Bend, Oregon

Bend is a city in and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States.[7] It is the principal city of the Bend Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bend is Central Oregon's most populous city, with a population of 99,178 at the time of the 2020 U.S. Census,[8] up from 76,693 at the time of the 2010 U.S. Census,[9] and 52,029 at the 2000 census. The Bend metro population was 198,253 as of the 2020 census, making it the 6th most populous city in Oregon. It is the fifth largest metropolitan area in Oregon.

Not to be confused with North Bend, Oregon.

Bend, Oregon
City
City of Bend
View of Pilot Butte from downtown, 2022
View of Pilot Butte from downtown, 2022
Motto: 
Bend: Living at Its Best
Location in Deschutes County
Location in Deschutes County
Bend is located in Oregon
Bend
Bend
Location in Oregon
Bend is located in the United States
Bend
Bend
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 44°3′N 121°18′W
CountryUnited States
StateOregon
CountyDeschutes
IncorporatedJanuary 4, 1904
Government
 • MayorMelanie Kebler (D)
Area
[1]
 • Total34.89 sq mi (90.37 km2)
 • Land34.65 sq mi (89.73 km2)
 • Water0.24 sq mi (0.63 km2)
Elevation
3,623 ft (1,104.3 m)
Population
 (2020)[2]
 • Total107,305
 • Density2,862.61/sq mi (1,105.27/km2)
DemonymBendite[3][4]
Time zoneUTC−8 (PST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Codes
97701–97703, 97707–97709
Area codes458 and 541
FIPS code41-05800[5]
GNIS feature ID1137914[6]
Websitewww.bendoregon.gov

Bend is located on the eastern edge of the Cascade Range along the Deschutes River. There the Ponderosa pine forest transitions into the high desert, characterized by arid land, junipers, sagebrush, and bitterbrush. Originally a crossing point on the river, settlement began in the early 1900s. Bend was incorporated as a city in 1905. Economically, it started as a logging town but is now identified as a gateway for many outdoor sports, including mountain biking, fishing, hiking, camping, rock climbing, white-water rafting, skiing, paragliding, and golf. As of 2023, the city is also the home of the last Blockbuster video rental store.

History
Downtown, c. 1920

The name "Bend" was derived from "Farewell Bend", the designation used by early pioneers to refer to the location along the Deschutes River where the town was eventually platted, one of the few fordable points along the river.

Native Americans hunted and fished here. In the winter of 1824, members of a fur-trapping party led by Peter Skene Ogden visited the area. John C. Frémont, John Strong Newberry, and other Army survey parties came next. Then pioneers heading farther west passed through the area and forded the Deschutes River at Farewell Bend.

Constructed in May 1901, the Pilot Butte Development Company's little plant was the first commercial sawmill in Bend. The original location was at the rear of the Pilot Butte Inn of later years. Steidl and Reed also set up a small mill in Bend in 1903. This was on the Deschutes River just below the Pioneer Park area. The mill was operated by water power.[10]

A small community developed around the area. In 1904, a city was incorporated by a general vote of the community's 300 residents. On January 4, 1905, the city held its first official meeting as an incorporated municipality, appointing A. H. Goodwillie as the first mayor. The settlement was originally called "Farewell Bend", which was later shortened to "Bend" by the United States Post Office Department.

In 1910, Mirror Pond was created by the construction of the Bend Water, Light & Power Company dam on the Deschutes River in Bend. The dam provided the city with its initial source of electricity. The dam has been owned by Pacific Power since 1926 and still produces electricity that supplies approximately 200 Bend households.[11] In 1916, Deschutes County was formed from the western half of Crook County and Bend was designated as the county seat.[12] In 1929, Bend amended the charter and adopted the council–manager form of government.

On August 28, 2022, a mass shooting occurred at a Safeway grocery store in Bend. Two senior citizens, one of whom was an employee at the store, were killed, and two others were wounded before the gunman committed suicide.[13]

Geography

Bend sits on the boundary of the Eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills, a Level III ecoregion designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. states of Oregon, Washington, and California, and the Deschutes River Valley, a Level IV ecoregion within the Blue Mountains Level III ecoregion.[14]

The Deschutes River runs through Bend, where it is dammed to form Mirror Pond.[11] Bend's elevation is 3,623 feet (1,104 metres) above sea level.[15] The city has a total area of 33.27 square miles (86.17 square kilometres), of which 33.01 sq mi (85.50 km2) is land and 0.26 sq mi (0.67 km2) is water.[16]

Inside the city limits is Pilot Butte State Scenic Viewpoint, an old cinder cone. Bend is one of three cities in the continental U.S. (with Portland, Oregon, and Jackson, Mississippi) to have an extinct volcano within its city limits.[17] It is reached by U.S. Route 20. A lesser known characteristic of Bend, the Horse Lava Tube System enters and borders the eastern edge of the city.[18][19] Just south of Bend is Newberry National Volcanic Monument on U.S. Route 97.

