What Klamath Falls is known for

Klamath Falls, the city that the Klamath Falls Destination is named after, was founded in 1867 with the original name of Linkville. Linkville got its name from Link River, a river right next to the city. The name was changed from Linkville to Klamath Falls in 1893. Located on the southeastern shore of Upper Klamath Lake and positioned around 25 miles north of the California-Oregon Border, Klamath Falls relied on timber harvesting for the first few years of its existence. Another fact about the city is that it has been given the nickname "Oregon's City of Sunshine" because the area reportedly receives 300 days of sun per year.[3] Klamath Falls is known for its location in environmental areas, allowing guests to participate in outdoor recreational activities.[2]

In the city of Klamath Falls are various attractions. While there are attractions within the city, many tourists come to the area for the activities possible outside of the city proper. Because of the many national parks in the area, people often stay at Klamath Falls to go participate in various activities in the forests. Ventures within the city are Moore Park, different hiking trails, the Klamath County Museum, the Fort Klamath Museum, the Baldwin Hotel Museum, the Upper Klamath Canoe Trail, the Badger Run Wildlife Rehab, and Lake Ewauna.[1] 

Klamath Falls has a population of 22,188 people. Since 1880, the number of residents has increased. The most notable increase was from 1900 to around 1924. Three slight decreases happened throughout the years, though they didn't stop the overall rise of the population. In Klamath Falls, the racial comparison is 85.05% white, with the rest being from various origins.[9] Klamath Falls receives visitors throughout the year, specifically in August. Other popular months to visit are July and June. December has the least amount of visitors, followed by October and September.[5]

Also located within the Klamath Falls Destination is the Fremont-Winema National Forest. The Fremont National Forest was established in 1908 as its own park and was named after Captain John C. Fremont. In 1961, the Winema National Forest was created and named after a heroine of the Modoc War of 1872. Because of their proximity to each other, these national forests were combined into one park. Recreational activities within these national forests include the Campbell Lake Campground, Cherry Creek Trailhead, various campgrounds, and the Mountain Lakes Wilderness. These are only a few of the things to do within the area. Boating on the lakes is available, along with swimming and paddling. There is an abundance of trailheads, each with a specific length and the typical amount of time it takes to complete the trail. Multiple of these trailheads allow hiking, horses, and mountain bikes. Campgrounds vary in size and number of available units, while the Mountain Lakes Wilderness has an 8.2-mile Mountain Lakes Loop Trail, the Clover Creek Trail, the Mountain Lakes Trail, and the Varney Creek Trail.[4]

Geography

The Klamath Falls Destination is located in southwest Oregon, with a small section of it going along the state line between Oregon and California. With a unique shape with cities as the main border, the region houses more than seven lakes, a national forest, and various cities. Towns located near the perimeter of the district are Merrill, West Side, Fort Klamath, and Chiloquin. The north side of the destination rises to a peak, curves, and then falls at a slower rate to the edge of the area. To the east, the border curves inwards and then straightens, so it is going south. It then pushes in at the edge. To the west, the perimeter moves north at a slight angle, then curves, so it is almost flat. From there, the border curves upward once again where it meets the north side of the district. Within the boundaries of the Klamath Falls Destination are two primary environments: forests and deserts with the woods on the west side and the deserts on the east side. The forests and deserts bleed into each other in a few places but generally stay on their respective sides. Silver Lake, Summer Lake, Paisley, and Valley Falls are cities that go along the space where the forests and deserts meet. 

Because of rainfall, snowfall, and humidity, it has been said that the best time to visit the city of Klamath Falls is from the beginning of June to the middle of September. Although rain is a possibility within the town throughout the year, there is a low chance of it occurring. December often receives the most rain, followed by November and February. September has the lowest probability of rainfall. Snow is the most common in February, though snow falls from October to April. Humidity throughout the region varies depending on the time of year. December has the most humidity, likely because of the rain and snow. January is the second most humid month, followed by November. July has the lowest percentage of moisture. Another factor in the best time of the year to visit is temperature. The city of Klamath Falls has temperatures in the middle range of the spectrum, with an average low of around 30 degrees and an average high of about 65 degrees.[5] 

In the Klamath Falls Destination, animals are commonly found, including specific types of birds, plants, and mammals. Northern flickers, Williamson's sapsuckers, acorn woodpeckers, northern pygmy-owls, barn owls, northern saw-whet owls, belted kingfishers, and soras are common birds to the city of Klamath Falls. There are various types of plants in the region, specifically, it has been estimated that there are 1,057 types of plants in the area, and 625 of them have been confirmed. Some of these plants include leathery grape ferns, smooth horsetails, sierra cliff brakes, brittle bladder ferns, western junipers, common junipers, pacific yews, and sugar pines. Some of the animals that live in the Klamath Falls Destination rely on plants for food, while others rely on smaller mammals. Rabbits can often be seen in the area, along with several types of squirrels. Other mammals thriving in the district are mountain beavers, American beavers, western pocket gophers, North American porcupines, water voles, and muskrats.[6]

History

The city of Klamath Falls was established due to the westward migration on the Oregon Trail in 1843. The settlement in the Klamath Basin began a few years after traveling along the Oregon Trail began. The city, originally called Linkville because of its location near the Link River, was named by George Nurse in 1867. In 1893, the name was changed to Klamath Falls, though it wasn't incorporated as a city until 1905. The year 1905 also brought the announcement from the federal government that the construction of the Klamath Reclamation Project would be funded.[7] In 1906, the Klamath Reclamation Project was started for the purpose of draining marshland and moving water to allow for agriculture, it was finished in May 1907.[8]

Klamath Falls, the central city located in the Klamath Falls Destination, has had multiple historical events happen both in the city and in the surrounding areas. Many of these events took place because of the area's involvement in World War II, and timber harvesting. During World War II, the Tule Lake War Relocation Center, which was a Japanese-American internment camp, was located in Newell, California. Though the headquarters were not in the city of Klamath Falls, it was located nearby and had effects on the town. During the war, a Fu-Go balloon bomb went off only 30 miles away from Klamath Falls. The bomb, which killed a woman and five children who were on a church outing, exploded in May 1945. This event was the only Japanese-inflicted casualty on the U.S. mainland during the war. [7]

Timber harvesting was extensive in Klamath County during the 20th century. The railroad was the main reason why timber harvesting was needed, seeing as the railroad was passing through the area. Klamath Falls grew from a few hundred to several thousand citizens because of the arrival of the Southern Pacific Transportation Company in 1909. Dozens of lumber mills cut pine and fir lumber, making it so that the industry flourished until the late 1980s. Northern spotted owls, and other endangered species were the main reason the timber harvesting came to a halt. These animals also played a factor in changing western forest policy.[7] 

The Fremont-Winema National Forest is also located within the Klamath Falls Destination. It was established in 1908 and was named after the pathfinder Captain John C. Fremont, who explored the country in 1843. In 1961, the Winema National Forest was established and named after a heroine of the Modoc War of 1872. This woman, called the Woman of the Brave Heart, fought in the war. More than 50 percent of the forest was formerly the lands of a Klamath tribe and is now a Klamath Indian Reservation land. Both of these national forests are located in the same area, which is why they are called the Fremont-Winema National Forest.[4]