Klamath Falls ( ) is a city in, and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

of,

Klamath County, Oregon Klamath County ( ) is one of the List of counties in Oregon, 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 69,413. The county seat is Klamath Falls, Oregon, Klamath Falls. The Oreg ...

, United States. The city was originally called ''Linkville'' when George Nurse founded the town in 1867. It was named after the

Link River The Link River is a short river connecting Upper Klamath Lake to Lake Ewauna in the city of Klamath Falls in the U.S. state of Oregon.McArthur, p. 580 Draining a basin of , the river begins at the southern end of Klamath Lake and flows a short ...

, on whose falls the city was sited. The name was changed to Klamath Falls in 1893. The population was 21,813 at the 2020 census. The city is on the southeastern shore of the

Upper Klamath Lake Upper Klamath Lake (sometimes called Klamath Lake) ( Klamath: ?ews, "lake") is a large, shallow freshwater lake east of the Cascade Range in south-central Oregon in the United States. The largest body of fresh water by surface area in Oregon, it ...

, and is home to the

Oregon Institute of Technology The Oregon Institute of Technology (Oregon Tech) is a public college in Oregon with a residential campus in Klamath Falls, Oregon, an urban campus in Wilsonville, Oregon, and additional locations in Salem, Oregon, Salem and Seattle. Almost all s ...

. Logging was Klamath Falls's first major industry.

History

Etymology

At its founding in 1867, Klamath Falls was named Linkville. The name was changed to Klamath Falls in 1892–93. The name ''Klamath'' () may be a variation of the descriptive native for "people" (in

Chinookan The Chinookan languages are a small family of extinct languages spoken in Oregon and Washington along the Columbia River by Chinook peoples. Although the last known native speaker of any Chinookan language died in 2012, the 2009-2013 American C ...

) used by the

Indigenous peoples of the Northwest Plateau Indigenous peoples of the Northwest Plateau, also referred to by the phrase Indigenous peoples of the Plateau, and historically called the Plateau Indians (though comprising many groups) are Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous people ...

to refer to the region.

History

The Klamath and

Modoc Modoc may refer to: Ethnic groups *Modoc people, a Native American/First Nations people ** Modoc language ** Modoc Nation, a federally recognized tribe of Modoc * Modoc War, the last armed resistance of the Modoc people in 1873 *The "Modocs", ri ...

peoples were the first known inhabitants of the area. The Modocs' homeland is about south of Klamath Falls, but when they were forced onto a reservation with their adversaries, the Klamath, a rebellion ensued and they hid out in nearby lava beds. This led to the

Modoc War The Modoc War, or the Modoc Campaign (also known as the Lava Beds War), was an armed conflict between the Native Americans in the United States, Native American Modoc people and the United States Army in northeastern California and southeastern ...

of 1872–1873, which was a hugely expensive campaign for the US Cavalry, costing an estimated $500,000, the equivalent of over $8 million in 2000. 17 Indigenous people and 83 Americans were killed. The

Applegate Trail The Applegate Trail was an emigrant trail through the present-day U.S. states of Idaho, Nevada, California, and Oregon used in the mid-19th century by emigrants on the American frontier. It was originally intended as a less dangerous alternati ...

, which passes through the lower Klamath area, was blazed in 1846 from west to east in an attempt to provide a safer route for emigrants on the Oregon Trail. The first non-Indigenous settler is considered to have been Wallace Baldwin, a 19-year-old civilian who drove fifty head of horses in the valley in 1852. In 1867, George Nurse, named the small settlement "Linkville", because of

north of

Lake Ewauna Lake Ewauna is a reservoir in Klamath Falls, Oregon. It is the headwaters of the Klamath River, fed by the Link River from Upper Klamath Lake. Its constant level throughout the year is controlled by the release of water from Keno Dam, south of t ...

. The

Klamath Reclamation Project Klamath may refer to: Ethnic groups *Klamath people, a Native American people of California and Oregon **Klamath Tribes, a federally recognized group of tribes in Oregon *Klamath language, spoken by the Klamath people Places in the United States * ...

began in 1906 to drain marshland and move water to allow for agriculture. With the building of the main "A" Canal, water was first made available on May 22, 1907. Veterans of World War I and World War II were given homesteading opportunities on the reclaimed land. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, a Japanese-American

internment camp Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without Criminal charge, charges or Indictment, intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects ...

