Editing Othello, Washington

{{Short description|City in Washington, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Othello
|settlement_type          = [[City (Washington)|City]]
|image_skyline            = Othello, WA.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = T-33 jet in Pioneer Park
|image_seal               = CityofOthelloSeal.png
|image_map                = Adams_County_Washington_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Othello_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Othello, Washington
<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Washington (state)|Washington]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Washington|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Adams County, Washington|Adams]]
<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = [[Mayor–council government|Mayor–council]]
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Shawn Logan<ref name="Spokesman-Profile"/>
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =
<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_53.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 10.31
|area_land_km2            = 10.31
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 3.98
|area_land_sq_mi          = 3.98
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="QF2020"/>
|population_total         = 8549
|population_density_km2   = auto
|population_density_sq_mi = auto
<!-- 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             = 1089
|coordinates              = {{coord|46|49|20|N|119|09|55|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
<!-- Area/postal codes and others -->
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
|postal_code              = 99327, 99332, 99344
|area_code                = [[Area code 509|509]]
|area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 53-52215
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2411341<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2411341}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|https://www.othellowa.gov/|othellowa.gov}}
|footnotes                = 
}}

'''Othello''' ({{IPAc-en|oʊ|ˈ|θ|ɛ|l|oʊ|}}) is a city in [[Adams County, Washington|Adams County]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], United States. The population was 8,549 at the [[2020 United States Census|2020 census]],<ref name="QF2020">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/othellocitywashington/PST045222 |title=Quick Facts: Othello city, Washington |accessdate=2023-04-16 |website=census.gov}}</ref> a 16&nbsp;percent increase from 2010. It is located in the heart of the [[Columbia Basin Project]], approximately {{convert|100|mi|km}} southwest of [[Spokane, Washington|Spokane]]. The city is {{convert|25|mi|km}} south of [[Interstate 90 in Washington|Interstate 90]] in [[Moses Lake, Washington|Moses Lake]] and is connected by [[Washington State Route 17|State Route 17]] and [[Washington State Route 26|State Route 26]].

==History==

The first white settlers in the area were two brothers, Ben and Sam Hutchinson, who built a cabin along the [[Crab Creek]] in 1884. An influx of homesteaders began after the start of the 20th century, and a post office was established in 1904. The post office was named Othello in a public contest after a post office also called Othello in [[Roane County, Tennessee]].<ref name="Spokesman-Profile">{{cite news |last=Hanlon |first=James |date=October 25, 2022 |title=Heart of the Columbia Basin: Othello is young, Hispanic and growing fast |url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/oct/25/heart-of-the-columbia-basin-othello-is-young-hispa/ |work=[[The Spokesman-Review]] |accessdate=October 31, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Seelye">{{cite news |last1=Seelye |first1=Katharine Q. |title=All the Town's a Stage Where the Bard's Works Inspire Street Names |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/11/us/11outhere.html |access-date=1 March 2023 |work=New York Times |date=10 August 2011}}</ref>

The [[Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad|Chicago, Milwaukee, & St. Paul Railroad]] ran a track through Adams County in 1907. In 1912, a hotel was built for the railroad workers. That hotel would be later known as the Old Hotel and Art Gallery. The railroad officially platted the town as a stop, with water to feed the boilers of steam trains. They kept the name Othello and built a railyard and wooden [[Railway roundhouse|roundhouse]] there. Although the roundhouse burned in 1919, it was replaced with a brick structure that lasted many years. Businesses and settlers continued to follow, and the town was incorporated on May 31, 1910.<ref name="History">{{cite web |date=September 7, 2007 |title=History of the City of Othello |url=http://www.othello-wa.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=47&Itemid=77 |publisher=City of Othello |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614125311/http://www.othello-wa.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=47&Itemid=77 |archive-date=June 14, 2012 |accessdate=October 31, 2022}}</ref> At the time the railroad was the eastern terminus of the second electrified district of the Milwaukee Road's "Pacific Extension" route, which extended up to [[Tacoma, Washington]]. The railroad was abandoned in 1980 following the Milwaukee Road's bankruptcy.<ref name="Spokesman-Profile"/>

