Dayton, Washington

"Dayton, WA" redirects here. For the place in Western Australia, see Dayton, Western Australia.

Dayton
City
Dayton, Washington
Columbia County Courthouse in Dayton
Location of Dayton, Washington
Coordinates: 46°19′11″N117°58′40″W / 46.31972°N 117.97778°W / 46.31972; -117.97778
Country	United States
State	Washington
County	Columbia
Area [1]
• Total	1.44 sq mi (3.73 km2)
• Land	1.44 sq mi (3.73 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,660 ft (506 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,448
• Density	1,700/sq mi (660/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP code	99328
Area code	509
FIPS code	53-16970
GNIS feature ID	1504356 [2]
Website	City of Dayton

Dayton is a city in and the county seat of Columbia County, Washington, United States. ^[3] The population was 2,448 at the 2020 census.

History

Historic railway depot in Dayton

Dayton was founded in the 1860s. A town site plat was filed by Jesse N. and Elizabeth Day on November 23, 1871. The city was officially incorporated on November 10, 1881, and was named for Jesse Day. ^[4] Dayton has the oldest train depot in Washington state, dating from 1881, and the oldest continuously used courthouse, operating since 1887. The historic community of Baileysburg was situated about one mile southeast of Dayton, at the junction of North Touchet and South Touchet Roads.^{[ citation needed ]}

In the 1980s and 1990s, the town underwent a $3 million restoration program, repairing the historic depot and historic courthouse, adding pedestrian amenities to Main Street, and creating a National Historic District. ^[5]

Geography

Dayton is located at 46°19′11″N117°58′40″W / 46.31972°N 117.97778°W / 46.31972; -117.97778 (46.319608, -117.977699). ^[6]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.43 square miles (3.70 km²), all of it land. ^[7] The Touchet River runs through Dayton.

Dayton has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) with hot summers (though nights are pleasantly cool) and chilly, though not severe, winters with only very moderate snowfall. Dayton's winter climate is somewhat milder than most of eastern Washington. Precipitation is moderate for most of the year except for a dry period between July and September, at which time major wildfires are very common in the region due to the hot days and very low humidity.

Climate data for Dayton, Washington (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	70 (21)	74 (23)	84 (29)	93 (34)	101 (38)	111 (44)	109 (43)	114 (46)	105 (41)	92 (33)	80 (27)	69 (21)	114 (46)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	41.5 (5.3)	46.2 (7.9)	53.9 (12.2)	61.1 (16.2)	69.9 (21.1)	76.8 (24.9)	87.6 (30.9)	86.7 (30.4)	77.2 (25.1)	62.9 (17.2)	49.3 (9.6)	40.7 (4.8)	62.8 (17.1)
Daily mean °F (°C)	34.0 (1.1)	37.2 (2.9)	43.4 (6.3)	49.4 (9.7)	57.2 (14.0)	63.4 (17.4)	71.3 (21.8)	70.5 (21.4)	62.2 (16.8)	50.4 (10.2)	40.2 (4.6)	33.6 (0.9)	51.1 (10.6)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	26.4 (−3.1)	28.2 (−2.1)	33.0 (0.6)	37.8 (3.2)	44.5 (6.9)	49.9 (9.9)	54.9 (12.7)	54.2 (12.3)	47.2 (8.4)	38.0 (3.3)	31.0 (−0.6)	26.5 (−3.1)	39.3 (4.1)
Record low °F (°C)	−22 (−30)	−22 (−30)	2 (−17)	12 (−11)	18 (−8)	22 (−6)	30 (−1)	28 (−2)	18 (−8)	7 (−14)	−10 (−23)	−25 (−32)	−25 (−32)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	2.08 (53)	1.72 (44)	2.24 (57)	1.86 (47)	1.80 (46)	1.24 (31)	0.39 (9.9)	0.45 (11)	0.73 (19)	1.54 (39)	2.43 (62)	2.31 (59)	18.79 (477)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	6.3 (16)	1.9 (4.8)	1.0 (2.5)	0.1 (0.25)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.1 (0.25)	1.2 (3.0)	5.2 (13)	15.8 (40)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	13.5	12.0	13.1	11.6	9.8	7.4	3.1	3.0	5.1	9.9	14.1	14.3	116.9
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)	3.4	2.4	0.9	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.1	1.0	3.6	11.5
Source: NOAA [8] [9]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	996		—
1890	1,880		88.8%
1900	2,216		17.9%
1910	2,389		7.8%
1920	2,695		12.8%
1930	2,528		−6.2%
1940	3,026		19.7%
1950	2,979		−1.6%
1960	2,913		−2.2%
1970	2,596		−10.9%
1980	2,565		−1.2%
1990	2,468		−3.8%
2000	2,655		7.6%
2010	2,526		−4.9%
2020	2,448		−3.1%
U.S. Decennial Census [10] 2020 Census [11]

