Editing Seneca, Oregon

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Seneca, Oregon
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = 
|image_skyline            = 2017-07-13 Seneca 02 (cropped).jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Seneca along U.S. Route 395
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = 
|image_map = Grant_County_Oregon_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Seneca_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        = [[Grant County, Oregon|Grant]]
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Brad Smith{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}
|established_title        = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = 1970
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_sq_mi         = 0.80
|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           = 2.06
|area_land_sq_mi          = 0.80
|area_land_km2            = 2.06
|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         = 165
|population_metro         = 
|population_urban         = 
|population_density_km2   = 80.14
|population_density_sq_mi = 207.55
|timezone                 = [[Pacific Standard Time Zone|Pacific]]
|utc_offset               = -8
|timezone_DST             = Pacific
|utc_offset_DST           = -7
|coordinates              = {{coord|44|08|07|N|118|58|35|W|type:city(223)_region:US-OR_source:gnis|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 4675
|website                  = 
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 97873
|area_code                = [[Area code 541|541]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 41-66200<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2411867<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2411867}}</ref>
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_footnotes        = 
|unit_pref                = Imperial
}}
'''Seneca''' is a city in [[Grant County, Oregon|Grant County]], [[Oregon]], United States. It is located in the [[Blue Mountains (Pacific Northwest)|Blue Mountains]] about {{convert|23|mi|km}} south of [[Canyon City, Oregon|Canyon City]], on [[U.S. Route 395 in Oregon|U.S. Route 395]], on the edge of the [[Malheur National Forest]].<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= 78}}</ref> The population was 199 at the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]].

==History==
[[File:2017-07-13 Seneca 03.jpg|thumb|A church in Seneca]]
Seneca post office was established in 1895 and named by postmaster Minnie Southworth for her brother-in-law, prominent Portland judge [[Seneca Smith]].<ref name=OGN>{{Cite OGN|7th|page=860}}</ref><ref name=Companion/>

While early homesteaders moved into the valley in the late 1800s, Seneca only began growing in the 1929 when it became the northern terminus of the now-vacated [[Oregon and Northwestern Railroad]], owned by the [[Edward Hines Lumber Company]], which extended south to [[Burns, Oregon|Burns]].<ref name=Companion>{{cite book |last= Engeman |first= Richard H. |title= The Oregon Companion: An Historical Gazetteer of The Useful, The Curious, and The Arcane |year= 2009 |publisher= [[Timber Press]] |location= [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], [[Oregon]] |isbn= 978-0-88192-899-0 |pages= 337–338}}</ref> At that time, large-scale shipping of [[Pinus ponderosa|Ponderosa Pine]] logs from Seneca and the surrounding national forest began to the Hines [[sawmill]] in [[Hines, Oregon|Hines]].<ref name=Companion/> The company established a [[planing mill]] and railroad shops in Seneca, and it became essentially a [[company town]].<ref name=Companion/> In 1940 Seneca's population was 275.<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]] |pages= [https://archive.org/details/oregonendoftrail00writrich/page/421 421]–422|oclc= 4874569}}</ref> [[Logging]] in the area began to decline in the 1970s, and the Hines company ceased operations of its lumber mills and railroad in 1984.<ref name=Companion/> The town was [[municipal corporation|incorporated]] as a city in 1970 as lumber company control began to wane.<ref name=Companion/> According to the [[1980 United States census|1980 census]], Seneca's population was 285.<ref name=Companion/> The estimated population in 2007 was 270.<ref name=Companion/>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|0.80|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]]|access-date=2012-12-21|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>

Situated at the confluence of Bear Creek and the [[Silvies River]], Seneca is in Bear Valley at the northern edge of the [[Great Basin]].<ref name=Atlas/>

===Climate===
Seneca has a [[humid continental climate|humid continental]] influenced [[semi-arid climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''BSk/Dsb/Dsc'') with warm daytime temperatures in summer and cool to cold nighttime temperatures all year. Average high temperatures throughout the year are relatively mild for a subarctic climate. It is right on the border of a semi-arid [[subarctic climate]] with the fourth warmest month of the year straddling {{convert|50|F|C}}.