, the

Tule Lake War Relocation Center The Tule Lake War Relocation Center, also known as the Tule Lake Segregation Center, was an Internment of Japanese Americans, American concentration camp located in Modoc County, California, Modoc and Siskiyou County, California, Siskiyou count ...

, was located in nearby

Newell, California Newell is a census-designated place in Modoc County, California in the United States. It is located west-northwest of Alturas, at an elevation of . Its population is 301 as of the 2020 census, down from 449 from the 2010 census. The community i ...

, and a satellite of the Camp White, Oregon,

POW POW is "prisoner of war", a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. POW or pow may also refer to: Music * P.O.W (Bullet for My Valentine song), "P.O.W" (Bull ...

camp was located just on the Oregon–California border near the town of

Tulelake, California Tulelake ( ) is a city in northeastern Siskiyou County, California, United States. The town is named after nearby Tule Lake. Its population is 902 as of the 2020 census, down from 1,010 from the 2010 census. Tulelake peace officers are authori ...

. In May 1945, about east of Klamath Falls, (near

Bly, Oregon Bly is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. By highway, it is about east of Klamath Falls. , the population was 207. Geography Bly is in southeastern Klamath County, slightly west ...

) a Japanese

Fu-Go balloon bomb was an deployed by Japan against the United States during World War II. It consisted of a hydrogen-filled paper balloon in diameter, with a payload of four Incendiary device, incendiary devices and one high-explosive Anti-personnel weapon, ...

killed a woman and five children on a church outing. This is said to be the only Japanese-inflicted casualty on the US mainland during the war. Timber harvesting through the use of railroad was extensive in Klamath County for the first few decades of the 20th century. With the arrival of the

Southern Pacific Transportation Company The Southern Pacific (or Espee from the railroad initials) was an American Class I railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated largely in the Western United States. The system was operated by various companies under the names ...

in 1909, Klamath Falls grew quickly from a few hundred to several thousand. Dozens of lumber mills cut fir and pine lumber, and the industry flourished until the late 1980s when the

northern spotted owl The northern spotted owl (''Strix occidentalis caurina'') is one of three spotted owl subspecies. A western North American bird in the family Strigidae, genus ''Strix (genus), Strix'', it is a medium-sized dark brown owl native to the Pacific N ...

and other endangered species were driving forces in changing western forest policy. On September 20, 1993, a series of earthquakes struck near Klamath Falls. Many downtown buildings, including the county courthouse and the former Sacred Heart Academy and Convent, were damaged or destroyed, and two people were killed.

Water rights controversy

The city made national headlines in 2001 when a court decision was made to shut off Klamath Project irrigation water on April 6 because of

Endangered Species Act The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA; 16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq.) is the primary law in the United States for protecting and conserving imperiled species. Designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of e ...

requirements. The Lost River sucker and shortnose sucker were listed on the Federal

Endangered Species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...

List in 1988, and when drought struck in 2001, a panel of scientists stated that further diversion of water for agriculture would be detrimental to these species, which reside in the

, as well as to the protected

Coho salmon The coho salmon (''Oncorhynchus kisutch;'' Karuk: achvuun) is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family (biology), family and one of the five Pacific salmon species. Coho salmon are also known as silver salmon (or "silvers") and is often ...

which spawn in the

Klamath River The Klamath River (Karuk language, Karuk: ''Ishkêesh'', Klamath language, Klamath: ''Koke'', Yurok language, Yurok: ''Hehlkeek 'We-Roy'') is a long river in southern Oregon and northern California. Beginning near Klamath Falls, Oregon, Klama ...

. Many protests by farmers and citizens culminated in a "

Bucket Brigade A bucket brigade or human chain is a method for transporting items where items are passed from one (relatively stationary) person to the next. The method was important in firefighting before the advent of hand-pumped fire engines, whereby fire ...