2010 census

At the 2010 census there were 2,526 people, 1,082 households, and 670 families living in the city. The population density was 1,766.4 inhabitants per square mile (682.0/km²). There were 1,200 housing units at an average density of 839.2 per square mile (324.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.6% White, 0.4% African American, 1.9% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.6% Pacific Islander, 1.8% from other races, and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.1%. ^[12]

Of the 1,082 households 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.1% were non-families. 33.1% of households were one person and 15.8% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.85.

The median age was 46.3 years. 21.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.1% were from 25 to 44; 30% were from 45 to 64; and 22.2% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.0% male and 51.0% female.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 2,655 people, 1,081 households, and 695 families living in the city. The population density was 1,803.0 people per square mile (697.3/km²). There were 1,181 housing units at an average density of 802.0 per square mile (310.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.58% White, 0.30% African American, 1.05% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 3.54% from other races, and 2.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.17% of the population.

Of the 1,081 households 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.4% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 31.9% of households were one person and 15.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.02.

The age distribution was 25.8% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males.

The median household income was $31,409 and the median family income was $40,714. Males had a median income of $31,395 versus $21,339 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,925. About 10.3% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.0% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The city's public school system is managed by the Dayton School District, which covers the vast majority of Columbia County. ^[13]

A library within the city is operated by the Columbia County Rural Library District. People living in Dayton are in the library's taxation base, but not in the library's voting base; the voting area for the library only consists of unincorporated areas. ^[14] The library was established in 1919 as a small reading room while a women's civics club fundraised for a permanent building. The raised funds were transferred to the Dayton city government in 1935 and used to construct a public library in 1937 using New Deal funding; the building was later expanded in 1947. ^[15]

It is the only public library in Columbia County. A ballot measure submitted in 2023 proposed to close the rural library district, and therefore the library itself, entirely due to the placement and availability of children's books on racial issues and LGBT topics; amid then-ongoing book banning efforts in the United States, the library would have been the first one nationwide to close over such a dispute if it succeeded, according to the American Library Association. The library collection would be received by the Washington State Library if the rural library district was dissolved. ^[14] The initiative was ruled unconstitutional in September 2023 by the Columbia County Superior Court due to its exclusion of voters in incorporated areas; the ruling blocked the initiative from appearing on the November 2023 ballot. ^[16]

Notable residents

• Dmitri Borgmann, writer
• Frank Finkel, claimed lone survivor of the Battle of the Little Bighorn
• Frederick Gilbreath, United States Army General
• Robert Shields, diarist
• Jim Watkins, businessman

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
2. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  101.
5. Mapes, Lynda V. (August 11, 2005). "Painted ladies of Columbia County". The Seattle Times . p. G7. Archived from the original on February 10, 2009. Retrieved June 3, 2017.
6. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
7. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 2, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
8. "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
9. "Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
10. United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing" . Retrieved October 3, 2013.
11. "Census Bureau profile: Dayton, Washington". United States Census Bureau. May 2023. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
12. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved December 19, 2012.
13. 2020 Census – School District Reference Map: Columbia County, WA (PDF) (Map). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
14. Gutman, David (August 13, 2023). "Book battles are raging nationwide. A WA library could be nation's first to close". The Seattle Times . Retrieved August 14, 2023.
15. Smith, Kate (July 2, 2023). "Dayton Memorial Library through the years". Walla Walla Union-Bulletin . Retrieved August 14, 2023.
16. Gutman, David (September 20, 2023). "Embattled WA library wins lawsuit, won't shut down after book-ban fight". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 20, 2023.

External links

• Dayton Chamber of Commerce
• Columbia County Library
• Pictures of Dayton and Columbia County