Editing Metolius, Oregon

{{more citations needed|date=May 2010}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Metolius, Oregon
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = 
|image_skyline            = 2017.07.27 - 13.31.40 - July 27, 2017.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = City of Metolius Welcome Sign
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = 
|image_map = Jefferson_County_Oregon_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Metolius_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Oregon]]
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|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        = [[Jefferson County, Oregon|Jefferson]]
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Bill Reynolds 
|established_title        = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = 1913
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_sq_mi         = 0.48
|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_total_km2           = 1.24
|area_land_sq_mi          = 0.48
|area_land_km2            = 1.24
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_urban_sq_mi         = 
|area_urban_km2           = 
|area_metro_sq_mi         = 
|area_metro_km2           = 
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly"/>
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|population_note          = 
|population_total         = 978
|population_metro         = 
|population_urban                 = 
|population_density_km2   = 789.71
|population_density_sq_mi = 2046.03
|timezone                 = [[Pacific Standard Time Zone|Pacific]]
|utc_offset               = -8
|timezone_DST             = Pacific
|utc_offset_DST           = -7
|coordinates              = {{coord|44|35|13|N|121|10|37|W|type:city(635)_region:US-OR_source:gnis-1146116|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_m              = 771.1
|elevation_ft             = 2530
|website                  = 
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 97741
|area_code                = [[Area codes 541 and 458|458 and 541]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 41-47750<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1146116<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|accessdate=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=2007-10-25}}</ref>
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|unit_pref = Imperial
}}
'''Metolius''' is a city in [[Jefferson County, Oregon|Jefferson County]], [[Oregon]], United States, named for the [[Metolius River]], a nearby tributary of the [[Deschutes River (Oregon)|Deschutes River]]. The name for both comes from the [[Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs|Warm Springs]] or [[Sahaptin language|Sahaptin]] word ''mitula'', meaning ''white salmon'' and referring to a light colored [[Chinook salmon]] and not a [[whitefish (fisheries term)|whitefish]]. The population was 710 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]].

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|0.48|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2012-12-21|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|archivedate=2012-01-25}}</ref>

===Climate===
This region experiences warm and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above {{convert|71.6|F|C}}. According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Metolius has a [[Mediterranean climate#Warm-summer Mediterranean climate|warm-summer Mediterranean climate]], abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=515553&cityname=Metolius%2C+Oregon%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Metolius, Oregon]</ref>

== History ==
[[File:City Hall - Metolius Oregon.jpg|thumb|City Hall in Metolius]]
Metolius was founded in the early 1900s. The earliest records are from 1903 and written in [[German language|German]].

In February 1911 the [[Oregon Trunk Railroad]] built a depot, turntable and roundhouse in the town. The railroad was connected to [[Bend, Oregon]]. Railroad engines at the time needed water at regular intervals, and Metolius was chosen as a servicing spot. Electricity was provided in 1912 from a small dam at the Cove. A high school and grade school were built in 1913. The town continued to prosper during the war years and by 1917, the population was over 1,700, and the town had two banks, two newspapers, a flour mill, hotels, general stores, hardware stores and a railroad maintenance hub.

As railroad technology improved, maintenance stations were required less frequently and the Metolius shop was eliminated. Without the railroad base, the population of Metolius went into decline. A major fire in the 1920s destroyed most of the downtown buildings. Drought from 1924 to 1926 bankrupted many farmers, and the [[Great Depression]] almost finished the town off. By 1945 the population was down to about 45 people.

Prior to the 1940s, only dry farming existed in the area. An irrigation project diverting water from the Deschutes River boosted farming output and the town began to grow again.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.madraschamber.com/metolius.cfm |title=Madras Chamber of Commerce |website=www.madraschamber.com |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060901010046/http://www.madraschamber.com/metolius.cfm |archive-date=1 September 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Water from the Deschutes river reaches the area through an extensive canal system. Farmers were now able to grow large crops, mostly mint, potatoes and hay. By 1960 over 3,000 railroad cars of fresh potatoes were loaded each year from the area. Four giant packing sheds stored fresh packed potatoes and delivered them onto railroad cars. A frozen French fry factory employed many workers year round. In 1968 a potato blight of nematodes ended large-scale potato production in the area. In 1973 the railroad closed its depot in Metolius. By 1990 almost all mint production had ended due to root rot. As of 2007, most agricultural production around Metolius is marginal.

In 1950 Metolius Elementary began to grow out of the 1913 high school building with a new gym and two classrooms. Four more classrooms were built in 1955 to teach the children of the influx of agricultural workers and construction workers building the three dams on the Deschutes River. In around 1963 the old high school was destroyed and the elementary was again expanded to include an office, a library and two more classrooms. Its last expansion occurred in 2000 with the addition of six new classrooms and a large modern library.

The first Spanish-speaking families began to settle in Metolius in the 1950s, drawn by field work hoeing, irrigating and harvesting as well as working in the potato sheds. Non-union mills converting scrap wood from lumber operations hired many more Spanish-speaking workers from Mexico. Now{{when|date=February 2021}} over 50% of the students at Metolius Elementary speak Spanish at home.{{citation needed|date=February 2021}}

Around 1970, a fire in the city's Post Office led to the end of the [[ZIP code]] for the community, which thereafter shared the ZIP code of nearby [[Madras, Oregon|Madras]]. However, in late 2003, city leaders enlisted the help of U.S. Representative [[Greg Walden]] to reclaim the code. Despite several attempts to start businesses, Metolius serves mainly as a bedroom community for Madras and other larger towns up to {{convert|40|mi|km}} away. A prison is being built in Madras,{{when|date=February 2021}} and new homes are being built for its workers.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1920= 94
|1930= 38
|1940= 40
|1950= 157
|1960= 270
|1970= 270
|1980= 451
|1990= 450
|2000= 635
|2010= 710
|2020= 978
|footnote=source:<ref name="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|url=https://www.census.gov|accessdate=2013-06-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Moffatt|first=Riley Moore|title=Population History of Western U.S. Cities and Towns, 1850–1990|location=Lanham, Maryland|publisher=Scarecrow Press|year=1996|page=212|isbn=978-0-8108-3033-2}}</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>
}}

===2000 census===
As of the census of 2000, there were 635 people, 214 households, and 161 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,549.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 220 housing units at an average density of {{convert|536.9|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 77.17% White, 0.16% African American, 2.05% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 13.23% from other races, and 6.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.68% of the population.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

There were 214 households, out of which 40.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.0% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.3% were non-families. 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.41.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

In the city, the population was spread out, with 35.3% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 15.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.5 males.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

The median income for a household in the city was $32,375, and the median income for a family was $34,028. Males had a median income of $30,893 versus $21,607 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $11,963. About 14.0% of families and 16.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 18.3% of those under age 18 and 15.0% of those age 65 or over.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]] of 2010, there were 710 people, 275 households, and 190 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1479.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 297 housing units at an average density of {{convert|618.8|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 75.6% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.0% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 3.8% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.6% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.1% [[Race (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 14.8% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 4.1% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 23.7% of the population.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

There were 275 households, of which 37.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.9% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.03.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

The median age in the city was 38.6 years. 26.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.7% were from 25 to 44; 31% were from 45 to 64; and 9.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.0% male and 50.0% female.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

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

==External links==
*[https://sos.oregon.gov/blue-book/Pages/local/cities/l-r/metolius.aspx Entry for Metolius] in the ''[[Oregon Blue Book]]''

{{Jefferson County, Oregon}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Oregon]]
[[Category:Cities in Jefferson County, Oregon]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1903]]
[[Category:1903 establishments in Oregon]]