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Phoenix is a city in Jackson County,
Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...
, 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 southeast of Medford on
Interstate 5 Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels thro ...
.


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 A blockhouse is a small fortification, usually consisting of one or more rooms with loopholes, allowing its defenders to fire in various directions. It is usually an isolated fort in the form of a single building, serving as a defensive stro ...
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 Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...
, assigned the official name, ''Phoenix'', to the community and, in 1857, to its post office. Waitsburg, Washington, was later named after Wait.


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. On September 11, 2020, authorities said they were preparing for a mass fatality incident. On September 11, it was reported that 600 homes and 100 commercial buildings were destroyed by the Almeda Drive Fire,Benda, David.
Southern Oregon wildfires update: 700-plus homes, businesses destroyed as officials' investigate fire's cause
, ''
Redding Record Searchlight The ''Redding Record Searchlight'' is a newspaper serving Redding, California. It has a daily print circulation of under 15,000 and has between 100,000 and 400,000 unique visitors per month to its news website, Redding.com. History On Octobe ...
''. September 11, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
but on September 18, that number was updated to 2,800. Officials stated that the Almeda Drive Fire was human-caused. 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.Deliso, Merideth.
Man charged with arson in connection with Almeda Fire in southern Oregon
,
ABC News ABC News most commonly refers to: * ABC News (Australia), a national news service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation * ABC News (United States), a news-gathering and broadcasting division of the American Broadcasting Company ABC News may a ...
. September 11, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
A separate criminal investigation into the origin point of the Almeda Drive Fire in Ashland was ongoing as of September 2020.


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 , all of it land. The city is south of Medford and north of Talent and Ashland along
Interstate 5 Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels thro ...
and Oregon Route 99. This is toward the southern end of the
Rogue River Valley The Rogue Valley is a valley region in southwestern Oregon in the United States. Located along the middle Rogue River and its tributaries in Josephine and Jackson counties, the valley forms the cultural and economic heart of Southern Oregon n ...
, near the
Siskiyou Mountains The Siskiyou Mountains are a Coast Ranges, coastal subrange of the Klamath Mountains, and located in northwestern California and southwestern Oregon in the United States. They extend in an arc for approximately from east of Crescent City, Calif ...
and the border with
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
. Coleman Creek, a tributary of Bear Creek, joins the larger stream at Phoenix. The Bear Creek Greenway, a biking and hiking trail connecting Ashland, Talent, Medford, and Central Point along Bear Creek, also passes through Phoenix.


Climate

This region experiences hot and dry summers, and cool and wet winters. According to 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 ...
system, Phoenix has a
hot-summer Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...
, abbreviated ''Csa'' on climate maps. Phoenix's record-high temperature is on June 27, 2021, and the record-low temperature is on December 9, 1972.


Demographics


2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 4,538 people, 2,001 households, and 1,178 families living in the city. 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 2,149 housing units at an average density of . 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. There were 2,001 households, of which 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.7% 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, 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. 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.


2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 4,060 people, 1,746 households, and 1,117 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 1,850 housing units at an average density of . 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. 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. 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. 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 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 $16,828. About 8.6% of families and 11.6% of the population 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 19.3% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.


Education

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 A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of autono ...
.


Notable people

* Dennis W. Day, actor and original '' Mickey Mouse Club'' (1955–57) cast member. * Tami Farrell, Miss Oregon Teen USA 2003,
Miss Teen USA Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant that has been run since 1983 by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19 years old as of January 1st of the competition year. They must be US citizens, and cannot have been married, pregnant, or ...
2003, Miss California USA 2009 * Bill Pearl, world champion bodybuilder


In popular culture

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. During the
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
pandemic A pandemic ( ) is an epidemic of an infectious disease that has a sudden increase in cases and spreads across a large region, for instance multiple continents or worldwide, affecting a substantial number of individuals. Widespread endemic (epi ...
, 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.


References


External links


Listing for Phoenix
in the '' Oregon Blue Book'' {{Authority control Cities in Oregon Cities in Jackson County, Oregon Populated places established in 1854 1854 establishments in Oregon Territory