Climate
Bend, Oregon
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
1.4
 
 
43
25
 
 
1
 
 
46
24
 
 
0.7
 
 
52
28
 
 
0.8
 
 
58
31
 
 
1
 
 
66
37
 
 
0.7
 
 
74
42
 
 
0.4
 
 
84
49
 
 
0.4
 
 
83
48
 
 
0.3
 
 
76
41
 
 
0.7
 
 
63
34
 
 
1.3
 
 
49
28
 
 
2
 
 
41
23
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches
Source:NOAA
Metric conversion
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
36
 
 
6
−4
 
 
25
 
 
8
−4
 
 
18
 
 
11
−2
 
 
20
 
 
14
−1
 
 
25
 
 
19
3
 
 
17
 
 
23
6
 
 
11
 
 
29
9
 
 
8.9
 
 
29
9
 
 
7.9
 
 
24
5
 
 
17
 
 
17
1
 
 
32
 
 
10
−2
 
 
51
 
 
5
−5
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm

Bend's climate is typical of the high desert with cool nights and sunny days, classified as semi-arid (Köppen climate classification BSk). Annual precipitation averages 11.2 in (280 mm). Annual average snowfall is 23.8 inches (60.5 cm).[20] The winter season in Bend provides a mean temperature of 31.1 °F (−0.5 °C) in December.[20] Nighttime temperatures are not much lower than daytime highs during the winter. Annually, the lowest nighttime temperature is typically −5 °F (−21 °C) to −10 °F (−23 °C) (Zone 6).[21]

Central Oregon summers are marked by their very large diurnal temperature ranges, with a July daily average of 64.5 °F (18.1 °C), and an average diurnal temperature variation approaching 35 °F (20 °C).[20] Hard frosts are not unheard of during the summer months. Autumn usually brings warm, dry days and cooler nights. Bend is known for its annual Indian summer.

Bend's growing season is short; according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Resources Conservation Service, in half of the years between 1971 and 2000, the USDA weather station in Bend recorded the last below-freezing temperatures after July 3 and the first below-freezing temperatures before August 31.[22] Based on 1981–2010 normals, the average window for freezing temperatures is September 13 through June 19.

Monthly and Annual Average Temperatures (deg F), Bend, 1991–2020[20]
Parameter Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual
Mean number of days

