Oroville

History

Oroville was first settled by European settlers in the late 1850s and known as 'rag town.' The settlement was named Oro, after the Spanish word for gold, in 1892 after the surrounding gold mines and in an attempt to attract prospectors and merchants. The Post Office objected to the name "Oro" because a town was already named "Oso" in Washington, so the name was changed to Oroville, in 1909. Oroville was a stop along the Spokane Falls and Northern Railway line from British Columbia to Spokane, via Molson and Chesaw. In 1914 a third branch south to Wenatchee was constructed to avoid the steep inclines on the original Spokane track. Passenger train service to Oroville was operated by the Great Northern Railway until July 14, 1953, with freight operations continuing later. Oroville started to become a tourist location in the mid-2000s, large condo developments were proposed. After peaking in 2005–07, the city's economy has suffered since the Great Recession of 2008. Oroville is home to the Dorothy Scott Airport, an international municipal airport with U.S. Customs check, located two miles outside of the town center. The airport opened in August 1937.

Geography

Oroville is located south of the Canada–US border, and features an official crossing into Osoyoos, British Columbia. It is located at the south end of Osoyoos Lake, which empties into the Okanogan River on the east side of the town; the town is bound to the west by the Similkameen River. U.S. Route 97 runs through Oroville. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water. Oroville lies in a climatic region that is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and moderately cold winters. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Oroville has a humid continental climate, Dfb on climate maps.

Race & ethnicity