The Dalles | |
|---|---|
| City of the Dalles | |
 The Dalles and theColumbia River in November 2008 | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Motto: "Cognito timor Vincit" (Latin), "Knowledge Conquers Fear" (English) | |
 Location inOregon | |
| Coordinates:45°36′06″N121°10′30″W / 45.60167°N 121.17500°W /45.60167; -121.17500 | |
| County | Wasco County |
| Incorporated | 1857 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Richard Mays[citation needed] |
| Area | |
• City | 6.94 sq mi (17.98 km2) |
| • Land | 6.66 sq mi (17.25 km2) |
| • Water | 0.28 sq mi (0.72 km2) |
| Elevation | 243 ft (74 m) |
| Population | |
• City | 16,010 |
| • Density | 2,403.5/sq mi (927.99/km2) |
| • Metro | 26,403 |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code | 97058 |
| Area codes | 458 and 541 |
| FIPS code | 41-72950 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2412059[2] |
| Website | City of The Dalles |
The Dalles (/ˈdælz/ ⓘDALZ) formally theCity of the Dalles and also calledDalles City, is aninland port, thecounty seat of and the largest city inWasco County,Oregon, United States. The population was 16,010 at the2020 census, and it is the largest city in Oregon along theColumbia River outside thePortland Metropolitan Area. The Dalles is 75 miles (121 km) east of Portland, within theColumbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.
The area around The Dalles is known to have been a trading center for Native Americans as long as 10,000 years ago and is thus one of the oldest inhabited places inNorth America.
The site of what is now the city of The Dalles was a major Native American trading center. The general area is one of the continent's most significant archaeological regions.[4]Lewis and Clark campednear Mill Creek on October 25–27, 1805, and recorded the Indian name for the creek asQuenett[citation needed].
The name of the city comes from the French worddalle, meaning either "sluice", akin to English "dale" and GermanT[h]al, "valley", or "flagstone", referring to thecolumnar basalt rocks carved by the river[5][6] (invoyageur French used to refer to rapids), which was used by theFrench-Canadian employees of theNorth West Company to refer to the rapids of theColumbia River between the present-day city andCelilo Falls. Also in the same area was the Petites Dalles or Little Dalles, or Short Narrows. In French, "les dalles" means "the slabs". When a river flows over hard flat rocks, it becomes shallow, and rapids are created.
The first use of the nameDalles, according toOregon Geographic Names, appears in fur traderGabriel Franchère'sNarrative, on April 12, 1814, referring to the long series of major rapids in the river.[6] Starting in the 1810s, Americans and Europeans passed by what became The Dalles, active in theNorth American fur trade as employees of either the AmericanPacific Fur Company (PFC) or the Canadian North West Company (NWC). Men like NWC officerDavid Thompson voyaged both down and up the Columbia, traveling through Celilo Falls. TheWar of 1812 led to the 1813 liquidation of the PFC, its properties likeFort Astoria sold to the North West Company.[7]
In 1821 the North West Company was absorbed by the giant London-basedHudson's Bay Company (HBC).Fort Vancouver, built in 1824, replaced Fort Astoria as the regional fur trade headquarters. The HBC's trading network made extensive use of the Columbia River. The rapids of the Columbia River at The Dalles was the largest and longest of the four "great portages", where fur trading boats had to unload and transship their cargoes. Sometimes, during high water, boats traveling downriver would "shoot the rapids" instead of portaging, although the practice was dangerous and many people died as a result over the years.[8]
In 1838 a branch ofJason Lee'sMethodist Mission was established at Celilo Falls, named theWascopam Mission, after the nativeWasco Indians.[9] In 1850 the U.S. Army founded a small post at the site of the old mission, being eventually namedFort Dalles. Fort Dalles became the nucleus of the town of The Dalles, which began to develop along the waterfront.[9] In 1855, at the end of theCayuse War, the Indians living near The Dalles were forcibly relocated by the U.S. Army to theWarm Springs Indian Reservation.[9]
In the early 1840s American settlers began to arrive in significant numbers, traveling overland via theOregon Trail. The trail ended at The Dalles. It was not possible to take wagons farther west due to steep cliffs that fell straight into the Columbia River. Until the construction of theBarlow Road in 1846, the only way to reach Fort Vancouver and theWillamette Valley was by rafting down the river from The Dalles.[9]
A post office was established within the boundaries of the current city in 1851, and The Dalles was incorporated as a city in 1857. It has been the major commercial center betweenPortland andPendleton since. The city was originally named just "Dalles". In 1853 it was changed to "Wascopum," then, in 1860, to "The Dalles".[4]
In 1864, theU.S. Congress appropriated money to build aU.S. mint inThe Dalles that was to use gold fromCanyon City forcoinage. The supply of gold from Canyon City began to dwindle, however, and other problems, such as cost overruns, workers leaving to work the gold fields, and flooding from the Columbia River, also contributed to the project running two years behind schedule and led eventually to its demise. In 1870, theState of Oregon received the property from the U.S. Government and the building was put to other uses.[10] The mint is now home to Freebridge Brewing.[11][12]
Construction ofThe Dalles Dam in 1957 submerged the Long Narrows andCelilo Falls.