Max 90 or more

 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 1.2 7.0 6.0 1.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 15.7
Min 32 or less 25.0 24.2 24.1 19.4 9.0 1.9 0.0 0.3 3.3 13.9 20.6 26.2 167.9
Max 32 or less 4.6 2.4 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 1.3 4.6 13.5
Min 0 or less 0.2 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.8 1.8
Climate data for Bend, Oregon (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1901–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 71
(22)		 76
(24)		 83
(28)		 93
(34)		 93
(34)		 107
(42)		 104
(40)		 103
(39)		 100
(38)		 91
(33)		 77
(25)		 68
(20)		 107
(42)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 57.3
(14.1)		 59.8
(15.4)		 67.6
(19.8)		 76.3
(24.6)		 83.3
(28.5)		 88.9
(31.6)		 94.8
(34.9)		 94.9
(34.9)		 90.0
(32.2)		 80.2
(26.8)		 66.2
(19.0)		 55.0
(12.8)		 96.5
(35.8)
Average high °F (°C) 42.5
(5.8)		 45.7
(7.6)		 51.7
(10.9)		 57.7
(14.3)		 66.3
(19.1)		 73.7
(23.2)		 83.8
(28.8)		 83.3
(28.5)		 75.8
(24.3)		 63.0
(17.2)		 49.1
(9.5)		 41.0
(5.0)		 61.1
(16.2)
Daily mean °F (°C) 33.6
(0.9)		 35.0
(1.7)		 39.7
(4.3)		 44.1
(6.7)		 51.6
(10.9)		 57.8
(14.3)		 66.2
(19.0)		 65.5
(18.6)		 58.5
(14.7)		 48.3
(9.1)		 38.6
(3.7)		 32.1
(0.1)		 47.6
(8.7)
Average low °F (°C) 24.6
(−4.1)		 24.3
(−4.3)		 27.6
(−2.4)		 30.5
(−0.8)		 37.0
(2.8)		 42.0
(5.6)		 48.6
(9.2)		 47.8
(8.8)		 41.3
(5.2)		 33.7
(0.9)		 28.2
(−2.1)		 23.3
(−4.8)		 34.1
(1.2)
Mean minimum °F (°C) 7.3
(−13.7)		 8.8
(−12.9)		 16.6
(−8.6)		 20.6
(−6.3)		 25.3
(−3.7)		 31.1
(−0.5)		 38.5
(3.6)		 37.5
(3.1)		 29.1
(−1.6)		 19.7
(−6.8)		 12.3
(−10.9)		 5.9
(−14.5)		 −1.6
(−18.7)
Record low °F (°C) −26
(−32)		 −26
(−32)		 −13
(−25)		 8
(−13)		 11
(−12)		 21
(−6)		 27
(−3)		 22
(−6)		 12
(−11)		 0
(−18)		 −14
(−26)		 −25
(−32)		 −26
(−32)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.41
(36)		 0.99
(25)		 0.70
(18)		 0.79
(20)		 0.97
(25)		 0.68
(17)		 0.44
(11)		 0.35
(8.9)		 0.31
(7.9)		 0.65
(17)		 1.26
(32)		 2.01
(51)		 10.62
(270)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 6.4
(16)		 5.5
(14)		 1.5
(3.8)		 0.7
(1.8)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.2
(0.51)		 2.0
(5.1)		 5.3
(13)		 21.6
(55)
Average precipitation days 8.7 7.1 6.0 6.0 5.3 3.8 2.2 2.1 2.0 4.0 7.0 8.8 63.0
Average snowy days 4.2 2.8 1.2 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 1.4 3.6 13.9
Mean monthly sunshine hours 173.6 159.6 235.6 300.0 327.0 339.0 372.0 368.9 324.0 207.7 189.0 167.4 3,163.8
Mean daily sunshine hours 5.6 5.7 7.6 10.0 10.9 11.3 12.0 11.9 10.8 6.7 6.3 5.4 8.7
Percent possible sunshine 60 54 63 74 74 73 79 86 86 60 65 61 70
Source 1: NOAA[20][23]
Source 2: Weather Atlas [24]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1910536—
19205,415910.3%
19308,84863.4%
194010,02113.3%
195011,40913.9%
196011,9364.6%
197013,71014.9%
198017,26325.9%
199020,46918.6%
200052,029154.2%
201076,63947.3%
202099,17829.4%
2022 (est.)103,254[25]4.1%
source:[26]
U.S. Decennial Census[27][2]
The location of the Bend-Prineville CSA and its components:
  Bend Metropolitan Statistical Area
  Prineville Micropolitan Statistical Area

Bend is the larger principal city of the Bend-Prineville CSA, a Combined Statistical Area that includes the Bend metropolitan area (Deschutes County) and the Prineville micropolitan area (Crook County),[28][29][30] which had a combined estimated population of 216,310 by the United States Census Bureau in 2008.[5]

2010 census

As of the census[31] of 2010, there were 76,639 people, 31,790 households, and 19,779 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,321.7/sq mi (896.4/km2). There were 36,110 housing units at an average density of 1,093.9/sq mi (422.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 91.3% White, 0.5% African American, 0.8% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.4% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 8.2% of the population.

There were 31,790 households, of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.8% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.91.

The median age in the city was 36.6 years. 23.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 30% were from 25 to 44; 25.1% were from 45 to 64; and 12.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.0% male and 51.0% female.

2000 census

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 52,029 people, 21,062 households, and 13,395 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,624.8 people per sq mi (627.4/km2). There were 22,507 housing units at an average density of 702.9 per sq mi (271.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.98% White, 0.28% African American, 0.79% Native American, 1.00% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.75% from other races, and 2.12% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 4.61% of the population.

There were 21,062 households, out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.2% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42, and the average family size was 2.92.

