Editing Biggs Junction, Oregon

{{Short description| Unincorporated community in the state of Oregon, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Biggs Junction, Oregon
|settlement_type          = [[Census-designated place]] (CDP)
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Biggs Junction Nu-Vu Motel (2) (6698357183).jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Biggs Nu-Vu Motel
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Sherman County Oregon Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Biggs Junction Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Biggs Junction, Oregon
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Oregon]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Oregon|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Sherman County, Oregon|Sherman]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/5/query?where=STATE='41'&outFields=NAME,STATE,PLACE,AREALAND,AREAWATER,LSADC,CENTLAT,CENTLON&orderByFields=PLACE&returnGeometry=false&returnTrueCurves=false&f=json|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 12, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 2.30
|area_land_km2            = 2.30
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 0.89
|area_land_sq_mi          = 0.89
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly"/>
|population_total         = 5
|population_density_km2   = 2.18
|population_density_sq_mi = 5.64

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific (PST)]]
|utc_offset               = -8
|timezone_DST             = PDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -7
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 384
|coordinates              = {{coord|45|39|50|N|120|50|21|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 97065
|area_codes               = [[Area codes 541 and 458|458 and 541]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 41-06400<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2407848<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2407848}}</ref>
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
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}}

'''Biggs Junction''' is an [[Unincorporated area|unincorporated community]] and [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[Sherman County, Oregon|Sherman County]], [[Oregon]], United States.<ref name=gnis/>

Biggs Junction is located on the south side of the [[Columbia River]] at the junction of [[Interstate 84 in Oregon|Interstate 84]]/[[U.S. Route 30 in Oregon|U.S. 30]] and [[U.S. Route 97 in Oregon|U.S. 97]] where it crosses the [[Sam Hill Memorial Bridge]] over the river from [[Washington (state)|Washington]].<ref name=Atlas>{{cite book |title= Oregon Atlas & Gazetteer |edition= 7th |year= 2008 |publisher= [[DeLorme]] |location= [[Yarmouth, Maine]] |isbn= 978-0-89933-347-2 |page= 72}}</ref> The population was 22 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]].<ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_GCTPL2.ST10&prodType=table American FactFinder – Results<!-- Bot generated title -->]{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

== History ==
'''Biggs''' is a station on the [[Union Pacific Railroad]] (UP) at what was once a junction with the UP's [[Grass Valley, Oregon|Grass Valley]] line to [[Kent, Oregon|Kent]] that has since been abandoned.<ref name=OGN>{{Cite OGN|7th|pages=81, 899}}</ref><ref name=Impact>{{cite web |url= http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/bitstream/14239/1/p92-16.pdf |title= A Summary of Research Studies on the Community Impacts of Rail Abandonment in the Midwest |last= Fruin |first= Jerry E. |date= July 1992 |publisher= The Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, [[University of Minnesota]] College of Agriculture |pages= 25–29 |access-date= 2011-02-14}}</ref> Biggs was named for a nearby landowner, W. H. Biggs, who settled in Sherman County in 1880.<ref name=OGN /> W. H. Biggs was born on May 12, 1831; he was from [[Ohio]].<ref name=OGN /> The rail line was originally owned by the [[Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company|Oregon Railway and Navigation Company]] (OR&N). In 1885 the OR&N station at Biggs was called Spanish Hollow, after the canyon that opens on the river there.<ref name=OGN /> The canyon was said to be named because a Spanish ox died there in the days of the [[Oregon Trail]], which runs parallel to U.S. 97.<ref name=OGN /><ref name=GNIS>{{cite gnis |id= 1127366 |name= Spanish Hollow |entrydate= November 28, 1980 |accessdate= 2011-02-14}}</ref><ref name=End>{{cite book |url= https://archive.org/details/oregonendoftrail00writrich |title= Oregon: End of the Trail |author= [[Federal Writers' Project|Writers' Program]] of the [[Work Projects Administration]] in the [[Government of Oregon|State of Oregon]] |series= [[American Guide Series]] |year= 1940 |publisher= [[Binfords & Mort]] |location= [[Portland, Oregon]] |page= [https://archive.org/details/oregonendoftrail00writrich/page/388 388] |oclc= 4874569}}</ref><ref name=Note>Note: There was a Spanish Hollow post office from 1870 to 1882 at what is now [[Wasco, Oregon|Wasco]]</ref> Biggs is where travelers on the Oregon Trail would first see the Columbia River after their overland journey.<ref name=Side>{{cite book |title= The Other Side of Oregon |author= Friedman, Ralph |author-link= Ralph Friedman |orig-year= 1993 |year= 2002 |edition= 2nd |page= 60 |publisher= [[Caxton Press (United States)|The Caxton Printers, Ltd]] |location= Caldwell, Idaho |isbn= 0-87004-352-8}}</ref> The current community of Biggs Junction was named for the station, which is less than a mile west of the current junction, and its location at the [[Intersection (road)|intersection]] of I-84 and U.S. 97.<ref name=OGN /><ref name=GNIS3>{{cite gnis |id= 1167695 |name= Biggs |entrydate= November 28, 1980 |accessdate= 2011-02-14}}</ref> Biggs post office was established in 1884 and closed in 1954.<ref name=OGN />

