Phoenix, Oregon

Phoenix is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. The population was 4,538 at the 2010 census. Phoenix is a part of the Medford Metropolitan Statistical Area, in the Rogue Valley, and is 3 miles (5 km) southeast of Medford on Interstate 5.

Phoenix, Oregon
City
Phoenix City Hall (2013)
Motto(s): 
The Other Phoenix
Location within County and State
Coordinates: 42°16′28″N 122°49′7″W
CountryUnited States
StateOregon
CountyJackson
Incorporated1910
Government
 • MayorTerry Baker[1]
Area
 • Total1.43 sq mi (3.69 km2)
 • Land1.43 sq mi (3.69 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
1,543 ft (470.3 m)
Population
 • Total4,538
 • Estimate 
(2019)[4]
4,653
 • Density3,262.97/sq mi (1,259.61/km2)
Time zoneUTC-8 (Pacific)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (Pacific)
ZIP code
97535
Area code(s)541 and 458
FIPS code41-57500[3]
GNIS feature ID1161474[5]
Websitephoenixoregon.gov

History

The area was settled in about 1850 by brothers Hiram and Samuel Colver. Samuel Colver laid out the town in 1854. Early residents included Milton Lindley, who operated a sawmill that provided timbers in 1855 for a blockhouse as well as a flouring mill owned by Sylvester M. Wait. For a time, the settlement was known locally as Gasburg after a talkative employee in the kitchen serving the mill hands. Wait, who was an agent for the Phoenix Insurance Company of Hartford, Connecticut, assigned the official name, Phoenix, to the community and, in 1857, to its post office. Waitsburg, Washington, was later named after Wait.[6]

2020 fire

On September 8, 2020, much of Phoenix, along with neighboring Talent and parts of Medford and Ashland, were destroyed by the Almeda Drive Fire.[7][8][9][10] On September 11, 2020, authorities said they were preparing for a mass fatality incident.[11] On September 11, it was reported that 600 homes and 100 commercial buildings have been destroyed by the Almeda Drive Fire,[12] but on September 18, that number was updated to 2,800.[13] Officials stated that the Almeda Drive Fire was human-caused.[12] On September 11, a man was arrested for arson, for allegedly starting a fire that destroyed multiple homes in Phoenix and merged with the Almeda Drive Fire.[14] A separate criminal investigation into the origin point of the Almeda Drive Fire in Ashland is ongoing.[14]

Geography
The Bear Creek Greenway in Phoenix
Construction work on Interstate 5 next to The Home Depot in Phoenix

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.44 square miles (3.73 km2), all of it land.[15]

The city is south of Medford and north of Talent and Ashland along Interstate 5 and Oregon Route 99. This is toward the southern end of the Rogue River Valley, near the Siskiyou Mountains and the border with California.[16]

Coleman Creek, a tributary of Bear Creek, joins the larger stream at Phoenix.[16] The Bear Creek Greenway, a biking and hiking trail connecting Ashland, Talent, Medford, and Central Point along Bear Creek, also passes through Phoenix.[17]

Climate

This region experiences hot and dry summers, and cool and wet winters. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Phoenix has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated Csa on climate maps.[18]

Phoenix's record-high temperature is 113 °F (45.0 °C) on August 2, 2017, and the record-low temperature is −8 °F (−22.2 °C) on December 9, 1972.[19]

Climate data for Phoenix, Oregon
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 70
(21)		 77
(25)		 81
(27)		 93
(34)		 98
(37)		 107
(42)		 109
(43)		 113
(45)		 106
(41)		 95
(35)		 76
(24)		 68
(20)		 113
(45)
Average high °F (°C) 50
(10)		 56
(13)		 62
(17)		 67
(19)		 76
(24)		 83
(28)		 93
(34)		 92
(33)		 87
(31)		 73
(23)		 56
(13)		 48
(9)		 70
(21)
Average low °F (°C) 31
(−1)		 33
(1)		 35
(2)		 39
(4)		 45
(7)		 50
(10)		 57
(14)		 56
(13)		 49
(9)		 40
(4)		 35
(2)		 31
(−1)		 42
(6)
Record low °F (°C) −1
(−18)		 −1
(−18)		 11
(−12)		 22
(−6)		 25
(−4)		 27
(−3)		 35
(2)		 37
(3)		 26
(−3)		 17
(−8)		 9
(−13)		 −8
(−22)		 −8
(−22)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 2.77
(70)		 2.32
(59)		 2.26
(57)		 1.61
(41)		 1.41
(36)		 0.77
(20)		 0.50
(13)		 0.57
(14)		 0.95
(24)		 1.51
(38)		 3.20
(81)		 3.27
(83)		 21.14
(536)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 2.6
(6.6)		 0.5
(1.3)		 0.3
(0.76)		 0.2
(0.51)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0.1
(0.25)		 1.9
(4.8)		 5.6
(14.22)
Source 1: Intellicast (records and precipitation totals):[19]
Source 2: WorldWeatherOnline (average temps):[20]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1880277—
1910250—
1920159−36.4%
1930439176.1%
1940432−1.6%
195074672.7%
19607693.1%
19701,28767.4%
19802,30979.4%
19903,23940.3%
20004,06125.4%
20104,53811.7%
2019 (est.)4,653[4]2.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[21]
Phoenix Shopping Center sign in Phoenix