The age distribution was 24.5% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $40,857, and in 2006 the median income for a family of four is $58,800. Males had a median income of $33,377 versus $25,094 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,624. About 6.9% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.8% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
A median household income map of Bend

Tourism is one of Bend's largest sectors. The Mount Bachelor ski resort brings in tourists from all over Oregon, Washington, and California. The nearby Cascade Lakes are also a large draw for tourists. Recreational activities include downhill and cross country skiing, hiking, biking, rafting, golfing, camping, fishing, picnicking, rock climbing, and general sightseeing. Transient room tax revenues through the first quarter of fiscal year 2015 equaled $2,221,610.[32]

The transient room tax is used in partnership with Visit Bend and the Bend Economic Development Advisory Board to convert visitors to Bend into residents and business owners.[33] In 2011, Visit Bend reported that families are the largest demographic that visit Bend (35%), while couples with no children make up the second largest portion (24%) of visitors to the city.[34] During the same year, tourism generated $570 million and employed 16% of the city's workforce.[34] Brauns, L. (2021, November 21). According to a 2019 economic impact data from Travel Oregon, “the local tourism industry employs 10,000 people and brings in more than $1 billion into the regional economy” [35]

Room taxes attributed to tourism in Bend is divided up to be given back to the community. Bend, Oregon depends on $7 million in the room tax income that essentially funds services for Streets, Fire, and Police. $3 million are specifically contributed to Tourism Promotion.[36] As of April 2021, the Bend City Council has agreed to spend an undisclosed portion of the $3 million to maintain some of the trails in the city.[37]

Bend is home to the Deschutes Brewery, the eighth-largest craft brewery in the nation and the largest of over a dozen microbreweries in the city.[38] Each year the city hosts many events celebrating its brewing culture, including the Bend Oktoberfest, the Little Woody Barrel Aged Brew and Whiskey Fest, Bend Brewfest, and Central Oregon Beer Week. Beer aficionados can also visit many of the breweries along the Bend Ale Trail. As of 2018, there were 23 breweries in Bend[39] and 4 hard cider companies. Since 2017, Bend's Worthy Brewing has hosted an observatory with a 16-inch reflecting Ritchey–Chrétien telescope.[40][41]

The last remaining Blockbuster in the world, on Route 20 and Revere Ave

In 2005, Bend's economic profile comprised five industry categories: tourism (7,772 jobs); healthcare and social services (6,062 jobs); professional, scientific and technical services (1,893 jobs); wood products manufacturing (1,798 jobs); and recreation and transportation equipment (1,065 jobs).[42]

In 2019, the officially licensed Blockbuster Video in the city became the last remaining one in the world.[43][44]

Much of Bend's rapid growth in recent years is also due to its attraction as a retirement destination. The rapid population growth has fostered organizations such as Central Oregon Landwatch and Oregon Solutions.[45]

Bend has also become a commuter town for a number of tech workers in the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle metropolitan area despite the extreme commute, due to its appeal to the outdoors as well as its relatively cheap cost of living compared to the skyrocketing rent and housing prices of the Bay Area and Seattle.[46][47]

Lumber mill and Pilot Butte

Construction and real estate

In 2005 construction and real estate accounted for 17.3 percent of all jobs in the Bend metropolitan statistical area (MSA), which constitutes all of Deschutes County.[48] This figure is about 70 percent more than the proportion of construction and real estate jobs in the Oregon and national economies.[49] Construction activity in Bend appears to be slowing. The number of building permit applications received by the Bend City Building Division fell from 826 in August 2006 to 533 in August 2007, a 35 percent decrease.[50]

A large influx of new residents drawn by Bend's lifestyle amenities, along with the low interest rates and easy lending that fostered a national housing boom in 2001–05, resulted in increased activity in Bend's construction and real estate sectors and caused the rate of home price appreciation in Bend to grow substantially during that period.[51] Median home prices in the Bend MSA increased by over 80% in the 2001–05 period.[52]

In June 2006, Money magazine named the Bend MSA the fifth most overpriced real estate market in the United States.[53] By September 2006, the Bend metro area ranked second in the list of most overpriced housing markets, and in June 2007 it was named the most overpriced housing market in America.[54][55]

The 2008−09 housing downturn had a strong effect on Bend's housing and economic situation. According to the Seattle Times,[56] single-family home prices dropped more than 40 percent from a peak of $396,000 in May 2007 to $221,000 in March 2009. Additional signs of the housing downturn include an April 2009 Deschutes county unemployment rate of 12.6 percent and in a tri-county area of Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties a 66 percent rise in homelessness from 2006 to 2,237.[56]

In May 2010, the Federal Housing and Finance Agency released a report in which Bend had the largest price drop in the country, 23 percent, from first quarter of 2009 to the first quarter of 2010.[57]

Arts and culture
Tower Theatre
Mirror Pond from Drake Park during the winter

The city is becoming known for its burgeoning art scene, and is home to numerous visual and fine art galleries,[58] as well as the independent BendFilm Festival, which launched in 2004.[59]

There are numerous public art displays, including the Roundabout Art Route tour of outdoor sculptures throughout the city.