In 1963,Ken Kesey's novelOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was published featuring the narrator, Chief, who is from The Dalles.[13]
In 1970, theBonneville Power Administration opened theCelilo Converter Station near the northern terminus of thePacific DC Intertie which sends 3,100megawatts of electricity to Los Angeles.
In 1982, a curly-coated kitten was born on a farm in The Dalles owned by Linda and Dick Koehl. The Koehls used this kitten and her offspring to develop a new breed of cat called theLaPerm, which went on to become a popular, established, championship pedigree cat breed around the world.[14]
In 1984, The Dalles was the site of thefirst and single largest bioterrorism attack in United States history.
In 1986,Penalty Phase, a film starringPeter Strauss andMelissa Gilbert, was filmed in and around The Dalles.[15]
In 2018,Terry A. Davis, creator of theTempleOS operating system, walked from Portland, Oregon to The Dalles in three days via the Columbia River Gorge. There, he was struck by a train and died at the age of 48.[16]
HighwaysI-84,US 30, andUS 197 meet in the city.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 20.61 square miles (53.38 km2), of which 20.35 square miles (52.71 km2) is land and 0.26 square miles (0.67 km2) is water.[17]
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The Dalles is usually classified as a semiarid (KöppenBSk) climate region. However, it has some characteristics of the midlatitude oceanic climate that dominates west of the Cascade Mountains, combined with seasonal precipitation patterns very similar to those found in Mediterranean climates. The city's location in the eastern Columbia Gorge results in the presence of numerous microclimates within a few miles of town. To the immediate west, the winters are significantly wetter, and summers are significantly cooler. In contrast, upland locations to the south are significantly cooler in all seasons. The generally warm and dry summers near town make it the ideal climate for the numerousBing cherry orchards in the area.
The summer season runs from mid-June through early September and is quite warm by Pacific Northwest standards; however, summer weather often oscillates between intense heat waves and much cooler and windier periods. Except for the occasional sporadic thunderstorm, there is almost no summer rainfall.
From late September through early November, the area experiences an abrupt autumn during which normal temperatures drop very rapidly and cloudy, wet weather quickly picks up. Prior to the sudden onset of the rainy season in mid- to late fall, there are often days with a very wide disparity between daytime and nighttime temperatures, sometimes exceeding 36 °F or 20 °C. There is far less wind in the fall than in spring and early summer, though passing frontal systems can still bring quick bouts of strong wind.
Winter is the wet season in The Dalles. Despite therain shadow effect created by the Cascades, there is still enough precipitation most years to support relatively high soil moisture levels for most of the winter. This is a very similar pattern to what happens in classic Mediterranean climates – except that the temperatures are significantly colder. The area receives measurable snowfall virtually every year, but the snow totals fluctuate dramatically from one year to the next; some seasons see only one or two brief light snow events while others get major snowstorms and cumulative totals of 20 inches (0.51 m) or more. The most snowfall in a season has been 85.5 inches (2.17 m) between July 1949 and June 1950. Average winter temperatures are only about 3 to 5 °F (1.7 to 2.8 °C) colder than in cities such as Portland and Seattle, and temperatures below 0 °F or −17.8 °C are very rare, but not unheard of – historically occurring on three mornings out of every five winters, but only once since February 1996.
As in the summer, winter temperatures can vary tremendously from one day to the next. During arctic air events the daytime high temperatures will generally be well below 32 °F or 0 °C, while a strong subtropical push can raise temperatures into the 50s and low 60s F, even in January. It is quite common for relatively cold air to become trapped at low elevations due to an inversion above; depending on the temperature of the surface airmass, depth of the inversion layer, and temperatures above the inversion layer, this can result in snow, sleet, freezing rain or a very cold liquid rain.