" on Main Street May 7, 2001, in Klamath Falls. The event was attended by 18,000 farmers, ranchers, citizens, and politicians. Two giant bucket monuments have since been constructed and erected in town to commemorate the event. Such universal criticism resulted in a new plan implemented in early 2002 to resume irrigation to farmers. Low river flows in the Klamath and

Trinity The Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the Christian doctrine concerning the nature of God, which defines one God existing in three, , consubstantial divine persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit, thr ...

rivers and high temperatures led to a mass die-off of at least 33,000 salmon in 2002. Dwindling salmon numbers have practically shut down the fishing industry in the region and caused over $60m in disaster aid being given to fishermen to offset losses. 90% of Trinity River water is diverted for California agriculture. As much as 90% of the Trinity's water, which would otherwise flow into the Klamath and out to sea, instead rushes south toward California's thirsty center. According to a

National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, NGO, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the ...

report of October 22, 2003, limiting irrigation water did little if anything to help endangered fish and may have hurt the populations. A contrary report has criticized the National Academy of Sciences report. The Chiloquin Dam has been removed to help improve sucker spawning habitat. In 2021 tensions between locals and the Federal Government led two local farmers to purchase land at the headgates in Klamath Falls, OR. These farmers have ties to the

Ammon Bundy Ammon Edward Bundy (born September 1, 1975) is an American anti-government militant and activist who led the 2016 occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. He is the son of rancher Cliven Bundy, who was the central figure in ...

People's Rights organization and are preparing for a potential standoff situation with the government.

Geothermal heating

Klamath Falls is located in a known geothermal resource area.

Geothermal power Geothermal power is electricity generation, electrical power generated from geothermal energy. Technologies in use include dry steam power stations, flash steam power stations and binary cycle power stations. Geothermal electricity generation i ...

has been used directly for

geothermal heating Geothermal heating is the direct use of geothermal energy for some heating applications. Humans have taken advantage of geothermal heat this way since the Paleolithic era. Approximately seventy countries made direct use of a total of 270 PJ o ...

in the area since the early 1900s. A downtown district heating system was constructed in 1981 and extended in 1982. There was public opposition to the scheme. Many homes were heated by private geothermal wells, and owners were concerned that the city system could lower the water level and/or reduce water temperatures. System operation was delayed until 1984 following an

aquifer An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing material, consisting of permeability (Earth sciences), permeable or fractured rock, or of unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand, or silt). Aquifers vary greatly in their characteristics. The s ...

study. Full operational testing showed no negative impact on the private wells. The system was shut down again in 1986 after multiple distribution piping failures were discovered. By 1991, the distribution piping had been reconstructed, and the system was again operating. The system has been expanded since then, and according to the

, the operation is "at or near operational break-even". The system is used to provide direct heat for homes, city schools, greenhouses, government and commercial buildings, geothermally heated

snowmelt system A snowmelt system prevents the build-up of snow and ice on cycleways, walkways, patios and roadways, or more economically, only a portion of the area such as a pair of -wide tire tracks on a driveway or a center portion of a sidewalk, etc. It ...

s for sidewalks and roads, and process heat for the wastewater treatment plant.

Air quality

According to the

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is the chief regulatory agency of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon responsible for protecting and enhancing the state's natural resources and managing sanitary and toxic waste disposa ...

in 2012, significant efforts are being made to improve the air quality in the Klamath Basin.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. The elevation is . Klamath Falls has a high desert landscape. The older part of the city is located above natural

geothermal springs A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a spring produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow bodies of magma (molten rock) or by cir ...

. These have been used for the heating of homes and streets, primarily in the downtown area.

Climate

Klamath Falls is known as "Oregon's City of Sunshine" because the area enjoys 300 days of sun per year. The Klamath Falls area is a high desert and features a climate with cold, snowy winters along with hot summer afternoons and cool summer nights. Under the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

the city's climate type is ''Csb'', often described as warm summer

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...

