Starbuck is a town in Columbia County,

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...

, United States. The population was 129 at the 2010 census.

History

Named for railroad official W. H. Starbuck, the town was originally a junction on the main line of the

Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company The Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company (OR&N) was a railroad that operated a rail network of running east from Portland, Oregon, United States, to northeastern Oregon, northeastern Washington, and northern Idaho. It operated from 1896 as a ...

. The town was platted in 1894, and built its first bank ten years later. In 1886, the railroad completed a line eastward from Starbuck to Pomeroy and Pataha City in Garfield County (This line remained in operation until 1981). The town was officially incorporated on September 18, 1905. In 1910, a large brick school was built. In 1914 a bridge over the

Snake River The Snake River is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest region in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, in turn, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. The Snake ...

was completed downstream from Lyon's Ferry, which greatly diminished the railroad traffic through the town. The economy of the town turned to agriculture, but in 1929 the bank failed. The town's population dwindled steadily until the mid twentieth century. The High School shut down in 1956, and students had to bus to

Dayton Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Da ...

. In 1961, the railroad station was shut down as well. In 1968, the

Snake River Bridge The Snake River Bridge (also known as the Lyons Ferry Bridge), is located on State Route 261 at the confluence of the Snake and Palouse Rivers, near Starbuck, Washington, USA. The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 198 ...

(originally built over the Columbia at Vantage in 1927, then disassembled in 1963) was re-assembled in the area, providing additional access over the Snake River. In 1970, the

Little Goose Dam Little Goose Lock and Dam is a hydroelectric, concrete, run-of-the-river dam in the northwest United States, on the lower Snake River in southeast Washington. At the dam, the river is the border between Columbia and Whitman counties; it is ...

was completed about nine miles northeast of Starbuck. Today Starbuck is a quiet, agricultural town with a population of about 130.

Geography

Starbuck is located at (46.518676, -118.126764). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the town has a total area of , all of it land.

Climate

According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

system, Starbuck has a

semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...

, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.Climate Summary for Starbuck, Washington
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Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2010, there were 129 people, 73 households, and 38 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was . There were 91 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 90.7% non-Hispanic

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 0.8% Native American, 4.7% non-Hispanics reporting some other race, and 1.6% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 2.3% of the population. There were 73 households, of which 13.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.9% were non-families. 42.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.77 and the average family size was 2.32. The median age in the town was 58.1 years. 10.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 0.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 16.4% were from 25 to 44; 38% were from 45 to 64; and 34.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 50.4% male and 49.6% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 130 people, 65 households, and 39 families residing in the town. The

was 639.6 people per square mile (251.0/km²). There were 86 housing units at an average density of 423.1 per square mile (166.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.46%

, 0.77% Native American, and 0.77% from two or more races.

of any race were 2.31% of the population. There were 65 households, out of which 13.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were

living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.00 and the average family size was 2.45. In the town, the population was spread out, with 14.6% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 28.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.4 males. The median income for a household in the town was $18,125, and the median income for a family was $21,875. Males had a median income of $34,063 versus $13,750 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $14,770. There were 15.2% of families and 24.3% of the population living below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 100.0% of under eighteens and 23.7% of those over 64.

References

{{Authority control Towns in Columbia County, Washington Towns in Washington (state) 1905 establishments in Washington (state)