Joseph, Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joseph, Oregon
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Joseph in 2007
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Location in Oregon
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Wallowa |
| Incorporated | 1887 |
| Named for | Chief Joseph |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.91 sq mi (2.35 km2) |
| • Land | 0.91 sq mi (2.35 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 4,193 ft (1,278 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,154 |
| • Density | 1,272.33/sq mi (491.49/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−08:00 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−07:00 (Pacific) |
| ZIP Code |
97846
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| Area code(s) | 541 |
| FIPS code | 41-37900 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2410150 |
| Website | www.josephoregon.org |
Joseph is a small city in Wallowa County, Oregon, United States. It was first called Silver Lake and then Lake City. In 1880, the city officially changed its name to honor Chief Joseph (1840–1904), a famous leader of the Nez Perce people. In 2020, about 1,154 people lived there.
Contents
History of Joseph
Joseph was officially planned out in 1883. At first, the city's economy was mostly based on farming, especially growing grain and raising animals.
In 1896, the First Bank of Joseph was robbed. One robber was shot and killed, another was caught, and a third got away with the money. Sometimes, people in Joseph act out this bank robbery for fun.
A railroad line reached Joseph in 1908. After that, a lumber mill opened, which helped the local economy grow. However, when the timber industry (which is about cutting down trees for wood) faced problems in the 1980s, many people in Joseph lost their jobs. The unemployment rate went up to almost 17%.
But in 1982, a new industry started in the area. Three bronze foundries opened. Foundries are places where metal is melted and shaped into new objects, like sculptures. This helped the city's economy recover.
Joseph is also known for its fun yearly events:
- The Chief Joseph Days Rodeo happens in late July.
- The Bronze, Blues and Brews festival has been held every August since 2001.
- Alpenfest takes place in September. This festival celebrates Swiss and Bavarian culture. It's held in Joseph and near Wallowa Lake. Alpenfest is a bit like Oktoberfest, but it features more yodeling and alphorn playing. This is why the area is sometimes called "Oregon's Little Switzerland."
Geography and Climate
Where Joseph is Located
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city of Joseph covers a total area of about 0.88 square miles (2.28 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
Weather in Joseph
Joseph has a type of weather called a humid continental climate. This means it has big differences in temperature between seasons. Summers can be warm to hot, and sometimes humid. Winters are cold, and can sometimes be very cold.
The hottest temperature ever recorded in Joseph was 100°F (38°C) in July 1919. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -34°F (-37°C) in December 1924.
| Climate data for Joseph, Oregon, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–2012 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 61 (16) |
61 (16) |
70 (21) |
85 (29) |
98 (37) |
97 (36) |
100 (38) |
97 (36) |
95 (35) |
85 (29) |
71 (22) |
72 (22) |
100 (38) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 49.4 (9.7) |
50.5 (10.3) |
60.8 (16.0) |
71.6 (22.0) |
79.8 (26.6) |
85.7 (29.8) |
92.7 (33.7) |
91.1 (32.8) |
85.8 (29.9) |
75.3 (24.1) |
59.9 (15.5) |
51.5 (10.8) |
93.1 (33.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 34.9 (1.6) |
39.1 (3.9) |
46.3 (7.9) |
51.8 (11.0) |
61.0 (16.1) |
68.4 (20.2) |
79.3 (26.3) |
79.7 (26.5) |
70.6 (21.4) |
56.1 (13.4) |
42.7 (5.9) |
34.7 (1.5) |
55.4 (13.0) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 26.9 (−2.8) |
29.2 (−1.6) |
36.3 (2.4) |
41.1 (5.1) |
49.7 (9.8) |
56.3 (13.5) |
64.0 (17.8) |
64.5 (18.1) |
57.0 (13.9) |
45.0 (7.2) |
33.9 (1.1) |
26.2 (−3.2) |
44.2 (6.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 18.8 (−7.3) |
19.3 (−7.1) |
26.2 (−3.2) |
30.4 (−0.9) |
38.5 (3.6) |
44.3 (6.8) |
48.8 (9.3) |
49.4 (9.7) |
43.4 (6.3) |
33.9 (1.1) |
25.1 (−3.8) |
17.7 (−7.9) |
33.0 (0.6) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −5.1 (−20.6) |
0.6 (−17.4) |
8.5 (−13.1) |
17.8 (−7.9) |
24.4 (−4.2) |
30.5 (−0.8) |
36.3 (2.4) |
35.0 (1.7) |
27.9 (−2.3) |
20.5 (−6.4) |
9.3 (−12.6) |
0.4 (−17.6) |
−10.6 (−23.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −29 (−34) |
−25 (−32) |
−13 (−25) |
−3 (−19) |
18 (−8) |
22 (−6) |
22 (−6) |
28 (−2) |
11 (−12) |
5 (−15) |
−17 (−27) |
−34 (−37) |
−34 (−37) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.26 (32) |
1.06 (27) |
1.43 (36) |
1.92 (49) |
2.61 (66) |
1.91 (49) |
0.85 (22) |
0.70 (18) |
1.12 (28) |
1.39 (35) |
1.39 (35) |
1.29 (33) |
16.93 (430) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 10.7 (27) |
9.2 (23) |
10.1 (26) |
6.3 (16) |
1.1 (2.8) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
1.2 (3.0) |
7.3 (19) |
8.2 (21) |
54.2 (138.05) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 12.0 | 10.5 | 13.4 | 13.7 | 13.8 | 11.2 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 6.5 | 11.1 | 11.8 | 13.8 | 127.5 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 7.9 | 6.4 | 7.7 | 4.1 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 4.3 | 9.0 | 41.1 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service (mean maxima and minima 1893-2012) | |||||||||||||
Population of Joseph
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 249 | — | |
| 1900 | 237 | −4.8% | |
| 1910 | 725 | 205.9% | |
| 1920 | 770 | 6.2% | |
| 1930 | 504 | −34.5% | |
| 1940 | 593 | 17.7% | |
| 1950 | 666 | 12.3% | |
| 1960 | 788 | 18.3% | |
| 1970 | 839 | 6.5% | |
| 1980 | 999 | 19.1% | |
| 1990 | 1,073 | 7.4% | |
| 2000 | 1,055 | −1.7% | |
| 2010 | 1,081 | 2.5% | |
| 2020 | 1,154 | 6.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2010 Census Information
In 2010, the census counted 1,081 people living in Joseph. There were 509 households and 305 families. The city had about 1,228 people per square mile (474 people per square kilometer).
Most of the people living in Joseph (94.7%) were White. About 2.0% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
The average age of people in Joseph was 51 years old. About 17% of the residents were under 18 years old. Also, 22.2% of the people were 65 years or older. The population was almost evenly split between males (47.9%) and females (52.1%).
Getting Around Joseph
- Joseph State Airport
- Wallowa Lake Tramway
Famous People and Things from Joseph
- Chief Joseph - The famous leader of the Nez Perce people, whom the city is named after.
- Rod Scribner - An animator.
- Walter Brennan - An actor.
- Margaret Osborne duPont - A tennis player.
- Joseph - A music band started by three sisters, Natalie, Allison, and Meegan Closner. They named their band after the town.
See also
In Spanish: Joseph (Oregón) para niños