Springtime conditions generally run from late February through early June, during which time the overall trend gradually becomes warmer and drier and the landscape briefly turns lush and green. This is the windiest season of all, with a powerful west wind on most afternoons. During stormy periods in spring, conditions are usually cloudy and cool, while most sunny and calm days become intensely warm, especially from April onward. Springtime temperatures often vary more from one week to the next than they do from one month to the next.
The growing season is roughly 200 days long in a typical year, generally running from early April through most of October. However, the spring frost dates can range from mid-March to early May, and the fall frost dates can range from late September to mid-November.
A weather station is located at nearbyColumbia Gorge Regional Airport, also known asThe Dalles Municipal Airport.
| Climate data forColumbia Gorge Regional Airport, Washington (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1948–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 68 (20) | 70 (21) | 80 (27) | 95 (35) | 107 (42) | 118 (48) | 112 (44) | 110 (43) | 105 (41) | 90 (32) | 74 (23) | 70 (21) | 118 (48) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 57.8 (14.3) | 60.8 (16.0) | 71.2 (21.8) | 81.6 (27.6) | 91.8 (33.2) | 98.1 (36.7) | 104.0 (40.0) | 103.3 (39.6) | 95.9 (35.5) | 80.0 (26.7) | 66.2 (19.0) | 56.5 (13.6) | 105.5 (40.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 42.1 (5.6) | 48.4 (9.1) | 56.7 (13.7) | 64.2 (17.9) | 73.5 (23.1) | 79.1 (26.2) | 88.4 (31.3) | 87.9 (31.1) | 80.4 (26.9) | 65.5 (18.6) | 50.2 (10.1) | 41.4 (5.2) | 64.8 (18.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 36.5 (2.5) | 40.2 (4.6) | 46.4 (8.0) | 53.0 (11.7) | 61.3 (16.3) | 67.1 (19.5) | 74.7 (23.7) | 74.1 (23.4) | 66.3 (19.1) | 54.0 (12.2) | 42.7 (5.9) | 36.2 (2.3) | 54.4 (12.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 30.9 (−0.6) | 32.1 (0.1) | 36.2 (2.3) | 41.7 (5.4) | 49.0 (9.4) | 55.1 (12.8) | 61.0 (16.1) | 60.3 (15.7) | 52.2 (11.2) | 42.6 (5.9) | 35.1 (1.7) | 31.0 (−0.6) | 43.9 (6.6) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 17.1 (−8.3) | 18.9 (−7.3) | 24.7 (−4.1) | 30.1 (−1.1) | 36.3 (2.4) | 44.9 (7.2) | 50.7 (10.4) | 49.7 (9.8) | 40.4 (4.7) | 28.2 (−2.1) | 21.6 (−5.8) | 18.8 (−7.3) | 11.0 (−11.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −8 (−22) | −4 (−20) | 6 (−14) | 23 (−5) | 28 (−2) | 37 (3) | 40 (4) | 42 (6) | 29 (−2) | 15 (−9) | −1 (−18) | −5 (−21) | −8 (−22) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 2.38 (60) | 1.58 (40) | 1.18 (30) | 0.83 (21) | 0.76 (19) | 0.48 (12) | 0.16 (4.1) | 0.16 (4.1) | 0.33 (8.4) | 1.14 (29) | 1.97 (50) | 2.68 (68) | 13.65 (347) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 1.9 (4.8) | 0.8 (2.0) | 0.5 (1.3) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | trace | 0.5 (1.3) | 1.3 (3.3) | 4.8 (12) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 14.1 | 11.3 | 10.8 | 7.9 | 6.4 | 3.8 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 8.3 | 13.1 | 13.9 | 95.5 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 3.7 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 5.0 | 15.8 |
| Source:NOAA (snow 1981–2010)[18][19][20] | |||||||||||||
In 2006,Google began building a major data center, known locally asProject 02, along the Columbia River in The Dalles, using the area's reliable hydroelectric power and underutilized fiber optic capacity. The new complex includes two buildings, each approximately the size of afootball field, and two cooling plants, each four stories high. The project promised hundreds of jobs in the area, mainly in construction, with an additional 200 permanent positions expected later in 2006 although as of 2013 Google employed only 150 combined company employees and contractors in The Dalles.[21][22][23]
In 2021, Wasco County published a list of top employers in the region. Mid-Columbia Medical Center was the number one employer listed with over 500 employees; a local school district, Oregon Cherry Growers and Fred Meyer all reported more than 250 employers. Google employed between 100 and 250 people, according to the list.
