McDermitt, Nevada-Oregon
Encyclopedia
McDermitt is an unincorporated community
straddling the Nevada
–Oregon
border, in Humboldt County
, Nevada, and Malheur County
, Oregon in the United States. For statistical purposes, the census bureau
has allocated McDermitt two census-designated place
s (CDP), McDermitt NV and Fort McDermitt NV. The Oregon portion of McDermitt is not part of the McDermitt CDP, but is included in the Ontario
, OR–ID
Micropolitan Statistical Area
.
As of the 2010 census, the combined population was 513.
, which in turn was named after Lt. Col. Charles McDermit, commander of the Military District of Nevada, who was killed in a skirmish in the area in 1865. It is not known why there is a discrepancy in the spelling. Fort McDermit, which was five miles (8 km) outside the current township, was originally established to protect the stagecoach
route from Virginia City
through Winnemucca
to Silver City
, Idaho Territory
. The stage road was the military's most important transportation route in southeast Oregon. The township of Dugout was established as support for Fort McDermit
.
. The elevation of McDermitt is 4432 feet (1,350.9 m) above sea level.
McDermitt is in the Oregon High Desert
with a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification
BSk), averaging 9.3 inches (236 mm) of rain annually with hot, dry summers and cold winters. Most precipitation (51%) occurs from March through June. About 21% occurs from September through November and 21% from December through February, most of this falling as snow.
of 2000, there were 269 people, 90 households, and 60 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 20.4 people per square mile (7.9/km²). There were 107 housing units at an average density of 8.1 per square mile (3.1/km²). 262 (97.4%) of the population is Native American
; seven people (2.6%) are White. Two people (0.74%) are Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. a precipitous decline from the 373 people enumerated in the census a decade earlier.
There were 90 households out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.4% were married couples
living together, 25.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 30% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.99 and the average family size was 3.85.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 29.7% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 108.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $16,563, and the median income for a family was $17,396. Males had a median income of $25,625 versus $24,375 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $6,399. About 37.7% of families and 33.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.9% of those under the age of eighteen and 35.0% of those sixty five or over.
Current development activities that may result in renewed mining are at Cordero (gold-silver), Cordero (gallium), Buckskin-National (gold-silver), Aurora (uranium) and Disaster Peak (gold). The largest employers in McDermitt are the Say When casino (pictured) and the high school.
. When it was open, food could be ordered and paid for in Oregon, avoiding the Nevada state sales tax
.
operates the McDermitt Combined School, a kindergarten
-twelfth grade
(K-12) school, in the community.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
straddling the Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
–Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
border, in Humboldt County
Humboldt County, Nevada
Humboldt County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nevada. As of 2007, the population was estimated to be 18,052. Its county seat is Winnemucca.The county was the site of an arrest in 2000 that led to the U.S. Supreme Court decision Hiibel v...
, Nevada, and Malheur County
Malheur County, Oregon
Malheur County is a county located in the southeast corner of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is included in the eight-county definition of Eastern Oregon. Most of the county observes the Mountain Time Zone, although the southern quarter of the county observes the Pacific Time Zone along with the...
, Oregon in the United States. For statistical purposes, the census bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
has allocated McDermitt two census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
s (CDP), McDermitt NV and Fort McDermitt NV. The Oregon portion of McDermitt is not part of the McDermitt CDP, but is included in the Ontario
Ontario, Oregon
Ontario is the largest city in Malheur County, Oregon, United States. It lies along the Snake River at the Idaho border. The population was 10,985 at the 2000 census, with an estimated population of 11,245 in 2006...
, OR–ID
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
Micropolitan Statistical Area
Ontario micropolitan area
The Ontario Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties – one in southeastern Oregon and one in southwestern Idaho, anchored by the city of Ontario....
.
As of the 2010 census, the combined population was 513.
History
The community, originally called Dugout, was named after Fort McDermitFort McDermit
Fort McDermit was an American fort in Nevada. It was established on August 14, 1865, by Captain J. C. Doughty, of Company I of the 2nd Regiment California Volunteer Cavalry, on orders of Lt. Col. Charles McDermit, Commander, Military District Nevada, as the Quinn River Camp No. 33...
