Metaline Falls, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Metaline Falls, Washington
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Metaline Falls
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Location of Metaline Falls, Washington
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| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Pend Oreille |
| Incorporated | May 13, 1911 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.26 sq mi (0.68 km2) |
| • Land | 0.20 sq mi (0.52 km2) |
| • Water | 0.06 sq mi (0.17 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,103 ft (641 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 272 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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284 |
| • Density | 1,046.15/sq mi (400.00/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC–8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC–7 (PDT) |
| ZIP Code |
99153
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| Area code(s) | 509 |
| FIPS code | 53-45320 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2412990 |
Metaline Falls is a small town in Pend Oreille County, Washington, United States. In 2020, about 272 people lived there.
Contents
History of Metaline Falls
By 1810, European fur traders were exploring the area where Metaline Falls is now. The town of Metaline Falls was started in 1900. Most of the people living there worked in the Mammoth and Morning lead-zinc mines. Metaline Falls officially became a town on May 3, 1911.
The name "Metaline" comes from the large amounts of lead ore found in the area. This ore is called galena. People knew about these lead deposits since 1869, but mining only began in 1886. In 1910, Metaline Falls got a connection to the Idaho and Washington Northern Railroad. Soon after, the Lehigh Portland Cement Co. built a factory there. This factory used the limestone found in the region.
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In 1929, the Pend Oreille Mine was developed by Lewis P. Larsen. Along with the Grandview Mine and the Metaline Mine, this area became the biggest producer of lead and zinc in Washington state.
In 1942, during World War II, a government order called Executive Order 9066 was issued. This order led to about 120,000 Japanese-Americans being forced to leave their homes and live in special camps. George Kubota, Sr., who owned a hardware store in Metaline Falls, was arrested by the FBI. However, the people of Metaline Falls and the local newspaper editors protested. They told the FBI that the Kubota family was loyal to the United States. Because of their support, the FBI released Mr. Kubota, and his family did not have to go to an internment camp.
Geography of Metaline Falls
The town of Metaline Falls covers about 0.68 square kilometers (0.26 square miles). Most of this area is land, and a small part is water.
Metaline Falls is on the east side of the Pend Oreille River. This river flows north towards Canada. The town is located just upstream from another town called Metaline, which is on the other side of the river. The river makes a sharp turn around Washington Rock, a tall rock formation north of the town. Sullivan Creek, which flows from Sullivan Lake, also joins the river at Metaline Falls. The river is the lowest point in the area, cutting through the Selkirk Mountains. These mountains rise more than 300 meters (1,000 feet) above the river near the town.
The town is surrounded by the Colville National Forest. The wild and remote Salmo-Priest Wilderness is only a few miles to the east. The office for the Sullivan Lake Ranger District is in Metaline Falls.
State Route 31 goes through Metaline Falls. This road connects the town to other parts of the state highway system. It goes south to Tiger and north to Canada at Nelway, British Columbia.
Protected Natural Areas
- Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail (a part of it)
- Colville National Forest
- Salmo-Priest Wilderness
Climate and Weather
Metaline Falls has a climate with dry summers and cold winters. This is known as a dry-summer Humid continental climate.
| Climate data for Metaline Falls | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 49 (9) |
57 (14) |
71 (22) |
87 (31) |
98 (37) |
98 (37) |
104 (40) |
108 (42) |
96 (36) |
87 (31) |
59 (15) |
55 (13) |
108 (42) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 29.9 (−1.2) |
37.3 (2.9) |
46.9 (8.3) |
58.9 (14.9) |
68.5 (20.3) |
74.4 (23.6) |
83.9 (28.8) |
82.3 (27.9) |
72.8 (22.7) |
57.2 (14.0) |
39.6 (4.2) |
32.4 (0.2) |
57 (14) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 16.6 (−8.6) |
19.5 (−6.9) |
25.2 (−3.8) |
31.5 (−0.3) |
39 (4) |
45 (7) |
48.6 (9.2) |
46.9 (8.3) |
41.3 (5.2) |
34.7 (1.5) |
26.9 (−2.8) |
21.7 (−5.7) |
33.1 (0.6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −29 (−34) |
−28 (−33) |
−9 (−23) |
1 (−17) |
22 (−6) |
28 (−2) |
31 (−1) |
33 (1) |
20 (−7) |
−1 (−18) |
−6 (−21) |
−24 (−31) |
−29 (−34) |
| Average precipitation inches (cm) | 3 (7.6) |
2.27 (5.8) |
2.12 (5.4) |
1.8 (4.6) |
2.35 (6.0) |
2.71 (6.9) |
1.25 (3.2) |
1.07 (2.7) |
1.7 (4.3) |
2.65 (6.7) |
3.11 (7.9) |
3.35 (8.5) |
27.38 (69.5) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 26.3 (67) |
15.7 (40) |
8.5 (22) |
0.7 (1.8) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
1 (2.5) |
9.8 (25) |
23.1 (59) |
85.2 (216) |
| Average precipitation days | 14 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 129 |
People of Metaline Falls
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 153 | — | |
| 1930 | 316 | 106.5% | |
| 1940 | 453 | 43.4% | |
| 1950 | 547 | 20.8% | |
| 1960 | 469 | −14.3% | |
| 1970 | 307 | −34.5% | |
| 1980 | 296 | −3.6% | |
| 1990 | 210 | −29.1% | |
| 2000 | 223 | 6.2% | |
| 2010 | 238 | 6.7% | |
| 2020 | 272 | 14.3% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 284 | 19.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2020 Census |
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In 2010, there were 238 people living in Metaline Falls. The town had 124 households, which are groups of people living together in one home. About 54 of these were families. The average number of people in a household was 1.92.
Most of the people in Metaline Falls were White (94.5%). A small number were Native American (2.1%) or Asian (0.8%). About 1.7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age of people in the town was 48.3 years old. About 20.6% of residents were under 18, and 18.1% were 65 or older.
Arts and Culture in Metaline Falls
Historic Buildings and Sites
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Metaline Falls has four buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites.
- The Lewis P. Larson House was built in 1910. It was designed by Kirtland Cutter in an English cottage style.
- The Pend Oreille Mines and Metals Building is now called the Lewis Larson Apartments. It's the last building left from Lewis Larson's mining business.
- The Washington Hotel was built by Larson in 1910.
- The Metaline Falls School was also designed by Kirtland Cutter and built in 1912. It has a classical revival style. The school closed in 1972. In 1990, local people worked together to save the building. It is now called the Cutter Theater and serves as a community center.
Metaline Falls in Movies
The town of Metaline Falls has been a filming location for movies!
- Parts of the 1993 film Benny & Joon were filmed here, especially the train scenes.
- The 1997 film The Postman also filmed some scenes in the area.
- The town's location is similar to the made-up town of Twin Peaks from the famous TV show.
Education in Metaline Falls
Metaline Falls is part of the Selkirk School District. This district serves students in the northern part of Pend Oreille County. Metaline Falls is home to the Selkirk Elementary School. The middle and high schools are located near Ione, on State Route 31. The high school's sports teams are called the Rangers.
See also
In Spanish: Metaline Falls (Washington) para niños