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 4,538 people, 2,001 households, and 1,178 families living in the city. The population density was 3,151.4 inhabitants per square mile (1,216.8/km2). There were 2,149 housing units at an average density of 1,492.4 per square mile (576.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 84.0% White, 0.9% African American, 1.5% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 7.9% from other races, and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.8% of the population.[3]

There were 2,001 households, of which 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.7% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.1% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.87.[3]

The median age in the city was 44 years. 20.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.8% were from 25 to 44; 26.9% were from 45 to 64; and 22% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.9% male and 53.1% female.[3]

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 4,060 people, 1,746 households, and 1,117 families living in the city. The population density was 3,249.8 people per square mile (1,254.1/km2). There were 1,850 housing units at an average density of 1,480.8 per square mile (571.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 89.95% White, 0.86% African American, 1.08% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 4.51% from other races, and 2.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.89% of the population.[3]

There were 1,746 households, out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.84.[3]

In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.2% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 21.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.0 males.[3]

The median income for a household in the city was $31,701, and the median income for a family was $38,176. Males had a median income of $29,832 versus $23,719 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,828. About 8.6% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.3% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.[3]

Education
Snow in Phoenix

Phoenix is part of the Phoenix-Talent School District. The city is the site of two of the five schools in the district—Phoenix Elementary School and Phoenix High School, as well as Armadillo Technical Institute, a public charter school.[22]

Notable people

An independent film titled Phoenix, Oregon was produced in 2018 and revolves around two characters who live in the city. Despite this, the film was actually shot in Klamath Falls, Oregon.[25] During the COVID-19 pandemic, most US movie theaters were closed. The film was re-released in theaters in smaller cities that remained opened. Because of this, Phoenix, Oregon was the highest grossing film at the US box office for three weeks in March and April 2020. Its biggest weekend was April 10–12, 2020, when it earned more than $11,000 at the box office.[26]

References
  1. https://ktvl.com/news/local-politics/city-of-phoenix-elects-new-mayor-during-tumultuous-times
  2. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-12-21.
  4. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  5. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. McArthur, Lewis A.; Lewis L. McArthur (2003) [1928]. Oregon Geographic Names (7th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. p. 760. ISBN 0-87595-277-1.
  7. Erik Neumann, and Liam Moriarty, "The Almeda Drive Fire Causes Extensive Damage To Talent and Phoenix", Jefferson Public Radio (last accessed 10 September 2020)
  8. Crombie, Noelle (September 9, 2020). "Wildfire cuts swath of destruction in southern Oregon; Phoenix and Talent 'pretty well devastated'". OregonLive. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  9. Zavala, Joe. "Talent, Phoenix wakes up to decimation". Mail Tribune. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  10. Murphy, Paul P. (September 10, 2020). "Satellite images show Phoenix and Talent, Oregon, have been nearly wiped out by wildfire". CNN. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  11. "Oregon preparing for 'mass fatality incident' in wildfire recovery". September 11, 2020.
  12. Benda, David. "Southern Oregon wildfires update: 700-plus homes, businesses destroyed as officials' investigate fire's cause", Redding Record Searchlight. September 11, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  13. Aldous, Vickie (September 18, 2020). "Sheriff: More than 2,800 structures destroyed by Almeda fire". Mail Tribune. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  14. Deliso, Merideth. "Man charged with arson in connection with Almeda Fire in southern Oregon", ABC News. September 11, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  15. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2012-07-02. Retrieved 2012-12-21.
  16. Oregon Road & Recreation Atlas (5th ed.). Santa Barbara, California: Benchmark Maps. 2012. p. 96. ISBN 978-0-929591-62-9.
  17. "Map". Bear Creek Greenway Foundation. Retrieved October 12, 2015.
  18. "Phoenix, Oregon". Weatherbase. CantyMedia. Retrieved October 5, 2015.]
  19. "Historic Averages for Phoenix, Oregon". Retrieved 2015-05-05.
  20. "Phoenix, Oregon: World Weather Online". Retrieved 2015-08-21.
  21. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  22. Armadillo Technical Institute
  23. Hillier, Bianca (February 25, 2019). "Missing in America: Family searching for original Mickey Mouse Club Mouseketeer Dennis Day, missing from Oregon since July 2018". NBC News. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
  24. https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/body-found-at-oregon-house-identified-as-missing-disney-mouseketeer-dennis-day/ar-AACvfw8
  25. Bassinger, Sean (May 8, 2018). "It's titled 'Phoenix, Oregon,' but movie shot in K Falls". The Mail Tribune. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  26. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl4205937153/weekend/
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