, which in turn was named after Lt. Col. Charles McDermit, commander of the Military District of Nevada, who was killed in a skirmish in the area in 1865. It is not known why there is a discrepancy in the spelling. Fort McDermit, which was five miles (8 km) outside the current township, was originally established to protect the stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
route from Virginia City
Virginia City, Nevada
Virginia City is a census-designated place that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 855 at the 2010 Census.- History :...
through Winnemucca
Winnemucca, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,174 people, 2,736 households, and 1,824 families residing in the city. The population density was 867.5 people per square mile . There were 3,280 housing units at an average density of 396.6 per square mile...
to Silver City
Silver City, Idaho
Silver City is a ghost town in Owyhee County, Idaho, United States. At its height in the 1880s it was a gold and silver mining town with a population of around 2,500 and approximately 75 businesses. Silver City served as county seat of Owyhee County from 1867 to 1934. Today, the town has about 70...
, Idaho Territory
Idaho Territory
The Territory of Idaho was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 4, 1863, until July 3, 1890, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Idaho.-1860s:...
. The stage road was the military's most important transportation route in southeast Oregon. The township of Dugout was established as support for Fort McDermit
Fort McDermit
Fort McDermit was an American fort in Nevada. It was established on August 14, 1865, by Captain J. C. Doughty, of Company I of the 2nd Regiment California Volunteer Cavalry, on orders of Lt. Col. Charles McDermit, Commander, Military District Nevada, as the Quinn River Camp No. 33...
.
Geography and climate
The community is on U.S. Highway 95, 73 miles (117.5 km) north of WinnemuccaWinnemucca, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,174 people, 2,736 households, and 1,824 families residing in the city. The population density was 867.5 people per square mile . There were 3,280 housing units at an average density of 396.6 per square mile...
. The elevation of McDermitt is 4432 feet (1,350.9 m) above sea level.
McDermitt is in the Oregon High Desert
High Desert (Oregon)
The Oregon High Desert is a region of the U.S. state of Oregon, located east of the Cascade Range and south of the Blue Mountains, in the central and eastern parts of the state. Divided into a southern region and a northern region, the desert covers most of five Oregon counties and averages above...
with a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
BSk), averaging 9.3 inches (236 mm) of rain annually with hot, dry summers and cold winters. Most precipitation (51%) occurs from March through June. About 21% occurs from September through November and 21% from December through February, most of this falling as snow.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 269 people, 90 households, and 60 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 20.4 people per square mile (7.9/km²). There were 107 housing units at an average density of 8.1 per square mile (3.1/km²). 262 (97.4%) of the population is Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
; seven people (2.6%) are White. Two people (0.74%) are Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
of any race. a precipitous decline from the 373 people enumerated in the census a decade earlier.
There were 90 households out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 25.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 30% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.99 and the average family size was 3.85.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 29.7% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 108.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $16,563, and the median income for a family was $17,396. Males had a median income of $25,625 versus $24,375 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $6,399. About 37.7% of families and 33.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.9% of those under the age of eighteen and 35.0% of those sixty five or over.
Economy
McDermitt’s economy has historically been based on mining, ranching and farming. In the period 1917 to 1989 it was home to four mercury mines in the McDermitt Caldera, Bretz, Opalite, Cordero and McDermitt, which from 1933 to 1989 were the largest producers in North America. A significant gold mine was the Buckskin National, producing 24,000 ounces of gold and 300,000 ounces of silver over the period 1906-1941, in the nearby Santa Rosa Mountains. The closure of mercury mining in 1991 has resulted in a significant decline in population.Current development activities that may result in renewed mining are at Cordero (gold-silver), Cordero (gallium), Buckskin-National (gold-silver), Aurora (uranium) and Disaster Peak (gold). The largest employers in McDermitt are the Say When casino (pictured) and the high school.
Points of interest
The state line goes through the White Horse Inn, a historical landmark now being restored, which was a saloon, hotel, and (reportedly) brothelBrothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
. When it was open, food could be ordered and paid for in Oregon, avoiding the Nevada state sales tax
Sales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
.
Education
Humboldt County School DistrictHumboldt County School District
The district serves Humboldt County, Nevada.-K-8 schools:* Denio School * Kings River School * Orovada School * Paradise Valley School...
operates the McDermitt Combined School, a kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
-twelfth grade
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
(K-12) school, in the community.
External links
- Historic images of McDermitt from Salem Public Library