Seneca experiences the coolest weather in Grant County and has the distinction of the coldest official temperature recorded in Oregon: {{convert|-54|F|C}} in 1933.<ref name=Companion/>

{{Weather box
|location = Seneca, Oregon, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1912–2021
|single line = Yes
|collapsed = Y
|Jan record high F = 58
|Feb record high F = 64
|Mar record high F = 74
|Apr record high F = 83
|May record high F = 89
|Jun record high F = 104
|Jul record high F = 104
|Aug record high F = 104
|Sep record high F = 100
|Oct record high F = 90
|Nov record high F = 72
|Dec record high F = 59

|Jan avg record high F = 47.4
|Feb avg record high F = 52.1
|Mar avg record high F = 61.9
|Apr avg record high F = 71.2
|May avg record high F = 80.1
|Jun avg record high F = 87.1
|Jul avg record high F = 94.3
|Aug avg record high F = 93.7
|Sep avg record high F = 89.6
|Oct avg record high F = 78.0
|Nov avg record high F = 61.9
|Dec avg record high F = 47.5
|year avg record high F = 96.0

|Jan high F = 35.9
|Feb high F = 40.0
|Mar high F = 46.3
|Apr high F = 52.6
|May high F = 61.8
|Jun high F = 70.0
|Jul high F = 82.1
|Aug high F = 81.9
|Sep high F = 73.4
|Oct high F = 59.6
|Nov high F = 44.4
|Dec high F = 35.7
|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 23.5
|Feb mean F = 26.8
|Mar mean F = 33.1
|Apr mean F = 38.8
|May mean F = 46.8
|Jun mean F = 53.1
|Jul mean F = 60.3
|Aug mean F = 58.4
|Sep mean F = 50.3
|Oct mean F = 40.5
|Nov mean F = 30.8
|Dec mean F = 23.4
|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 11.1
|Feb low F = 13.6
|Mar low F = 19.9
|Apr low F = 25.1
|May low F = 31.7
|Jun low F = 36.2
|Jul low F = 38.5
|Aug low F = 34.9
|Sep low F = 27.3
|Oct low F = 21.4
|Nov low F = 17.1
|Dec low F = 11.1
|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = -11.5
|Feb avg record low F = -4.9
|Mar avg record low F = 4.1
|Apr avg record low F = 14.6
|May avg record low F = 19.3
|Jun avg record low F = 26.1
|Jul avg record low F = 29.4
|Aug avg record low F = 24.9
|Sep avg record low F = 16.1
|Oct avg record low F = 7.1
|Nov avg record low F = -2.9
|Dec avg record low F = -12.5
|year avg record low F = -20.2

|Jan record low F = -43
|Feb record low F = -54
|Mar record low F = -26
|Apr record low F = 2
|May record low F = 6
|Jun record low F = 16
|Jul record low F = 19
|Aug record low F = 13
|Sep record low F = 1
|Oct record low F = -11
|Nov record low F = -31
|Dec record low F = -41

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 1.58
|Feb precipitation inch = 1.01
|Mar precipitation inch = 1.23
|Apr precipitation inch = 1.18
|May precipitation inch = 1.71
|Jun precipitation inch = 1.19
|Jul precipitation inch = 0.53
|Aug precipitation inch = 0.38
|Sep precipitation inch = 0.53
|Oct precipitation inch = 1.07
|Nov precipitation inch = 1.44
|Dec precipitation inch = 1.82
|year precipitation inch =