The [[United States Bureau of Reclamation|Bureau of Reclamation]] located offices in Othello in 1947, which prevented the decline of this town with the decline of rail shipping after World War II. In the early 1950s, the [[Columbia Basin Project]] brought irrigation to the Othello area, increasing both agriculture and commerce. Prior to this, water came only from Crab Creek and from local wells. The water arrived via the Potholes East Canal between [[Billy Clapp Lake]] and Scootenay Reservoir in Franklin County. Once there was irrigation available, a land drawing was held in Othello. On May 31, 1952, 42 names were drawn (of more than 7000 submitted) for the privilege of purchasing this newly desirable acreage.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gibson |first=Elizabeth |date=April 12, 2007 |title=Grant, Adams, and Franklin counties begin celebrating the Columbia Basin Water Festival on May 22, 1952. |url=https://historylink.org/File/8114 |work=HistoryLink |accessdate=October 31, 2022}}</ref>

From 1951 to 1973, the [[Aerospace Defense Command|637th Radar Squadron]] operated the Othello Radar Station near the town.<ref name="History"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radomes.org/museum/showsite.php?site=Othello+AFS,+WA |title=Air Defense Radar Stations |publisher=Radomes.org |access-date=2013-04-29}}</ref> In 1958, an ice plant was opened in town to service railroad cars moving produce. Frozen food packaging came to town in the early 1960s, and has since become the main industry.<ref>{{cite web |last=Becker |first=Paula |date=July 8, 2006 |title=Adams County — Thumbnail History |url=https://historylink.org/File/7835 |work=[[HistoryLink]] |accessdate=October 31, 2022}}</ref>

Since 1998, Othello has also been home to the Sandhill Crane Festival, celebrating the annual arrival of [[sandhill crane]]s to the nearby [[Columbia National Wildlife Refuge]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Tate |first=Cassandra |date=August 31, 2005 |title=Columbia National Wildlife Refuge |url=https://historylink.org/File/7459 |work=HistoryLink |accessdate=October 31, 2022}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|3.81|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all of it 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]]|access-date=2012-12-19|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|archive-date=2012-01-25}}</ref>

===Climate===
According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Othello has a [[semi-arid climate]], abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=512654&cityname=Othello,+Washington,+United+States+of+America&units=|title=Othello, Washington Köppen Climate Classification|website=Weatherbase}}</ref>

{{Weather box <!--Infobox begins-->
|collapsed = Y
|width =auto
|single line = Y
|location = Othello, Washington

|Jan record high F= 64
|Feb record high F= 67
|Mar record high F= 79
|Apr record high F= 91
|May record high F= 99
|Jun record high F= 106
|Jul record high F= 111
|Aug record high F= 114
|Sep record high F= 102
|Oct record high F= 91
|Nov record high F= 73
|Dec record high F= 63

|Jan high F= 35
|Feb high F= 43
|Mar high F= 53
|Apr high F= 61
|May high F= 69
|Jun high F= 76
|Jul high F= 83
|Aug high F= 83
|Sep high F= 74
|Oct high F= 61
|Nov high F= 45
|Dec high F= 35

|Jan low F= 23
|Feb low F= 28
|Mar low F= 31
|Apr low F= 36
|May low F= 43
|Jun low F= 49
|Jul low F= 54
|Aug low F= 54
|Sep low F= 47
|Oct low F= 37
|Nov low F= 31
|Dec low F= 24

|Jan record low F= -26
|Feb record low F= -26
|Mar record low F= 6
|Apr record low F= 16
|May record low F= 23
|Jun record low F= 31
|Jul record low F= 34
|Aug record low F= 36
|Sep record low F= 26
|Oct record low F= 14
|Nov record low F= -14
|Dec record low F= -15

|precipitation colour= <!--Enter "green" for green precipitation colors, remove this line for blue coloring.-->
|Jan precipitation inch= 0.93
|Feb precipitation inch= 0.85
|Mar precipitation inch= 0.86
|Apr precipitation inch= 0.62
|May precipitation inch= 0.73
|Jun precipitation inch= 0.52
|Jul precipitation inch= 0.39
|Aug precipitation inch= 0.33
|Sep precipitation inch= 0.40
|Oct precipitation inch= 0.57
|Nov precipitation inch= 1.04
|Dec precipitation inch= 1.21
<!--Mandatory fields, source-->
|source 1= <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USWA0327 |title= weather.com |access-date=July 11, 2014 }}</ref>
|date=January 2012}}<!--Infobox ends-->

