Klamath County

Oregon

Klamath County, Oregon

Population

70,177

Indigenous Peoples

Major Waterways

Major Employers

Major Attractions

Recreational Activities

  • Bicycling
  • Birding
  • Camping
  • Caving
  • Fishing
  • Golf
  • Hiking
  • Horseback riding
  • Ice skating
  • Kayaking, boating, & paddleboarding
  • Picnicking
  • Skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, & sledding
  • Swimming
  • Wildlife viewing
  • Ziplining

Summary

Klamath County’s official motto, “When you’re here, you’re home,” speaks to the folksy, down-home feel of this rural oasis set in an awe-striking landscape defined by volcanic features, coniferous forests, towering mountains, high-desert plateaus, wetlands, and lakes.

At 6,136 square miles, this south-central Oregon county is the fourth-largest in the state. Poised at the intersection of the Cascade Mountains and the high desert, Klamath County borders California’s Siskiyou and Modoc Counties to the south, Jackson County to the west, Douglas and Lane Counties to the northwest, and Deschutes County to the north.

In October 1882, the Oregon State Legislature formed Klamath County from the western part of Lake County. It is named for the indigenous Klamath peoples (sometimes called the Clamitte, Eukshikni, or Auksni).

Established in 1867 as a ferry and trading outpost, Linkville was renamed Klamath Falls in 1893. The county seat, Klamath Falls is known as the City of Sunshine for its approximately 300 sunny days annually.

The county’s other cities are Bonanza, Chiloquin, Malin, and Merrill.

Archaeological evidence indicates indigenous peoples (Klamath, Modoc, and Northern Paiute) inhabited the area dating as far back as 10,000 years.

As with many Oregon counties, the fur trade—specifically Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC)—first brought European-Americans to the area. In 1826 and 1827, Peter Skene Ogden led beaver-pelt expeditions there by the Snake River brigades.

Later, in 1843 and 1844, the US Army Topographical Engineers commissioned an expedition to chart the local geography led by John C. Frémont, whose party included famous explorer Kit Carson. Among other landmarks, they surveyed Mount McLoughlin. Its eastern base is located in Klamath County while the rest lies in Jackson County.

It was partly due to Frémont’s praise for the area’s ample water sources and fertile soils that pioneers later braved the Oregon Trail to settle there. The population boomed in the 1860s after the Donation Land Claim Act was extended and wagon roads such as the Oregon Central Military Wagon Road were constructed.

The construction of Fort Klamath in 1863 brought a military presence to the area, leading to the establishment of secured routes.

The Modoc War broke out in 1872 after the Bureau of Indian Affairs charged Army Major John Green with orders to relocate the Modocs to the Klamath Reservation, which had been created by a treaty in 1864 (later terminated by the federal government in 1954). The Modocs launched a resistance led by Kintpuash (a.k.a. Captain Jack). Stationed at a natural lava fortress known as Captain Jack’s Stronghold, the resisters held out for five months. In April 1873, the Modoc warriors ambushed a group of peace commissioners, leading to a federal escalation of operations that culminated in the Modocs’ surrender in June 1873. On October 3, Kintpuash, John Schonchin), Black Jim, and Boston Charley were hanged after being convicted of killing the peace commissioners. The surviving members of the tribe were relocated to Oklahoma Territory.

Authorized by US Congress in 1905 under the Reclamation Act of 1902, the Klamath Project was launched to address water concerns and frequent drought conditions due to the aridity of the Klamath Basin. This led to the construction of a 200-mile canal network, reservoirs, and dams such as Link River Dam to conserve water for agricultural purposes, facilitating the irrigation of more than 200,000 acres by the 1920s.

Consequently, Klamath County’s agricultural economy flourished, with potatoes, grain, and alfalfa hay becoming staple crops. The latter two fostered the cattle industry, which benefited from the introduction of mechanization technology such as harvesters and tractors following World War II. Today, 98 percent of cattle ranches are family-owned, carrying on the strong legacy and accumulated knowledge of their ancestors.

The once-central timber industry collapsed after the 1990 designation of the spotted owl as a protected species under the Endangered Species Act.

In 1944, the government dedicated the Klamath Naval Air Station, later renamed Kingsley Field after David R. Kingsley, a brave second lieutenant who was killed in action during World War II. Today, the base is home to the 173rd Fighter Wing of the Oregon Air National Guard.

In addition to the agricultural and military sectors, Klamath County’s other economic drivers include health care, manufacturing, tourism, and education.

Affectionately known as “Oregon Tech,” the four-year public polytechnic institution Oregon Institute of Technology is a major employer in the area, graduating alumni who are well-suited to serve regional industries such as health care, manufacturing, and renewable energy.

Tourists enjoy luxurious recreational opportunities thanks to the geographical diversity offered by volcanic mountains; the Winema, Deschutes, Fremont, and Rogue River–Siskiyou National Forests; and world-class lakes.

Klamath County boasts not only Oregon’s largest freshwater lake, the 140,000- to 200,000-acre Upper Klamath Lake, but also the nation’s deepest lake—the internationally renowned Crater Lake.

Crater Lake’s origins trace back to around 5700 BCE, when Mount Mazama erupted and left a 2,148-foot–deep caldera upon its collapse. Over the course of several hundred years, the caldera filled with water from precipitation, and the magnificent Crater Lake was born. Crater’s Lake’s two islands are small but visually striking—the cinder cone–shaped Wizard Island and rock pillar Phantom Ship.

The same features that make Klamath County a tourists’ magnet also make it an ideal permanent residence. Retirees especially—including many Californians seeking more affordable housing in a gorgeous setting—flock to the region, which has led to recent booms in both construction and population.

If you are looking for your own dream retirement home, farmland, or commercial property in Klamath County, fill out our contact form to learn how Phoenix Appraisal Network can serve your valuation needs and make your real estate purchase as pleasant as possible.

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