Potlatch, Idaho
Potlatch, Idaho | ||
---|---|---|
FIPS code 16-64900 | | |
GNIS feature ID | 0397063 | |
Website | www |
Potlatch is a city in the
History
Company town
In 1903,
Because of the remote placement of the mill, Potlatch was built as a company town to provide housing and commerce for the mill. A total of 143 houses were built in 1906, with 58 more built the following year; other building constructed during that period include boarding houses, an ice house, a Catholic church, hotel, school, and general store.[6]
The company developed and ran Potlatch on a model mostly patterned after that used by
On the west side of town, the mill began operating on September 11, 1906, and continued for over seven decades. Due to a depressed economy and declining lumber prices, the mill closed in August 1981.[7][8][9]
Following the mill's closure
In 1981, the mill was shut down, shortly after the town was sold to the residents.[4] Five years later, part of the commercial district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[6]
After the mill's closure, Potlatch became a
Business and political leaders of Potlatch are making a concerted effort to attract companies involved in the firearms industry; they have set aside 26 acres (11 ha) for such businesses, located on the former site of the mill.[11] Approximately a mile (1.6 km) west of the mill, State Highway 6 connects with U.S. Route 95, Idaho's primary north-south highway.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.43 square miles (1.11 km2), all of it land.[12] Potlatch is north of the confluence of Rock Creek and the Palouse River,[6] on the edge of the Palouse ecoregion.
Climate
Potlatch has a dry-summer humid continental climate (Dsb) according to the Köppen climate classification system.
Climate data for Potlatch, Idaho (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1915–present) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 62 (17) |
65 (18) |
75 (24) |
90 (32) |
95 (35) |
107 (42) |
104 (40) |
110 (43) |
104 (40) |
90 (32) |
71 (22) |
65 (18) |
110 (43) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 37.3 (2.9) |
41.0 (5.0) |
48.0 (8.9) |
55.9 (13.3) |
65.2 (18.4) |
70.6 (21.4) |
82.0 (27.8) |
83.7 (28.7) |
74.1 (23.4) |
59.0 (15.0) |
44.3 (6.8) |
36.2 (2.3) |
58.1 (14.5) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 31.4 (−0.3) |
33.6 (0.9) |
38.9 (3.8) |
44.9 (7.2) |
52.5 (11.4) |
57.8 (14.3) |
65.4 (18.6) |
65.8 (18.8) |
57.9 (14.4) |
46.8 (8.2) |
37.1 (2.8) |
30.6 (−0.8) |
46.9 (8.3) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 25.5 (−3.6) |
26.1 (−3.3) |
29.8 (−1.2) |
33.8 (1.0) |
39.9 (4.4) |
45.0 (7.2) |
48.9 (9.4) |
47.8 (8.8) |
41.6 (5.3) |
34.6 (1.4) |
29.9 (−1.2) |
25.0 (−3.9) |
35.7 (2.1) |
Record low °F (°C) | −30 (−34) |
−27 (−33) |
−13 (−25) |
15 (−9) |
18 (−8) |
25 (−4) |
27 (−3) |
25 (−4) |
14 (−10) |
9 (−13) |
−16 (−27) |
−29 (−34) |
−30 (−34) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.76 (70) |
2.08 (53) |
2.80 (71) |
2.33 (59) |
2.48 (63) |
1.60 (41) |
0.84 (21) |
0.75 (19) |
0.95 (24) |
2.16 (55) |
2.85 (72) |
2.90 (74) |
24.50 (622) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 13.1 (33) |
7.6 (19) |
3.1 (7.9) |
1.3 (3.3) |
0.2 (0.51) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.2 (0.51) |
5.2 (13) |
10.6 (27) |
41.3 (105) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 10.4 | 9.1 | 10.4 | 9.4 | 8.4 | 7.0 | 3.5 | 2.7 | 4.1 | 8.0 | 10.5 | 9.5 | 93.0 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 4.9 | 3.2 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.9 | 4.0 | 16.5 |
Source: NOAA[13][14] |
Demographics
In August 1906 the town had a population of about 1,000; and a year later, it reached around 1,500.[6]
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1910 | 750 | — | |
1920 | 1,505 | 100.7% | |
1930 | 1,500 | −0.3% | |
1940 | 1,409 | −6.1% | |
1950 | 1,105 | −21.6% | |
1960 | 880 | −20.4% | |
1970 | 871 | −1.0% | |
1980 | 819 | −6.0% | |
1990 | 790 | −3.5% | |
2000 | 791 | 0.1% | |
2010 | 804 | 1.6% | |
2019 (est.) | 814 | [3] | 1.2% |
U.S. Decennial Census[15] |
2010 census
As of the
There were 339 households, of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.7% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.92.
The median age in the city was 32.9 years. 28.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.7% were from 25 to 44; 21% were from 45 to 64; and 14.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.6% male and 50.4% female.
2000 census
As of the
There were 332 households, out of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.0% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,021, and the median income for a family was $35,385. Males had a median income of $30,833 versus $21,964 for females. The
Notable people
- NHLplayer
- Pat Shea - former NHL player
- Malcolm Renfrew - chemist
- Roderick Asher - geologist
- Jane Goude - actress, born at Potlatch
Further reading
- Petersen, Keith C. Company Town Potlatch, Idaho, and the Potlatch Lumber Company. Moscow: Latah County Historical Society.
See also
References
- ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
- ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
- ^ a b "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
- ^ a b Schwantes, Carlos (1996). The Pacific Northwest: An Interpretive history. University of Nebraska Press.
- ^ "About - The Family Tree Collection, a Potlatch Forests, Inc. Newsletter - Digital Initiatives - University of Idaho Library". www.lib.uidaho.edu. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Historic Resources of Potlatch, a National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form dated August 6, 1986. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
- ^ Carscallen, Zac; Idaho, University of. "Potlatch Lumber Mill and the Company Town". Intermountain Histories. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
- ^ Johnson, David (August 13, 1981). "Hard times ahead". Lewiston Morning Tribune. p. 1A.
- ^ Johnson, David (August 15, 1981). "The mill's last day". Lewiston Morning Tribune. p. 1A.
- ^ Geranios, Nicholas K. (May 24, 2012). "Idaho town seeks to lure gun and ammo makers". The Seattle Times. Associated Press. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
- ^ Field reports: Ammunition company moves to Potlatch from The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 2, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
- ^ "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
- ^ "Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.