In 2012, the top 15 employers in The Dalles according to the Mid-Columbia Economic Development District report on "Largest Employers in Wasco County" were:
| # | Employer | # of employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adventist Health Columbia Gorge | 915 |
| 2 | North Wasco County School District | 360 |
| 3 | Oregon Cherry Growers | 275 |
| 4 | State of Oregon | 243 |
| 5 | Fred Meyer | 230 |
| 6 | Oregon Veteran's Home | 208 |
| 7 | Columbia Gorge Community College | 200 |
| 8 | Wasco County | 181 |
| 9 | 150 | |
| 10 | Safeway | 142 |
| 11 | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | 125 |
| 12 | City of The Dalles | 100 |
| 13 | Home Depot | 100 |
| 14 | Cousin's Country Inn | 100 |
| 15 | Orchard View Farms | 90 |
The Dalles is home to Oregon School District 21. Originally 2 school districts; District 9 in theChenoweth area and District 12 which included much of The Dalles.
District 21 includes 3 elementary schools: Colonel Wright Elementary, Chenoweth Elementary and Dry Hollow Elementary. District 21 is also home to Innovations Academy, The Dalles Middle School andThe Dalles High School.[24]
St Mary's Academy is a k-8 school affiliated with theCatholic Church in The Dalles.[25]
Columbia Lutheran School is a Christian elementary school of theEvangelical Lutheran Synod in The Dalles.[26]
The Dalles is also home to the main campus ofColumbia Gorge Community College which began in 1977 as Wasco Area Education Service District. It is a leading institution in renewable energy technology education and training.[27]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 802 | — | |
| 1870 | 942 | 17.5% | |
| 1880 | 2,232 | 136.9% | |
| 1890 | 3,239 | 45.1% | |
| 1900 | 3,542 | 9.4% | |
| 1910 | 4,880 | 37.8% | |
| 1920 | 5,807 | 19.0% | |
| 1930 | 5,833 | 0.4% | |
| 1940 | 6,266 | 7.4% | |
| 1950 | 7,676 | 22.5% | |
| 1960 | 10,493 | 36.7% | |
| 1970 | 10,423 | −0.7% | |
| 1980 | 10,820 | 3.8% | |
| 1990 | 11,060 | 2.2% | |
| 2000 | 12,156 | 9.9% | |
| 2010 | 13,620 | 12.0% | |
| 2020 | 16,010 | 17.5% | |
| source:[28] U.S. Decennial Census[29] [3] | |||
As of thecensus[30] of 2010, there were 13,620 people, 5,472 households, and 3,441 families residing in the city. Thepopulation density was 2,144.9 inhabitants per square mile (828.2/km2). There were 5,903 housing units at an average density of 929.6 per square mile (358.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 87.9%White, 0.5%African American, 1.5%Native American, 1.0%Asian, 0.8%Pacific Islander, 5.7% fromother races, and 2.7% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino people of any race were 17.0% of the population.
There were 5,472 households, of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% weremarried couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.1% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.99.
The median age in the city was 39.7 years. 23.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.1% were from 25 to 44; 25.8% were from 45 to 64; and 17.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.
As of the census[31] of 2000, there were 12,156 people, 4,896 households, and 3,226 families residing in the city. The population density was 892.3/km2. There were 5,227 housing units at an average density of 383.7/km2. The racial makeup of the city was 87.8%White, 0.4%African American, 1.2%Native American, 1.0%Asian, 0.8%Pacific Islander, 6.2% fromother races, and 2.6% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino people of any race were 10.5% of the population.
There were 4,896 households, out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40, and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.8% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,430, and the median income for a family was $43,041. Males had a median income of $36,387 versus $22,583 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,511. About 9.0% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.6% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.
The Northwest Cherry Festival is held in The Dalles in April.[32]
In 1984, The Dalles was the scene of abioterrorist incident launched by members of theRajneesh Movement in an attempt to gain control of the local government of Wasco County, which failed on Election Day.Salmonella placed in ten restaurants resulted in 751 cases ofSalmonellosis. It was the first knownbioterrorism attack of the 20th century in the United States.[37] The circumstances of the attack are documented in an American Medical Association article (JAMA Vol 278, No 5, page 389, 6 Aug 1997).
The Dalles has onesister city:
Miyoshi City, Japan (formerlyIkeda)[40]In the midst of these hunting grounds, near The Dalles, Oregon and under the watchful eye of Tsagaglalal, the LaPerm came into existence in the spring of 1982.
Municipalities and communities ofWasco County, Oregon,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
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| Other communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| Indian reservation | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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