Joseph is a city in Wallowa County, Oregon, United States. Originally named Silver Lake and Lake City, the city formally named itself in 1880 for Chief Joseph (1840–1904) of the Nez Perce people. As of the 2020 census, Joseph had a population of 1,154.

History

Joseph was platted in 1883, On occasion there have been reenactments of the robbery. After a railroad line was completed to Joseph in 1908, a lumber mill opened, bolstering the economy.

When the timber industry collapsed in the 1980s, local unemployment rate approached 17%. However, in 1982 a new industry was born as three bronze foundries opened in the local area.

The city sponsors the annual Chief Joseph Days Rodeo in late July, Bronze, Blues and Brews in August since 2001, and Alpenfest in September, a Swiss-Bavarian festival staged in Joseph and at nearby Wallowa Lake. Alpenfest resembles an Oktoberfest but has more yodeling and alphorn playing, reflecting the area's reputation as "Oregon's Little Switzerland."

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.

Climate

This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Joseph has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Joseph was in July 1919, while the coldest temperature recorded was in December 1924.

|source 2 = National Weather Service (mean maxima and minima 1893-2012)

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Joseph had a population of 1,154; the median age was 55.9 years, 15.5% of residents were under the age of 18, and 34.6% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 86.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 85.4 males age 18 and over.

0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 546 households in Joseph, of which 21.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 44.7% were married-couple households, 17.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

! Race !! Number !! Percent

|-

| White || 1,042 || 90.3%

|-

| Black or African American || 1 || 0.1%

|-

| American Indian and Alaska Native || 12 || 1.0%

|-

| Asian || 7 || 0.6%

|-

| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0 || 0%

|-

| Some other race || 24 || 2.1%

|-

| Two or more races || 68 || 5.9%

|-

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 41 || 3.6%

|}

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 1,081 people, 509 households, and 305 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 590 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.7% White, 0.7% African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.5% Pacific Islander, 0.7% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.0% of the population.

There were 509 households, of which 22.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.1% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.57.

  • Joseph, a band started by Natalie, Allison, and Meegan Closner, named after the town.

References

  • Entry for Joseph in the Oregon Blue Book
  • City of Joseph
  • Joseph Chamber of Commerce