | 3,319 | −7.2% | |
| 2000 | 3,760 | 13.3% | |
| 2010 | 3,407 | −9.4% | |
| 2020 | 3,453 | 1.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2020 Census |
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Goldendale's Population in 2010
In 2010, Goldendale had 3,407 people living in 1,462 households. There were 858 families. The city had about 1,352 people per square mile (522 per square kilometer).
Most of the people in Goldendale (88.3%) were White. About 4.1% were Native American, and 8.4% were Hispanic or Latino.
About 29.6% of households had children under 18. Many households (39.7%) were married couples. About 14.4% of households had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average age in the city was 40.4 years.
Local Industries
In the past, lumber mills and logging were very important industries in Goldendale. These industries are no longer active.
Today, key industries include timber cutting, ranching, and farming. These have faced challenges over the years. This is partly due to modern farming methods and easier ways to transport products.
The Aluminum Plant
A large aluminum processing plant used to be a major employer in Goldendale for 35 years. It had a big impact on the local economy. The plant was built in 1968 near the John Day Dam. It brought many jobs and helped the area grow. At its busiest, in the 1970s and 1980s, it employed about 1,400 to 1,800 people.
The plant closed in 2003. The main reasons were high electricity costs and low prices for aluminum around the world. Many workers moved away, while others stayed and learned new skills. The plant's closing caused economic difficulties for the area.
Currently, Rabanco Regional Disposal is the largest employer for people living in the Goldendale area.
Culture and Fun Activities
Goldendale has many yearly community events. These include the Klickitat County Fair & Rodeo. There are also Goldendale Community Days, held on the Goldendale Courthouse lawn. Holiday parades are another fun tradition.
In 2023, Goldendale celebrated its fourth annual Pride event. This celebration is led by the Goldendale Pride Alliance.
Places to Visit
Goldendale has several interesting places for visitors:
- Goldendale Observatory: This is a great place to look at the stars and learn about space.
- Maryhill Museum: This museum has a collection of 87 artworks by Auguste Rodin. It also features modern architecture.
- Maryhill Stonehenge: This is a life-size concrete copy of the original Stonehenge in England. It is about ten minutes south of Goldendale. It was finished in 1930 and is a memorial to those who died in World War I.
- Presby Mansion: Located downtown, this mansion is now the Presby Museum. It has a newly restored 1898 Russel Steam Tractor. It also houses the Klickitat County Historical Society.
Local News
The town has a weekly newspaper called the Goldendale Sentinel. It is published every Wednesday. About 3,200 people across Klickitat County read it. The newspaper started in 1879 as the Klickitat Sentinel. It is still owned by its local publisher.
Famous People from Goldendale
- Bryan Caraway: A UFC fighter who is from Goldendale.
- Alan W. Jones: A major general in the U.S. Army.
- Porter Lainhart: An American football player.
- Lavina Washines: An elder from the Rock Creek band and a former chairwoman of the Yakima Nation.
Images for kids
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Aerial view of Goldendale
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Map of Goldendale's location
See also
In Spanish: Goldendale (Washington) para niños
