Bly, Oregon

Unincorporated community in the state of Oregon, United States

Census-designated place in Oregon, United States

Bly, Oregon

Census-designated place

Standing Stone Church of the Christian and Missionary Alliance

Bly

Location within the state of Oregon

Show map of Oregon

Bly

Bly (the United States)

Show map of the United States

Coordinates: 42°23′30″N 121°02′36″W﻿ / ﻿42.39167°N 121.04333°W﻿ / 42.39167; -121.04333
Country| United States
State| Oregon
County| Klamath
unincorporated community| 1873
Area

[1]

• Total

| 0.84 sq mi (2.19 km2)
• Land| 0.84 sq mi (2.19 km2)
• Water| 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation

[2]

| 4,367 ft (1,331 m)
Population

(2020)[3]

• Total

| 207
• Density| 244.97/sq mi (94.57/km2)
Time zone| UTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)| UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code|

97622[4]

Area codes| 458 and 541
FIPS code| 41-07150
GNIS feature ID| 2805446[2]
Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1910| 100| | —
1920| 100| | 0.0%
1940| 800| | —
1950| 800| | 0.0%
1960| 600| | −25.0%
1970| 500| | −16.7%
1980| 750| | 50.0%
1990| 750| | 0.0%
2000| 486| | −35.2%
2020| 207| | —
source:[5][3]

Bly is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. By highway, it is about 50 miles (80 km) east of Klamath Falls. As of 2020[update], the population was 207.[6]

## Geography

[edit]

Bly is in southeastern Klamath County, slightly west of Lake County, along Oregon Route 140. By highway, it is about 37 miles (60 km) west of Lakeview and 50 miles (80 km) east of Klamath Falls.[7][8]

Fish Hole Creek, which flows through the community, meets the South Fork Sprague River slightly north of Bly. Fremont National Forest surrounds Bly except on the northwest. Gearhart Mountain Wilderness is about 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Bly.[7][8]

### Climate

[edit]

This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F (22.0 °C). According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Bly has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.[9]

## History

[edit]

The name Bly comes from the Klamath word p'lai, meaning 'up' or 'high', referring to its location at the upper Sprague River.[10] The Sprague River post office was established in the area in 1873, and the name was changed to Bly in 1883.[10] At that time, the community was near the east end of the Klamath Indian Reservation.[11] The 21st century community of Sprague River is downstream and west of Bly and Beatty.[8]

Around 1900, Bly had two general stores, two hotels, and a saloon.[11] A history published in 1905 referred to the surrounding area as the "precinct" or the "valley" and estimated its total population at 750.[11] The chief products of the valley at that time included cattle, horses, mules, and a few sheep, as well as oats, clover, and hay.[11]

In 1935, the United States Forest Service acquired a 4-acre (16,000 m2) site in Bly for a district ranger station to manage the western part of the Fremont National Forest. The Forest Service paid $625 (equivalent to $14,300 in 2024) for the property. The ranger station was built by Civilian Conservation Corps workers under the supervision of Forest Service district ranger Perry Smith. The seven original buildings at the Bly Ranger Station were constructed between 1936 and 1942. A modern administrative headquarters building was added to the compound in the 1960s. The ranger station compound was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.[12][13]

Memorial to the victims of the Japanese balloon bomb

### World War II

[edit]

Main article: Fu-Go balloon bomb

Bly is also the site of the only fatalities of World War II in the contiguous U.S. On May 5, 1945, a Japanese Fu-Go balloon bomb exploded as it was being pulled from the woods by curious picnickers.[10] Killed in the explosion were: Elsie Mitchell, 26, wife of minister Archie E. Mitchell; Edward Engen, 13; Richard Patzke, 14; Jay Gifford, 13; Sherman Shoemaker, 11; and Joan Patzke, 13.[14] Rev. Mitchell heard the explosion and discovered the bodies. The victims' families were compensated by the government. A memorial was erected at what is now the Mitchell Recreation Area.[15]

## Parks and recreation

[edit]

The OC&E Woods Line State Trail, the longest linear state park in Oregon, passes through Bly. The 100-mile (160 km) rail trail was built on the roadbeds of the former Oregon, California and Eastern Railway, which ran from Klamath Falls to Bly, and a former spur line, the Woods Line.[16]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
2. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Bly, Oregon
3. ^ a b "Census Population API". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
4. ^ "Bly OR ZIP Code". zipdatamaps.com. 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
5. ^ Moffatt, Riley Moore (1996). Population History of Western U.S. Cities and Towns, 1850–1990. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. p. 206\. ISBN 978-0-8108-3033-2.
6. ^ "Bly, Oregon Census Data". data.census.gov. United States Census. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
7. ^ a b The Road Atlas. Chicago: Rand McNally. 2013. pp. 84–85\. ISBN 978-052-80062-2-7.
8. ^ a b c Oregon Atlas & Gazetteer (7th ed.). Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. 2008. pp. 64, 84. ISBN 978-0-89933-347-2.
9. ^ Climate Summary for Bly, Oregon
10. ^ a b c McArthur, Lewis A.; McArthur, Lewis L. (2003) [1928]. Oregon Geographic Names (7th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. p. 94\. ISBN 978-0875952772.
11. ^ a b c d Shaver, F. A.; et al. (1905). An Illustrated History of Central Oregon Embracing Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam, Wheeler, Crook, Lake and Klamath Counties. Spokane, Washington: Western Publishing Co. p. 982\. OCLC 5436491. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
12. ^ Joslin, Les (1995). Uncle Sam's Cabins: A Visitors Guide to Historic U.S. Forest Service Ranger Stations of the West. Bend, Oregon: Wilderness Association. pp. 210–11\. ISBN 978-0-9647167-1-1. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
13. ^ Throop, E. Gail (April 1, 1980). "Bly Ranger Station, National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
14. ^ "Cherry-Red Shrapnel". Check-Six.com. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
15. ^ Juillerat, Lee (May 5, 2005). "Japanese balloon bomb killed six 60 years ago today". Herald and News. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
16. ^ "OC and E Woods Line State Trail". Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2013.

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Klamath County, Oregon, United States

County seat: Klamath Falls

Cities|

* Bonanza
* Chiloquin
* Klamath Falls
* Malin
* Merrill

Klamath County map

CDPs|

* Altamont
* Beatty
* Beaver Marsh
* Bly
* Chemult
* Crescent
* Crescent Lake
* Falcon Heights
* Fort Klamath
* Gilchrist
* Keno
* Oregon Shores
* Rocky Point
* Running Y Ranch
* Sprague River

Other
communities|

* Ady
* Algoma
* Cascade Summit
* Dairy
* Hager
* Hatfield‡
* Henley
* Hildebrand
* Kirk
* Klamath Agency
* Lake of the Woods
* Langell Valley
* Lenz
* Lorella
* Malone
* Midland
* Modoc Point
* Odessa
* Olene
* Pelican City
* Pine Grove
* Shevlin
* Worden
* Yonna

Indian reservation|

* Klamath Reservation

* Oregon portal
* United States portal

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* United States
* Israel

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