. Using the isotherm preferred by some climatologists, Klamath Falls is a ''Dsb'' climate, often described as warm summer humid continental. Typical of its region, Klamath Falls has a dry season in summertime, with the greatest precipitation occurring in wintertime, a substantial proportion falling as snow. Although it is not arid or semi-arid, total precipitation is still low, at per year, due to Klamath Falls being in the rain shadow of the

Cascade Mountains The Cascade Range or Cascades is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as many of those in the ...

to the west. The wettest "rain year" has been from July 1955 to June 1956 with and the driest from July 1954 to June 1955 with . Annual snowfall averages around , with the most on record being between July 1955 and June 1956; in contrast, only a trace of snow fell between July 1991 and June 1992. The maximum snow depth has been on January 3, 1901. The all-time record high is , set on July 27, 1911, and the all-time record low is , set on January 15, 1888. The freeze-free season averages around 120 days, with the first freeze in a typical year being on September 21, and the last freeze being on June 1. On average 18.2 days per year reach or higher, and 1.9 nights per year reach temperatures of or lower.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 20,840 people, 8,542 households and 4,876 families residing in the city. The immediate neighboring Census Designated Place of

Altamont, Oregon Altamont is a census-designated place (CDP) and unincorporated community in Klamath County, Oregon, United States, southeast of Klamath Falls. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 20,233. All mailing addresses in Altamont are Klamath Falls ...

had a population of 19,257. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was . There were 9,595 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 83.4%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 1.0%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 4.3% Native American, 1.6% Asian, 0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 4.5% from other races, and 5.0% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 11.8% of the population. There were 8,542 households, of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.5% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.9% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.98. The median age in the city was 33.6 years. 23.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 14.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.2% were from 25 to 44; 24.1% were from 45 to 64; and 12.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.3% male and 50.7% female. 4-12-24-canonsureshot-4

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 19,462 people, 7,916 households, and 4,670 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 8,722 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was: * 85.12%

* 1.02%

* 4.44% Native American * 1.32% Asian * 0.13%

* 4.15% from other races * 3.83% from two or more races 9.32% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 7,916 households, out of which: * 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them * 42.2% were

living together * 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present * 41.0% were non-families * 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals * 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.99. The age distribution was: * 25.5% under the age of 18 * 13.1% from 18 to 24 * 27.2% from 25 to 44 * 21.5% from 45 to 64 * 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $28,498, and the median income for a family was $37,021. Males had a median income of $31,567 versus $22,313 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $16,710. About 21.9% of the population and 16.2% of families were 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 ...

, including 26.8% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

Moore Park features a multi-use trail network. OC&E Woods Line State Trail is a

rail trail A rail trail or railway walk is a shared-use path on a Right of way#Rail right of way, railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed but may also share the rail corr ...

in the city and the longest state park in Oregon. Veterans Memorial Park is located downtown along

. Klamath Falls is located on the

Pacific Flyway The Pacific Flyway is a major north-south flyway for migratory birds in the Americas, extending from Alaska to Patagonia. Every year, migratory birds travel some or all of this distance both in spring and in fall, following food sources, heading ...

, and

waterfowl Anseriformes is an order of birds also known as waterfowl that comprises about 180 living species of birds in three families: Anhimidae (three species of screamers), Anseranatidae (the magpie goose), and Anatidae, the largest family, which i ...

, raptors, and

American white pelican The American white pelican (''Pelecanus erythrorhynchos'') is a large aquatic soaring bird from the order Pelecaniformes. It breeds in interior North America, moving south and to the coasts, as far as Costa Rica, in winter. Taxonomy The Americ ...

have been seen.

Government

Klamath Falls is a

home rule Home rule is the government of a colony, dependent country, or region by its own citizens. It is thus the power of a part (administrative division) of a state or an external dependent country to exercise such of the state's powers of governan ...

municipality under the

Oregon Constitution The Oregon Constitution is the governing document of the U.S. state of Oregon, originally enacted in 1857. As amended the current state constitution contains eighteen sections, beginning with a bill of rights.

, and has been governed by a council–manager form of government since its citizens voted to adopt the current charter in 1972. The

city council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough counc ...

, which is

nonpartisan Nonpartisan or non-partisan may refer to: __NOTOC__ General political concepts * Nonpartisanship, also known as Nonpartisanism, co-operation without reference to political parties * Non-partisan democracy, an election with no official recognition ...

, has five

member Member may refer to: * Military jury, referred to as "Members" in military jargon * Element (mathematics), an object that belongs to a mathematical set * In object-oriented programming, a member of a class ** Field (computer science), entries in ...

s, each elected from one of the five

ward Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...

s. They serve four-year terms, which are staggered so that either two or three seats are up for election every two years. The

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

, who is nonpartisan and serves a term of four years, presides over all city council meetings. This official appoints committees, can veto any ordinance not passed with the affirmative vote of at least four council members, and casts tie-breaking votes. The

city manager A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city in the council–manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are referred to as the chief executive officer (CEO) or chief administ ...