== Geography ==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|0.8|sqmi|km2}}, all land.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

Biggs Junction is across the Columbia River from [[Maryhill, Washington]].<ref name=Atlas />

== Demographics ==
{{US Census population
|2020= 5
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2016}}</ref><ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly">{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:41&key=5ccd0821c15d9f4520e2dcc0f8d92b2ec9336108|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=Oct 12, 2022}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 50 people, 20 households, and 12 families residing in the CDP. The [[population density]] was {{convert|59.6|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 22 housing units at an average density of {{convert|26.2|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the CDP was 68.00% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 6.00% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 26.00% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]]. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 26.00% of the population.

There were 20 households, out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, and 40.0% were non-families. 40.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.50.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 24.0% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 30.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $19,167, and the median income for a family was $66,250. Males had a median income of $40,750 versus $18,750 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $19,532. Some 21.4% of families and 22.5% of the population were living below the [[poverty line]], including no one under eighteen and none of those over 64.

== Economy ==
[[File:SamHillMemorialBridge.jpg|thumb|center|700px|Biggs Junction (right) at the approach to the [[Sam Hill Memorial Bridge]] over the [[Columbia River]]]]

The community's major business is that of a rest and refueling stop for traffic along the two major highways.<ref name=Agri>{{cite web |url= http://www.sherman-county.com/agri_business_biggs.asp |title= Agri-Business: Biggs, Oregon |publisher= Sherman County, Oregon |access-date= 2011-02-14}}</ref><ref name=Friedman>{{cite book |title= In Search of Western Oregon |author= Friedman, Ralph |author-link= Ralph Friedman |year= 1990 |edition= 2nd |page= [https://archive.org/details/insearchofwester00frie/page/611 611] |publisher= [[Caxton Press (United States)|The Caxton Printers, Ltd]] |location= Caldwell, Idaho |isbn= 0-87004-332-3 |url-access= registration |url= https://archive.org/details/insearchofwester00frie/page/611 }}</ref> It is one of the largest [[truck stop]]s on the Oregon section of I-84.<ref name=Friedman />

Biggs Junction is an important [[wheat]] shipping point, with [[grain elevator|grain storage elevators]] and facilities for shipping wheat by river barge and rail.<ref name=Impact /><ref name=Agri />

The Biggs Junction area is known for being a source and the point of discovery of [[Biggs jasper]], a semi-precious [[gemstone]].<ref name=NFMS>{{cite journal|url=http://www.amfed.org/nfms/nwnews/nw0207.pdf |journal=Northwest Newsletter |publisher=Northwest Federation of Mineralogical Societies |title=Biggs Picture Jasper: A Legacy is Born |date=November 2007 |last=Rhode |first=Dale |volume=47 |issue=4 |page=11 |access-date=2011-02-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104133834/http://amfed.org/nfms/nwnews/nw0207.pdf |archive-date=November 4, 2010 }}</ref> The jasper was originally used by the local [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] and was rediscovered in 1964 during the building of I-84 by road crews who were helping rebuild local bridges after the [[Christmas flood of 1964|Christmas flood]] of that year.<ref name=NFMS />

== See also ==
{{commons category}}
* [[Columbia Southern Railway]]

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* [http://photos.salemhistory.net/cdm4/results.php?CISOOP1=all&CISOBOX1=&CISOFIELD1=CISOSEARCHALL&CISOOP2=exact&CISOBOX2=Biggs&CISOFIELD2=CISOSEARCHALL&CISOOP3=any&CISOBOX3=&CISOFIELD3=CISOSEARCHALL&CISOOP4=none&CISOBOX4=Claire%20Moro&CISOFIELD4=CISOSEARCHALL&CISOROOT=all&t=a Historic images of Biggs Junction] from the Salem Public Library
* [https://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Biggs+Oregon Images of Biggs Junction] from Flickr
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110721203402/http://www.odot.state.or.us/ffp/hwy/reg4planning/US97Biggs-MadrasCorridorPlan7-14-03.pdf Biggs Junction to Madras Corridor Plan] from the [[Oregon Department of Transportation]]

{{Sherman County, Oregon}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Oregon]]
[[Category:Columbia River Gorge]]
[[Category:Unincorporated communities in Sherman County, Oregon]]
[[Category:1884 establishments in Oregon]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1884]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Sherman County, Oregon]]
[[Category:Unincorporated communities in Oregon]]