Uniontown, Washington

Uniontown
Town
Uniontown, Washington
Top: Aerial view of Uniontown in 2023, Bottom: Uniontown grain elevators alongside the highway
Location of Uniontown, Washington
Coordinates: 46°32′21″N117°5′7″W / 46.53917°N 117.08528°W / 46.53917; -117.08528
Country	United States
State	Washington
County	Whitman
Settled	1867
Founded	1879
Incorporated	1890
Founded by	Thomas Montgomery
Government [1]
• Type	Mayor–council
• Mayor	Mike Shore
Area [2]
• Total	0.92 sq mi (2.39 km2)
• Land	0.92 sq mi (2.39 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	2,582 ft (787 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	389
• Density	420/sq mi (160/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	99179
Area code	509
FIPS code	53-73360 [3]
GNIS feature ID	1509182 [4]
Website	uniontownwa.org

Uniontown is a town in Whitman County, Washington, United States. The population was 389 at the 2020 census. ^[5]

History

Men enjoying watermelon in Uniontown, circa 1910

Uniontown was first settled in 1867 by Thomas Freeborn Montgomery, who had travelled west in order to escape the violence of the American Civil War in 1863. ^[6] Montgomery filed for a homestead claim in 1874, and obtained a post office for Uniontown in 1878. Agreement could not be reached on a town name until the following year, when Joseph Cataldo, a Jesuit priest and missionary, suggested the name "Uniontown" after the similarly-named creek and flat nearby. ^[7] Thomas Montgomery was known to have been a challenging individual to maintain a positive relationship with, which lead to numerous conflicts with local businesses in Uniontown. As a result, several of these businesses relocated three miles down the road to the neighboring rival town of Colton. Despite this, Montgomery remained active in the real estate industry in Uniontown until his passing in 1883, which was allegedly the result of a dispute that turned deadly on December 8 of that year. Uniontown was incorporated in 1890.

Geography

Uniontown is located at 46°32′21″N117°5′7″W / 46.53917°N 117.08528°W / 46.53917; -117.08528 (46.539098, -117.085331). ^[8] The elevation is 2582 feet (787 m) above sea level.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.93 square miles (2.41 km²), all of it land. ^[9]

Climate

This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Uniontown has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps. ^[10]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1890	279		—
1900	404		44.8%
1910	426		5.4%
1920	404		−5.2%
1930	360		−10.9%
1940	332		−7.8%
1950	254		−23.5%
1960	242		−4.7%
1970	310		28.1%
1980	286		−7.7%
1990	277		−3.1%
2000	345		24.5%
2010	294		−14.8%
2020	389		32.3%
Source: [11] U.S. Decennial Census [12]

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, ^[13] there were 294 people, 130 households, and 85 families living in the town. The population density was 316.1 inhabitants per square mile (122.0/km²). There were 149 housing units at an average density of 160.2 per square mile (61.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.6% White, 0.3% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.

There were 130 households, of which 21.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% were married couples living together, 4.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.6% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.84.

The median age in the town was 44.6 years. 18.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.5% were from 25 to 44; 32.3% were from 45 to 64; and 17% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 51.4% male and 48.6% female.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, ^[3] there were 345 people, 133 households, and 96 families living in the town. The population density was 380.1 people per square mile (146.4/km²). There were 160 housing units at an average density of 176.3 per square mile (67.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.10% White, 0.58% Asian, 2.32% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.64% of the population.

There were 133 households, out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.2% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.1% were non-families. 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the town, the age distribution of the population shows 29.6% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $36,042, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $31,607 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,390. About 2.1% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

Churches

Saint Boniface Catholic Church

Saint Boniface Church, Convent & Rectory

The vast majority of the early settlers of Uniontown were primarily Swiss and German immigrants who practiced Roman Catholicism. The first Catholic Church in Uniontown was built out of wood in 1879, the same year that Uniontown was officially founded. Father Anton Joehren the local Catholic priest, played a constructive role in the early history of Uniontown, though like Thomas Montgomery his difficult nature often led to disputes. In 1888, he began plans to construct a grand brick and stone church, but construction ceased in 1893 when a dispute arose between the priest and some parishioners, resulting in only a foundation being laid. Friction with Fr. Joehren also led to the Benedictine Sisters relocating from Uniontown to Colton in 1894 and ultimately establishing the St. Gertrude Monastery in Cottonwood, Idaho in 1906. Following Fr. Joehren's removal, a new priest oversaw the congregation's construction of the current church, St. Boniface Church, which was completed in the spring of 1905, and consecrated in 1910, making it the first to be consecrated in the state of Washington. The church was designed by Herman Preusse and Julius Zittel and is built out of bricks in the Romanesque style, with two towers flanking the façade, and a front gable topped by a seven-foot statue of the Blessed Mother. The church retains much of its original pre-Vatican II appearance, including original stained-glass windows, altar rails, numerous statues, five altars, and numerous frescos. The church has resisted all attempts and proposals to modernize the interior and has insisted on keeping it as is, the only allowed noticeable change being the installment of an altar to celebrate the Novus Ordo facing the people.

Uniontown Community Church

There is also a small, non-denominational Christian, protestant church that is maintained by its congregants.

Law Enforcement

Uniontown maintains a Part-Time Chief of Police position to provide law enforcement services. When the Chief is off duty or otherwise not available, Whitman County Sheriff's Office handles calls for service and law enforcement in the town. The current Chief is also a full-time police officer in nearby Pullman, WA. In the last decade the former chiefs/officers have all been Moscow Police Department officers looking for additional part-time work with the exception of one officer in 2008–2010, thus bringing experienced officers to the town.

References

1. "Mayor & Town Council". Town of Uniontown. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
2. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
4. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
5. "Census Bureau profile: Uniontown, Washington". United States Census Bureau. May 2023. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
6. "Uniontown, Washington Official Website". Town of Uniontown, Washington. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
7. Phillips, James Wendell (1971). Washington State Place Names. Seattle: University of Washington Press. p. 149. Controversy over a suitable town name in 1879 was settled by Father Joseph Cataldo, S.J., who suggested the present title, as the community was a junction point of creeks and roads and because a Union Creek and a Union Flat already existed in the area.
8. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
9. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
10. Climate Summary for Uniontown, Washington
11. Moffatt, Riley. Population History of Western U.S. Cities & Towns, 1850-1990. Lanham: Scarecrow, 1996, 335.
12. United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing" . Retrieved September 24, 2014.
13. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved December 19, 2012.

External links

• Town of Uniontown - Official site
• Uniontown Washington - Uniontown Community Development Association