, however, is the administrative head of the city. This official is appointed by the council and serves an indefinite term at the council's pleasure. The municipal judge and the city attorney are appointed on the same basis. Todd Kellstrom was mayor from 1992 to 2016. Carol Westfall is the current mayor, having beaten Kellstrom in the 2016 election. Jonathan Teichert is the current city manager. For the purpose of representation in the

state legislature A state legislature is a Legislature, legislative branch or body of a State (country subdivision), political subdivision in a Federalism, federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of ...

, Klamath Falls is located in the 28th

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

district, represented by Republican

Dennis Linthicum Dennis Linthicum (born 1956) is an American politician who served in the Oregon Senate from 2017 until 2025. He is a member of the Republican Party. Early life and career Linthicum graduated with a bachelors in economics from University of Cali ...

, and in the 56th

House A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...

district, represented by Republican E. Werner Reschke. Federally, Klamath Falls is located in

Oregon's 2nd congressional district Oregon's 2nd congressional district is the largest of Oregon's Oregon's congressional districts, six districts, and is the List of United States congressional districts, seventh largest district in the nation. It is the second-largest congressi ...

, which has a

Cook Partisan Voting Index The Cook Partisan Voting Index, abbreviated PVI or CPVI, is a measurement of how partisan a U.S. congressional district or U.S. state is. This partisanship is indicated as lean towards either the Republican Party or the Democratic Party, com ...

of R+10 and is represented by Republican

Cliff Bentz Cliff Stewart Bentz (born January 12, 1952) is an American politician and lawyer serving as the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for Oregon's 2nd congressional district since 2021. He previously served in the Oregon Sen ...

Education

Colleges and universities

* College of Cosmetology * Klamath Community College *

Public schools

Klamath Falls and the surrounding area are served by

Klamath County School District The Klamath County School District is a public school district serving Klamath County, Oregon, Klamath County, Oregon, United States. Communities in the district include Bly, Oregon, Bly, Bonanza, Oregon, Bonanza, Chiloquin, Oregon, Chiloquin, Gi ...

and the

Klamath Falls City School District Klamath Falls City School District is a public school district serving Klamath Falls, Oregon, United States. Demographics In the 2009 school year, the district had 249 students classified as homeless by the Department of Education, or 6.3% of s ...

Media

Radio stations

FM stations

* 88.5 FM - KLMF JPR classics & news service * 88.9 FM - KJKF

Contemporary Christian Music Contemporary Christian music (CCM), also known as Christian pop, and occasionally inspirational music, is a genre of modern popular music, and an aspect of Christian media, which is lyrically focused on matters related to the Christianity, Chri ...

K-LOVE K-Love (stylized as K-LOVE) is an American Christian radio network. Owned by the Educational Media Foundation (EMF), a non-profit Christian ministry, it primarily broadcasts contemporary Christian music. As of June 2019, the network's progr ...

* 89.5 FM - KTEC College Freeform

* 89.9 FM - K210BY

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

* 90.5 FM - K213AI Jefferson Public Radio news & information service * 90.9 FM - KSKF Jefferson Public Radio rhythm & news service * 91.5 FM - K218EX Spanish Christian * 91.9 FM - K220BJ Jefferson Public Radio news & information service * 92.5 FM - KLAD-FM

Country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...

92.9 FM The following radio broadcasting, radio stations broadcast on FM broadcasting, FM frequency 92.9 MHz: Argentina * Activa in Rosario, Santa Fe * Carrodilla in Carrodilla, Mendoza * La Red in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña, Chaco * Pacífico in Salt ...

- K225CW

News/Talk Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues and consisting entirely or almost entirely of original spoken word content rather than outside music. They may feature monologues, dialogues between the hosts, interviews ...

* 93.3 FM - K227CU

Rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

* 94.9 FM - KAGO-FM

96.5 FM The following radio broadcasting, radio stations broadcast on FM broadcasting, FM frequency 96.5 MHz: Argentina * Acqua (radio station), Acqua in Pinamar, Buenos Aires * Aire de San Javier in San Javier, Santa Fe * Arequito (radio station), A ...

