Chiloquin, Oregon

Chiloquin
City
Chiloquin, Oregon
Williamson River
Flag
Location in Oregon
Coordinates: 42°34′30″N 121°51′51″W / 42.57500°N 121.86417°W / 42.57500; -121.86417
Country	United States
State	Oregon
County	Klamath
Incorporated	1926
Government
• Mayor	Julie Bettles[1]
Area [2]
• Total	0.82 sq mi (2.12 km2)
• Land	0.82 sq mi (2.12 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	4,180 ft (1,270 m)
Population  (2020)[3]
• Total	767
• Density	938.80/sq mi (362.27/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (Pacific)
ZIP codes	97604, 97624
Area code	541
FIPS code	41-13050
GNIS feature ID	1139648[4]

Chiloquin (/ˈtʃɪləkwɪn/ CHIL-ə-kwin) (Klamath: mbosaksawaas, "flint place" ^[5]) is a city in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. Chiloquin was the pioneer version of a Klamath family name Chaloquin, which was the name of a Klamath chief who was alive at the time of the treaty of 1864.^[6] Southern Pacific records also show that a woman named Bessie Chiloquin deeded a right-of-way through the area to the railroad on February 14, 1914.^[7] The population was 734 at the 2010 census.

Chiloquin is at an elevation of 4,180 feet (1,270 m)^[4] in Klamath County.^[8] The city is slightly east of U.S. Route 97 and slightly north of its intersection with Oregon Route 62.^[8] A short east–west highway, Oregon Route 422, links Route 97 at Chiloquin to Route 62 slightly south of Klamath Agency.^[9] By highway, Chiloquin is about 26 miles (42 km) north of Klamath Falls and 253 miles (407 km) south of Portland.^[10]

The Williamson River flows north–south through Chiloquin, where it receives the Sprague River from the east.^[8] The city is near the Winema National Forest, which approaches it from the east and west.^[9] Agency Lake is nearby, west of the city and slightly west of Route 62.^[9] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.82 square miles (2.12 km²), all of it land.^[11]

This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Chiloquin has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.^[12] In the spring and summer, this area experiences extremely large swarms of the "Klamath Midge", Chironomus an insect family of nonbiting midges, in the fly Order Diptera. They do not present a health risk but due to their numbers - with swarms of thousands - they can clog car radiators, obscure windshields, and foul electric bug zappers to the point of shorting out. No major efforts to control their numbers have been made in Oregon, according to Oregon Encyclopedia. Klamath midge (oregonencyclopedia.org)

As of the census of 2010, there were 734 people, 281 households, and 179 families living in the city. The population density was 895.1 inhabitants per square mile (345.6/km²). There were 356 housing units at an average density of 434.1 per square mile (167.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 49.2% Native American, 40.7% White, 0.1% African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 9.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.5% of the population.

There were 281 households, of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.3% were married couples living together, 19.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.3% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.26.

The median age in the city was 41.9 years. 27% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.6% were from 25 to 44; 30.9% were from 45 to 64; and 15% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.6% male and 51.4% female.

As of the census of 2000, there were 716 people, 257 households, and 173 families living in the city. The population density was 890.1 inhabitants per square mile (343.7/km²). There were 290 housing units at an average density of 360.5 per square mile (139.2/km²). According to responses provided by Chiloquin residents who participated in the census, the demographic makeup of the city was 51.54% Native American, 42.60% White, 5.31% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 0.14% Asian, and 1.26% from other races. About 4.5% were from two or more races.

There were 257 households, out of which 40.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples living together, 21.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.3% were non-families, 24.1% were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.34.

The age distribution was 34.9% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $20,688, and the median income for a family was $21,250. Males had a median income of $29,167 versus $18,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $9,604. About 33.5% of families and 31.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 42.3% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.

Chiloquin High School, for students in grades 7 through 12, is in the city,^[18] as is Chiloquin Elementary, for students in kindergarten through grade 6.^[19] As of 2002, the four largest employers in Chiloquin were Weyerhaeuser (plywood, pressed board), Jeld-Wen (windows, door frames), Klamath Tribes (management, health services), and Klamath County Schools.^[10]

The Train Mountain Miniature Railroad in Chiloquin is, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, the longest hobby railway system in the world.^[20] It includes a railway museum, 25 miles (40 km) of total track, and trains that a person can straddle and ride.

Collier Memorial State Park is about 3 miles (5 km) north of Chiloquin along Route 97.^[9] Kla-Mo-Ya Casino and Travel Center, owned and operated by the Klamath Tribes, is about 2 miles (3 km) south of Chiloquin along Route 97.^[21]

• Chiloquin State Airport

Media related to Chiloquin, Oregon at Wikimedia Commons

• Entry for Chiloquin in the Oregon Blue Book
• Chiloquin community website