Riddle, Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Riddle, Oregon
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Main Street in Riddle with First Baptist Church in the foreground
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Location in Oregon
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Douglas |
| Incorporated | 1893 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.64 sq mi (1.64 km2) |
| • Land | 0.64 sq mi (1.64 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 712 ft (217 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,214 |
| • Density | 1,911.81/sq mi (738.45/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (Pacific) |
| ZIP code |
97469
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| Area code(s) | 541 |
| FIPS code | 41-61850 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2410943 |
Riddle is a small city located in Douglas County, Oregon, in the United States. According to the 2020 census, about 1,214 people live there.
Contents
History of Riddle
Riddle was named after William H. Riddle, who moved to the area in 1851. His son, John Bouseman Riddle, later founded the city.
In 1881, the Southern Pacific Railroad built a station here. It was first called "Riddlesburg," then "Riddles" in 1882, and finally "Riddle" in 1889. A post office also opened in 1882, changing its name to "Riddle" in 1910.
John B. Riddle bought land in 1863 when he was just 19 years old. In 1869, he sold some of his land to his brother, Abner. When the railroad came through, it passed between their properties. John B. Riddle saw a chance to start a business instead of farming. He and his second wife, Mary Catching, built a hotel in the new city of Riddle. John also opened several small restaurants along the railroad tracks leading to Medford, Oregon.
People of Riddle
How Many People Live Here?
Riddle has grown quite a bit over the years. Here's how the population has changed:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 131 | — | |
| 1910 | 187 | 42.7% | |
| 1920 | 268 | 43.3% | |
| 1930 | 195 | −27.2% | |
| 1940 | 214 | 9.7% | |
| 1950 | 634 | 196.3% | |
| 1960 | 992 | 56.5% | |
| 1970 | 1,042 | 5.0% | |
| 1980 | 1,265 | 21.4% | |
| 1990 | 1,143 | −9.6% | |
| 2000 | 1,014 | −11.3% | |
| 2010 | 1,185 | 16.9% | |
| 2020 | 1,214 | 2.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Who Lives in Riddle?
In 2010, there were 1,185 people living in Riddle. They lived in 460 households, with 307 of those being families. The city had about 1,881 people per square mile.
Most people in Riddle were White (89.7%). Other groups included Native American (3.0%), African American (0.3%), and Asian (0.5%). About 5.1% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Here's a quick look at the different groups in 2010:
| Race | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White | 89.7% |
| African American | 0.3% |
| Native American | 3.0% |
| Asian | 0.5% |
| Pacific Islander | 0.1% |
| Other races | 1.2% |
| Two or more races | 5.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5.1% |
Many households (36.5%) had children under 18 living with them. About 44.8% were married couples living together. The average household had 2.57 people, and the average family had 3.01 people.
The average age in Riddle was 36.6 years old. About 25.4% of the people were under 18. About 11.4% were 65 years or older. There were slightly more females (51.1%) than males (48.9%).
Geography and Climate
Riddle is located about 25 miles (40 km) south of Roseburg. It's also about 220 miles (354 km) south of Portland. The city sits about 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Oregon Route 99 (which is near Interstate 5). It is about 700 feet (213 meters) above sea level. Cow Creek flows past Riddle before joining the nearby South Umpqua River.
The city covers a total area of 0.63 square miles (1.63 square kilometers), and all of it is land.
Riddle's Weather
Riddle has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. This means summers are usually cool in the mornings but get hot in the afternoons. Winters are chilly and rainy, but not usually very harsh.
During the summer, temperatures can reach over 90°F (32°C) on about 28 afternoons. Sometimes, it even gets over 100°F (38°C). The hottest day ever recorded was 111°F (44°C) on June 27, 2021.
In winter, it often rains, but the coastal mountains help block some of the rain. Sometimes, very cold air can come in, bringing snow or very clear, cold skies. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -3°F (-19°C) on January 22, 1962.
Riddle gets a lot of rain, especially in winter. The wettest year on record had over 50 inches (127 cm) of rain. Snow is rare, with an average of about 5.2 inches (13 cm) per year. Many winters have no snow at all.
| Climate data for Riddle, Oregon, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1899–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 73 (23) |
80 (27) |
86 (30) |
95 (35) |
106 (41) |
111 (44) |
108 (42) |
110 (43) |
108 (42) |
102 (39) |
81 (27) |
74 (23) |
111 (44) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 63.8 (17.7) |
68.8 (20.4) |
75.4 (24.1) |
82.9 (28.3) |
90.0 (32.2) |
93.6 (34.2) |
98.8 (37.1) |
100.4 (38.0) |
97.5 (36.4) |
86.3 (30.2) |
71.6 (22.0) |
62.7 (17.1) |
103.0 (39.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 52.7 (11.5) |
57.1 (13.9) |
61.5 (16.4) |
66.2 (19.0) |
73.6 (23.1) |
79.5 (26.4) |
88.2 (31.2) |
88.8 (31.6) |
83.6 (28.7) |
71.0 (21.7) |
57.9 (14.4) |
50.6 (10.3) |
69.2 (20.7) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 44.8 (7.1) |
47.2 (8.4) |
50.2 (10.1) |
53.8 (12.1) |
60.1 (15.6) |
65.3 (18.5) |
71.7 (22.1) |
71.4 (21.9) |
66.0 (18.9) |
57.1 (13.9) |
49.3 (9.6) |
43.7 (6.5) |
56.7 (13.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 36.9 (2.7) |
37.2 (2.9) |
38.8 (3.8) |
41.4 (5.2) |
46.6 (8.1) |
51.1 (10.6) |
55.3 (12.9) |
54.0 (12.2) |
48.5 (9.2) |
43.3 (6.3) |
40.7 (4.8) |
36.7 (2.6) |
44.2 (6.8) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 27.2 (−2.7) |
27.7 (−2.4) |
29.7 (−1.3) |
31.8 (−0.1) |
36.1 (2.3) |
41.6 (5.3) |
46.7 (8.2) |
45.9 (7.7) |
39.0 (3.9) |
31.7 (−0.2) |
29.5 (−1.4) |
26.8 (−2.9) |
22.2 (−5.4) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 2 (−17) |
8 (−13) |
20 (−7) |
23 (−5) |
26 (−3) |
34 (1) |
35 (2) |
36 (2) |
24 (−4) |
17 (−8) |
13 (−11) |
3 (−16) |
2 (−17) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 4.72 (120) |
3.35 (85) |
3.39 (86) |
2.53 (64) |
1.86 (47) |
0.98 (25) |
0.27 (6.9) |
0.28 (7.1) |
0.71 (18) |
2.25 (57) |
4.57 (116) |
6.17 (157) |
31.08 (789) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.5 (1.3) |
0.7 (1.8) |
0.1 (0.25) |
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) |
0.6 (1.5) |
1.9 (4.85) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 19.4 | 16.6 | 17.9 | 15.8 | 11.5 | 6.4 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 4.9 | 11.8 | 18.9 | 20.4 | 147.3 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.2 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
Education in Riddle
The Riddle School District provides public education for students in the city. The district runs two schools:
- Riddle Elementary School
- Riddle Junior/Senior High School
Economy and Jobs
The Riddle area was once famous for nickel mining. There were large deposits of nickel-bearing rock nearby. However, the mine closed down in 1987.
See also
In Spanish: Riddle (Oregón) para niños