- KFLS-FM

Tulelake Tulelake ( ) is a city in northeastern Siskiyou County, California, United States. The town is named after nearby Tule Lake. Its population is 902 as of the 2020 census, down from 1,010 from the 2010 census. Tulelake peace officers are authoriz ...

* 97.1 FM - K246BB

Keno Keno is a lottery-like gambling game often played at modern casinos, and also offered as a game in some lotteries. Players wager by choosing numbers ranging from 1 through (usually) 80. After all players make their wagers, 20 numbers (some va ...

97.5 FM The following radio stations broadcast on FM frequency 97.5 MHz: Argentina * A in Posadas, Misiones * Beat in Córdoba * Cadena urbana in Río Tercero, Córdoba * Clave in Puerto Esperanza, Misiones * Concepto in Gualeguaychú, Entre R� ...

- KYSF Christian Worship Music

Air 1 Air1 is an American Christian radio network owned by the Educational Media Foundation (EMF), a non-profit Christian ministry. It primarily broadcasts contemporary worship music, and is a sister to the EMF's K-Love network. History On July 15, ...

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 12, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 431 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running Western, the second-longest-running Western series on ...

*98.5 FM - KHIC

Top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is a list of the 40 currently most popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "To ...

* 99.5 FM - KFXX-FM Classic Hits *99.9 FM - K260AK

* 100.7 FM - KLKF

Malin * 101.3 FM - K267CF

102.5 FM The following radio stations broadcast on FM broadcasting, FM frequency 102.5 MHz: Argentina * 2001 (radio station), 2001 in Punta Alta, Buenos Aires * Cero (radio station), Cero in Deán Funes, Córdoba * Continental Santa Fe in Santa Fe ...

- K273DF

* 104.3 FM - K282CB

Sports Sport is a physical activity or game, often competitive and organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The number of participants in ...

* 104.7 FM - KFEG

Classic Rock Classic rock is a radio format that developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, it comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the early-1990s, primarily focusing on comm ...

* 105.5 FM - KKKJ

Merrill *

106.5 FM The following radio broadcasting, radio stations broadcast on FM broadcasting, FM frequency 106.5 MHz: Argentina * El Signo (radio station), El Signo in Rosario, Santa Fe * LRM437 del Rey in Reconquista, Santa Fe * LRM700 Sytlo in Gobernador ...

- K293CQ

Regional Mexican Regional Mexican music refers collectively to the regional subgenres of the country music of Mexico and its derivatives from the Southwestern United States. Each subgenre is representative of a certain region and its popularity also varies by ...

Altamont * 106.9 FM - KKRB

Adult Contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul ...

AM stations

960 AM The following radio broadcasting, radio stations broadcast on AM broadcasting, AM frequency 960 kHz: The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) classifies 960 AM as a regional frequency. CFAC is the only station in Canada and the Unite ...

- KLAD

1150 AM The following radio stations broadcast on AM frequency 1150 kHz: 1150 AM is a Regional broadcast frequency, according to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. In Arg ...

KAGO A is a type of litter used as a means of human transportation by the non-samurai class in feudal Japan and into the Meiji period The was an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868, to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era ...

1240 AM The following radio stations broadcast on AM frequency 1240 kHz: 1240 AM is a regional (Class B) frequency outside the coterminous 48 United States (Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, & U.S. Virgin Islands), and a local frequency (Class C) within ...

- KRJW

1450 AM The following radio broadcasting, radio stations broadcast on AM broadcasting, AM frequency 1450 kHz: 1450 AM is a Regional and Local broadcast frequency. Argentina * LRJ211 in San Juan. * LRI203 El Sol in Buenos Aires. Bermuda *VSB Canada ...

- KFLS

Television stations

Newspapers

* ''

Herald and News The ''Herald and News'' is a daily newspaper serving the city of Klamath Falls and Klamath County in the U.S. state of Oregon. It also distributes east into Lake County. The General Manager is Joe Hudon and the editor is Gene Warnick. The mor ...

'' * '' Klamath Republican'' (defunct)

Infrastructure

Transportation

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

, the national passenger rail system, serves Klamath Falls station, located on a route originally built by the

Southern Pacific Railroad The Southern Pacific (or Espee from the railroad initials) was an American Railroad classes#Class I, Class I Rail transport, railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated largely in the Western United States. The system was oper ...