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 11.8
|Feb precipitation days = 9.9
|Mar precipitation days = 11.0
|Apr precipitation days = 10.6
|May precipitation days = 9.5
|Jun precipitation days = 7.2
|Jul precipitation days = 3.8
|Aug precipitation days = 3.1
|Sep precipitation days = 4.3
|Oct precipitation days = 7.6
|Nov precipitation days = 11.8
|Dec precipitation days = 12.7

|Jan snow inch = 11.2
|Feb snow inch = 7.8
|Mar snow inch = 6.3
|Apr snow inch = 1.4
|May snow inch = 0.4
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.8
|Nov snow inch = 7.4
|Dec snow inch = 23.0
|year snow inch =

|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 6.1
|Feb snow days = 4.3
|Mar snow days = 3.0
|Apr snow days = 1.2
|May snow days = 0.3
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.5
|Nov snow days = 3.5
|Dec snow days = 7.4

|source 1 = NOAA (snow/snow days 1981&ndash;2010)<ref name = NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00357675&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Seneca, OR (1991&ndash;2020)
|access-date = March 2, 2023
}}
</ref><ref>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly&stations=USC00357675&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Seneca, OR (1981&ndash;2010)
|access-date = March 2, 2023
}}
</ref>
|source 2 = XMACIS2<ref name = XMACIS2>
{{cite web
|url = https://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = xmACIS2 
|access-date = March 2, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1980= 285
|1990= 191
|2000= 223
|2010= 199
|2020= 165
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</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>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]] of 2010, there were 199 people, 95 households, and 60 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|248.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 128 housing units at an average density of {{convert|160.0|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 99.0% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.5% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], and 0.5% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.0% of the population.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2012-12-21}}</ref>

There were 95 households, of which 21.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09 and the average family size was 2.53.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

The median age in the city was 52.5 years. 16.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 15% were from 25 to 44; 35.6% were from 45 to 64; and 25.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 52.3% male and 47.7% female.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

===2000 census===
As of the census of 2000, there were 223 people, 95 households, and 64 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|267.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 115 housing units at an average density of {{convert|138.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 99.10% White, 0.45% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], and 0.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.90% of the population.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

There were 95 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.9% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.89.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 31.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 110.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

The median income for a household in the city was $27,333, and the median income for a family was $26,806. Males had a median income of $30,000 versus $23,750 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $12,636. About 24.0% of families and 19.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 22.5% of those under the age of 18 and none of those 65 or over.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

==Economy==
[[File:Seneca School (Grant County, Oregon scenic images) (graDA0097).jpg|thumb|Seneca School]]
The main industries in Seneca are cattle [[ranch]]ing and timber production.<ref name=End/>

==Education==
Seneca is served by the [[Grant School District]] (formerly the [[John Day School District]]). Seneca School is a [[kindergarten|K]]-[[fifth grade|5]] school. After 5th grade students attend [[Grant Union High School (John Day, Oregon)|Grant Union High School]] in [[John Day, Oregon|John Day]]. Seneca School was built in the 1930s to serve the employees of the Hines Lumber Company.<ref name=School>{{cite web |url= http://www.grantesd.k12.or.us/Seneca/index.htm |title= Seneca School |publisher= [[Grant County School District]] |access-date= 2011-01-17}}</ref> As of 2011, the school had 58 students.<ref name=School/>

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

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=XK9G3wcnmrUC&q=Seneca |title= Tracking Down Oregon |chapter= Sawdust at Seneca |author= Friedman, Ralph |authorlink= Ralph Friedman |year= 1978 |pages= 251–53 |publisher= [[Caxton Press (United States)|The Caxton Printers, Ltd]] |location= Caldwell, Idaho |isbn= 0-87004-257-2}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [https://sos.oregon.gov/blue-book/Pages/local/cities/s-y/seneca.aspx Entry for Seneca] in the ''[[Oregon Blue Book]]''
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20091228051801/http://www.orinfrastructure.org/profiles/Seneca/ Seneca Community Profile] from the [[Oregon Business Development Commission]]
* [http://www.senecakids.org/SenecaProject/index.html Seneca History Project] from Seneca School
* [http://photos.salemhistory.net/cdm4/results.php?CISOOP1=all&CISOBOX1=Seneca&CISOFIELD1=CISOSEARCHALL&CISOROOT=all Historic images of Seneca] from Salem Public Library

{{Grant County, Oregon}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Oregon]]
[[Category:Cities in Grant County, Oregon]]
[[Category:Company towns in Oregon]]
[[Category:1895 establishments in Oregon]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1895]]