Republic, Washington
Encyclopedia
Republic is a city in Ferry County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,073 at the 2010 census, a 12.5% increase over the 2000 Census. It is the county seat
of Ferry County.
Republic was founded by gold prospectors in the late 19th century. The Mining District of Eureka was established after gold was found on Eureka Creek. Philip Creasor platted a townsite to be named Eureka. Another strike was made nearby on Granite Creek. The Great Republic claim, found by Thomas Ryan and Philip Creasor on March 5, 1896, was the highest producer of gold. By 1900 the settlement was booming. A post office was established but postal authorities rejected the name Eureka because there was already a town by that name in Clark County, Washington
. The citizens then decided to honor the Great Republic mining claim by proposing the name Republic. This name was accepted and the settlement was incorporated as a city on May 22, 1900. It was the sixth city incorporated in eastern Washington.
Republic is also the site of the Stonerose Interpretive Center and Fossil Site
, famous for the Eocene
fossil
s found in a 49 mya lake bed at the north end of Republic. At the Ferry County Fairgrounds, located three miles (5 km) east of town on State Route 20, is the Ferry County Carousel
originally built between 1895 and 1900. Republic has many businesses that line Clark Ave (the main street through town) including Anderson's Grocery, which is over a hundred years old. The Kinross Gold company and Ferry County Memorial Hospital are two of largest employers in the County.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), of which, 1.54 square miles (4.1 km²) is land and 0.63% is water.
Republic is located near the source of the Sanpoil River
in a long valley bordered on the west by the Okanagan Highland
s to the west and the Kettle mountain range
to the east. Curlew Lake
, 7 miles (11.3 km) long (Elev: 2400 ft), provides fishing and boating to summer visitors northeast of Republic.
Swan Lake is small mountain lake 14 miles (22.5 km) to the south of Republic and also serves to be a popular lake for local residents and tourists to visit.
Republic is surrounded by the Colville National Forest and to the south is the Colville Indian Reservation.
Republic experiences a continental climate
(Köppen
Dfb) with cold winters, warm summers and fairly even precipitation year-round.
, and 2.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.99% of the population.
There were 411 households out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.4% were non-families. 36.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city the population age distribution is spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,284, and the median income for a family was $30,357. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $24,286 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,427. About 20.2% of families and 24.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.5% of those under age 18 and 17.6% of those age 65 or over.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Ferry County.
History
Clark County, Washington
Clark County is a county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Washington, across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon.Clark County was the first county of Washington, named after William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition...
. The citizens then decided to honor the Great Republic mining claim by proposing the name Republic. This name was accepted and the settlement was incorporated as a city on May 22, 1900. It was the sixth city incorporated in eastern Washington.
Republic is also the site of the Stonerose Interpretive Center and Fossil Site
Stonerose Interpretive Center and Fossil Site
Established in 1989, the Stonerose Interpretive Center and Fossil Site is an Eocene Epoch fossil site and accompanying interpretive center, located in Republic, Washington, part of the Okanagan Highland. The fossils are from organisms that lived in the area nearly 50 million years ago when the area...
, famous for the Eocene
Eocene
The Eocene Epoch, lasting from about 56 to 34 million years ago , is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Eocene spans the time from the end of the Palaeocene Epoch to the beginning of the Oligocene Epoch. The start of the...
fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s found in a 49 mya lake bed at the north end of Republic. At the Ferry County Fairgrounds, located three miles (5 km) east of town on State Route 20, is the Ferry County Carousel
Ferry County Carousel
The Ferry County Carousel is an operational wooden carousel located three miles east of the town of Republic, Washington on the Ferry County Fairgrounds. This carousel features 24 horses in two rows and is fitted with a jumping mechanism...
originally built between 1895 and 1900. Republic has many businesses that line Clark Ave (the main street through town) including Anderson's Grocery, which is over a hundred years old. The Kinross Gold company and Ferry County Memorial Hospital are two of largest employers in the County.
Geography
Republic is located at 48°38′53"N 118°44′6"W (48.648159, -118.734947).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...
, the city has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), of which, 1.54 square miles (4.1 km²) is land and 0.63% is water.
Republic is located near the source of the Sanpoil River
Sanpoil River
The Sanpoil River is a tributary of the Columbia River, in the U.S. state of Washington. The term Sanpoil is from the Okanagan term [snpʕʷílx], meaning "people of the gray country", or "gray as far as one can see".-Course:...
in a long valley bordered on the west by the Okanagan Highland
Okanagan Highland
The Okanagan Highland is a plateau-like hilly area in British Columbia, Canada, and the U.S. state of Washington . It lies between the Okanagan Valley on its west and the Kettle River on its east, and geologically is more or less an extension of the Thompson Plateau, which lies west of the Okanagan...
s to the west and the Kettle mountain range
Kettle River Range
The Kettle River Range is a mountain range in southeastern British Columbia, Canada and north-central Washington state, United States. It has an area of 4345 km2 and is a subrange of the Monashee Mountains which in turn form part of the Columbia Mountains.-References:...
to the east. Curlew Lake
Curlew Lake (Washington)
Curlew Lake is a lake located in the glacier-carved Curlew Valley northeast of Republic, Washington. The spring- and stream-fed lake is named for the Long-billed Curlew, Numenius americanus, that once frequented the area. The seven mile long lake reaches a maximum of ⅓ miles wide and includes...
, 7 miles (11.3 km) long (Elev: 2400 ft), provides fishing and boating to summer visitors northeast of Republic.
Swan Lake is small mountain lake 14 miles (22.5 km) to the south of Republic and also serves to be a popular lake for local residents and tourists to visit.
Republic is surrounded by the Colville National Forest and to the south is the Colville Indian Reservation.
Republic experiences a continental climate
Humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
(Köppen
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...
Dfb) with cold winters, warm summers and fairly even precipitation year-round.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 954 people, 411 households, and 244 families residing in the city. The population density was 602.9 people per square mile (233.1/km²). There were 500 housing units at an average density of 316.0 per square mile (122.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.56% White, 0.84% African American, 2.73% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.73% from other racesRace (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.99% of the population.
There were 411 households out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.4% were non-families. 36.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city the population age distribution is spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,284, and the median income for a family was $30,357. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $24,286 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 city was $14,427. About 20.2% of families and 24.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.5% of those under age 18 and 17.6% of those age 65 or over.