– operating its ''

Coast Starlight The ''Coast Starlight'' is a Amtrak Long Distance, long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak on the West Coast of the United States between Seattle and Los Angeles via Portland, Oregon, Portland and the San Francisco Bay Area. The train, ...

'' daily in both directions between

Seattle, Washington Seattle ( ) is the List of municipalities in Washington, most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the List of Unit ...

and

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

. Fixed-route public transit service is operated by Basin Transit Service, a special service district with an elected board. Oregon POINT connects Klamath Falls with Medford and

Brookings, Oregon Brookings is a city in Curry County, Oregon, Curry County, Oregon, United States. It was named after John E. Brookings, president of the Brookings Lumber & Box Company, who founded the city in 1908. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 censu ...

. Sage Stage provides weekly service to

Alturas, California Alturas ( Spanish for "Heights"; Achumawi: ''Kasalektawi'') is the only incorporated city in Modoc County, California of which it is also the county seat. Located in the Shasta Cascade region of Northern California, the city had a population ...

. The

Klamath Falls airport Klamath may refer to: Ethnic groups *Klamath people, a Native American people of California and Oregon **Klamath Tribes, a federally recognized group of tribes in Oregon *Klamath language, spoken by the Klamath people Places in the United States * ...

is the location of the

Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base Kingsley may refer to: People *Kingsley (given name) *Kingsley (surname) Places Australia *Kingsley, Western Australia Canada *Rural Municipality of Kingsley No. 124, Saskatchewan England *Kingsley, Cheshire *Kingsley, Hampshire *Kingsley, Nort ...

; the airport and base are south of downtown. The nearest commercial airport is

Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport A rogue is a person or entity that flouts accepted norms of behavior or strikes out on an independent and possibly destructive path. Rogue, rogues, or going rogue may also refer to: Companies * Rogue Ales, a microbrewery in Newport, Oregon * ...

, which is 78 miles (126 km) away.

Military airbase

, also known as Crater Lake–Klamath Regional Airport, was established in 1928. It is home to the 270th Air Traffic Control Squadron,

173rd Fighter Wing The 173rd Fighter Wing (173 FW) is a unit of the Oregon Air National Guard, stationed at Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base, Klamath Falls, Oregon. The 173d Fighter Wing is responsible for training combat pilots and support personnel on the M ...

of the Oregon Air National Guard, stationed at

Kingsley Field Kingsley may refer to: People *Kingsley (given name) * Kingsley (surname) Places Australia * Kingsley, Western Australia Canada * Rural Municipality of Kingsley No. 124, Saskatchewan England * Kingsley, Cheshire * Kingsley, Hampshire * Kingsley ...

airbase. The squadron currently flies F-15 C/D variants. It has the second largest runway in Oregon ( wide) and was listed as a backup landing strip for the

Space Shuttle The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable launch system, reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. ...

. It is normal to hear the aircraft throughout Klamath Falls during daylight hours.

Notable people

* Sharron Angle (born 1949), Nevada politician *

Brenda Bakke Brenda Jean Bakke (born May 15, 1963) is an American actress, best known for her roles in 1990s films '' Hot Shots! Part Deux'', '' Gunmen'', ''Demon Knight'', '' Under Siege 2: Dark Territory'', and '' L.A. Confidential''. Life and career Bak ...

(born 1963), actress * Dennis Bennett (1939–2012), Major League Baseball player * Harry D. Boivin (1904–1999), speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives * Ernest C. Brace (1931–2014), pilot * Jeff Bronkey (born 1965), Major League Baseball player * Seth Brown (born 1992), Major League Baseball player for the Oakland Athletics *

Don Pedro Colley Don Pedro Colley (August 30, 1938 – October 11, 2017) was an American actor. Some of his better known roles include Gideon on ''Daniel Boone'', Ongaro in ''Beneath the Planet of the Apes'', SRT in George Lucas' ''THX 1138'', Joshua in ''Th ...

(1938–2017), actor * Ian Dobson (born 1982), Team Run Eugene coach, and retired Olympic 5k runner *

Christine Drazan Christine Renee Drazan ( Deboy; born May 28, 1972) is an American politician who serves in the Oregon House of Representatives from the 51st district as a member of the Republican Party. She served from the 39th district from 2019 to 2022, befo ...

