Otis, Oregon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Otis, Oregon
Unincorporated community
Otis Junction, Oregon
Otis, Oregon Location in Oregon Show map of Oregon Otis, Oregon Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Oregon
County	Lincoln County
Named for	Otis Thompson
Elevation	46 ft (14 m)
ZIP code	97368

Otis is a small, unincorporated community in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States. It's located about half a mile north of Otis Junction on Oregon Route 18. The community is also very close to the Salmon River. An "unincorporated community" means it's a place where people live, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town.

About Otis, Oregon

Otis is a quiet spot in Oregon, known for being near the beautiful Salmon River. The area combines natural beauty with a few local businesses.

History of Otis

The Otis post office first opened in 1900. It was named after Otis Thompson. He was the nephew of Archibald S. Thompson, who was the postmaster at the time.

Years ago, U.S. Route 101 used to go right through Otis. However, in the 1960s, a part of the road that was very curvy and hilly was changed. Now, Otis Junction is where the old U.S. 101 road met the end of Oregon Route 18. Today, people often use the names Otis and Otis Junction to mean the same place.

The Sitka Center for Art and Ecology has an Otis mailing address. This center is a place where artists and scientists can learn and create. It is actually located closer to the coast, near Cascade Head. The ZIP code for Otis, 97368, also covers the nearby community of Rose Lodge.

When Otis Was For Sale

Otis made national news in 1999 and again in 2004. This happened when it was announced that the "town" was for sale for $3 million! The news stories talked about the Otis Café and other places found at Otis Junction. It wasn't completely clear if the 193 acres of land for sale included the main part of Otis.

The owner, Vivian Lematta, shared some history. Her grandfather bought the land from the descendants of the Siletz Indians in 1910 for $800. Vivian Lematta herself moved away from Otis in 1957.

The sale included many different things. There was a gas station and a small grocery store. It also had a Pronto Pup corn dog stand, two houses, and a large empty horse barn with 25 stalls. Other buildings included a helicopter storage shed, a garage, and a Grange hall. The Otis post office and the famous Otis Café were also part of the deal. An auto-repair garage and 190 acres of farmland were included too. Some of this land was used for raising cattle, and another part was being managed for timber conservation.

Climate in Otis

Otis experiences warm, but not extremely hot, and dry summers. The average monthly temperatures do not go above 71.6 degrees Fahrenheit (22 degrees Celsius). According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Otis has a type of climate called a "warm-summer Mediterranean climate." This is often shown as "Csb" on climate maps.