==Economy==

In addition to agricultural output, Othello has several food processing and cold storage companies, especially for potatoes.<ref name="Spokesman-Profile"/> The local area processes approximately {{convert|1.5|e9lb}} of frozen potato products annually, comprising 15&nbsp;percent of production in North America. More than 700 jobs in Othello are tied to potato processing, including at [[McCain Foods]] and [[Simplot|J. R. Simplot]] facilities. The agricultural economy is threatened by an increasing shortage of water.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tan |first=Eli |date=August 21, 2023 |title=A french-fry boomtown emerges as a climate winner — as long as it has water |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/08/21/potatoes-farming-climate-water/ |accessdate=August 22, 2023}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1920= 649
|1930= 397
|1940= 332
|1950= 526
|1960= 2669
|1970= 4122
|1980= 4454
|1990= 4638
|2000= 5847
|2010= 7364
|2020= 8549
|2020n=<ref name="QF2020"/>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|author=United States Census Bureau|author-link=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 3, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US5352215|title=Othello city, Washington|author=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 23, 2022}}</ref>
}}

Since the 1980s, Othello has become a destination for immigrants from [[Latin America]] who arrive as [[migrant worker]]s or for seasonal farm jobs.<ref name="Spokesman-Profile"/>

'''<big>2020 census</big>'''

As of the 2020 census, there were 8,549 people, 2,616 housing units, and 2,429 families in the city. The population density was 2,136.7 people per square mile. The racial makeup was 54.7% [[White Americans|White]], 0.1% [[African Americans|African American]], 1.2% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 1.4% [[Asian Americans|Asian]], 0.0% [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]], 25.3% from some other race, and 17.3% from [[Multiracial Americans|two or more races]]. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 75.6% of the population.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Othello city, Washington |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/othellocitywashington/PST045222 |access-date=2023-07-16 |website=www.census.gov |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/profile?g=160XX00US5352215 |access-date=2023-07-16 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref>

The ancestry of the city was 5.9% [[German Americans|German]], 4.0% [[English Americans|English]], 3.4% [[Irish Americans|Irish]], 2.3% [[Italian Americans|Italian]], 0.9% [[Norwegian Americans|Norwegian]], 0.4% [[Dutch Americans|Dutch]], and 0.4% [[Ukrainian Americans|Ukrainian]].<ref name=":1" />

The median age was 25.1 years old. 8.2% of the population were 65 or older, with 4.2% being between the ages of 65 and 74, 3.4% between the ages of 75 and 84, and 0.6% were 85 or older. 39.6% of the population were under 18, with 12.6% under 5, 22.7% between 5 and 14, and 4.3% between 15 and 17. The gender make up was 50.3% female and 49.7% male.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

The median household income was $58,450, with families having $59,569, married couples having $76,655, and non-families had $23,112. 21.8% of the population were in poverty. The per capita income was $21,581.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]],<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2012-12-19}}</ref> there were 7,364 people, 2,108 households, and 1,669 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1932.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 2,185 housing units at an average density of {{convert|573.5|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 53.4% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.5% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 2.2% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.2% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 39.6% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 3.2% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 74.7% of the population.

There were 2,108 households, of which 57.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.5% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 20.8% were non-families. 17.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.46 and the average family size was 3.91.

The median age in the city was 25.6 years. 37.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.2% were from 25 to 44; 15.6% were from 45 to 64; and 8.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.4% male and 49.6% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]], there were 5,847 people, 1,788 households, and 1,412 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,949.7 people per square mile (752.5/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 1,864 housing units at an average density of 621.6 per square mile (239.9/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the city was 54.18% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.53% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 1.01% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.01% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.09% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 39.54% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 3.64% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 63.76% of the population.

There were 1,788 households, out of which 48.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.0% were non-families. 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.24 and the average family size was 3.66.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 36.1% under the age of 18, 12.0% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,291, and the median income for a family was $31,282. Males had a median income of $28,423 versus $21,455 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $11,409. About 18.4% of families and 24.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 33.5% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

== Newspaper ==

* [[Othello Outlook|''Othello Outlook'']] (1947–2016)

==Sister city==
Othello has the following [[Town twinning|sister city]] relationship:

* [[Wulensi]], [[Nanumba South District]], Ghana.<ref>{{cite web
  |url=http://www.othellowa.gov/activities-history/about-othello/economic-development/sister-cities.html
  |title=Sister Cities
  |access-date=2015-12-02
  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120152817/http://othellowa.gov/activities-history/about-othello/economic-development/sister-cities.html
  |archive-date=2015-11-20
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Stephen Beus]], pianist
* [[Bill Crow]], jazz musician/author
* [[Davey Richards]], professional wrestler
* [[Pee Wee (singer)|Pee Wee]] (born Irvin Salinas), singer
* [[Jim Sandusky]], football player

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://www.othellowa.gov/}}

{{Adams County, Washington}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Cities in Adams County, Washington]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1884]]
[[Category:1884 establishments in Washington Territory]]
[[Category:Micropolitan areas of Washington (state)]]