(born 1972), minority leader of the Oregon House of Representatives *

Chris Eyre Chris Eyre (born 1968), an enrolled citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, is a Native American film director and producer. Early life and education Chris Eyre was born in Portland, Oregon, and raised in Klamath Falls by his adoptive ...

(born 1968), Sundance Film Festival award winner * Helen J. Frye (1930–2011), Federal District Court judge *

Chad Gray Chad Gray (born October 16, 1971) is an American singer, best known as the lead vocalist of heavy metal bands Mudvayne and Hellyeah. Career Mudvayne Gray quit his factory job that paid $40,000 a year to move to Peoria, Illinois and formed Mud ...

(born 1971), musician *

Rosie Hamlin Rosalie "Rosie" Hamlin (July 21, 1945 – March 30, 2017) was an American singer and songwriter who was the frontwoman of Rosie and the Originals. The group is best known for the 1960 song " Angel Baby", which became a Top 40 hit in 1961 when H ...

(1945–2017), singer-songwriter * Ralph Hill (1908–1994), Olympic 5000 meters silver medalist *

James Ivory James Francis Ivory (born Richard Jerome Hazen June 7, 1928) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He was a principal in Merchant Ivory Productions along with Indian film producer Ismail Merchant (his domestic and professio ...

(born 1928), Oscar-winning director, screenwriter and producer * Charles S. Moore (1857–1915), Oregon politician *

Dan O'Brien Daniel Dion O'Brien (born July 18, 1966) is an American former decathlete and Olympic gold medalist. He won the Olympic title in 1996, three consecutive world championships (1991, 1993, 1995), and set the world record in 1992. Early life ...

(born 1966), Olympic gold medalist in Decathlon * Charles O. Porter (1919–2006), Oregon politician * Marty Ravellette (1939–2007), armless hero who lived in Klamath Falls in the 1960s *

Janice Romary Janice-Lee York Romary (August 6, 1927 – May 31, 2007) was a U.S. women's Olympic foil fencer who was the first woman to appear at six Olympic Games. Early life Born Janice-Lee York in Palo Alto, California, she learned fencing at Max Re ...

(1927–2007), U.S. women's Olympic

foilist Fencing is a combat sport that features sword fighting. It consists of three primary disciplines: foil, épée, and sabre (also spelled ''saber''), each with its own blade and set of rules. Most competitive fencers specialise in one of these ...

* Laurenne Ross (born 1988), World Cup alpine ski racer *

Kim Walker-Smith Kim Walker-Smith (born December 19, 1981, as Kimberlee Dawn Walker) is an American singer, songwriter, worship leader, and recording artist. She produced her first solo album, ''Here Is My Song'', which was released in February 2008 through the J ...

(born 1981), neopentecostal worship leader and recording artist * Paul Zahniser (1896–1964), Major League Baseball player

Sister city

Klamath Falls has one

sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inte ...

, as designated by

Sister Cities International Sister Cities International (SCI) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) with the goal of facilitating partnerships between communities within the United States and other countries by establishing sister cities. Sister cities are agreements of ...

: *

Rotorua, New Zealand Rotorua () is a city in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island. It is sited on the southern shores of Lake Rotorua, from which it takes its name. It is the seat of the Rotorua Lakes District, a territorial authority encompassing ...

References

External links

*
Entry for Klamath Falls
in the ''

Oregon Blue Book The ''Oregon Blue Book'' is the official directory and fact book for the U.S. state of Oregon prepared by the Oregon Secretary of State and published by the Office of the Secretary's Archives Division. The ''Blue Book'' comes in both print and o ...

'' {{Authority control 1867 establishments in Oregon Cities in Oregon County seats in Oregon Cities in Klamath County, Oregon Micropolitan areas of Oregon Populated places established in 1867

History

Etymology

History

Water rights controversy

Geothermal heating

Air quality

Geography

Climate

Demographics

2010 census

2000 census

Parks and recreation

Government

Education

Colleges and universities

Public schools

Media

Radio stations

FM stations

AM stations

Television stations

Newspapers

Infrastructure

Transportation

Military airbase

Notable people

Sister city

See also

References

External links