Museums

National Register of Historic Places

Attractions

Natural history

Sports

Bend is home to the Bend Elks of the West Coast Collegiate Baseball League. The Elks play at Vince Genna Stadium. Former minor league teams include the Bend Rockies, Bend Bucks, Bend Phillies, Bend Timber Hawks, and Bend Rainbows.

Bend is also the home of the Central Oregon Hotshots of the International Basketball League. The Central Oregon Steelheaders, continually one of the top teams in the NW conference of the Premier Arena Soccer League (PASL), play at the Central Oregon Indoor Sports Center in Bend.

Bend is the home of the professional cross-country skiing team XC Oregon, which competes in races locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.[60]

Bend has had success in landing major sporting events such as the 2008 and 2009 USA Winter Triathlon National Championships, the 2008 and 2009 XTERRA Trail Running National Championships, the 2009 and 2010 United States National Cyclo-cross Championships, the 2009 and 2010 USA Cycling Elite Road National Championships and the 2013, 2015 and 2016 USA Cross Country Championships.[61]

In 2019 and 2020, Bend hosted USA Climbing's pro and youth National Bouldering Championships.[62][63]

A popular spot for cycling, Bend has over 300 mi (480 km) of mountain bike trails and is the home to the Cascade Cycling Classic, the nation's longest running stage race for road bicycle racing. Bend was recently named the top mountain bike city in Mountain Bike Action magazine.

Bend features the Bend Roughriders RFC, a men's division 3 Rugby Football Club.[64]

Bend's Lava City Roller Dolls became a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association in April, 2009.[65]

Bend's Pole Pedal Paddle is one of the Pacific Northwest's premier athletic events. It is a relay race held each spring with six legs that include alpine skiing/snowboarding, cross-country skiing, biking, running, canoeing/kayaking and sprinting. The event begins at Mount Bachelor and ends in the Old Mill District.[66]

Bend is also home to the Deschutes County Rocks Boxing Team, a USA Boxing program ran by Level III USA Boxing coach Richard Miller, who is also the Golden Gloves & Silver Gloves President. February of each year Coach Miller hosts the Oregon State Golden Gloves Boxing Championship at Eagle Crest resort, a two-day event that highlights the best Olympic-bound boxers in the Northwest while bringing hundreds of boxing fans to the area. The program is non-profit and raises money for youth in the community.[67]

Running is also a popular sport in Bend. The city is home to the Cascade Lakes Relay, Bend Beer Chase, Haulin' Aspen Trail Marathon, XTERRA Trail Running National Championships, and the Pilot Butte Challenge. The Cascade Lakes Relay is the largest sporting event in Central Oregon with over 3,000 participants each year. One of the largest running clubs in Bend is Central Oregon Running Klub (CORK). In 2006 Bend was named the best trail running city by Outside magazine,[68] because of 51 mi (82 km) of in-town trails.[69] Runners also enjoy parks such as Shevlin, Tumalo Falls, and Deschutes River Trail.

With the opening of the Bend Pavilion ice rink in 2015, Bend established its first USA Hockey sanctioned amateur ice hockey program, the Bend Rapids. The Rapids field four different teams in the 10u, 12u, 14u and high school divisions. In January the pavilion hosts the Cascade Invitational Hockey tournament. The three-day tournament features amateur hockey teams from Washington and Oregon.

Parks and recreation
Farewell Bend Park

The Bend Park & Recreation District protects the parks, natural areas, recreational facilities, gardens, and trails of Bend.

Education

Higher Education

Central Oregon Community College and the OSU-Cascades Campus of Oregon State University offer two- and four-year programs.

Public schools

The Bend area is served by Bend–La Pine School District. It contains five high schools (Bend, Marshall, Mountain View, La Pine, Caldera High School, and Summit). It also contains six middle schools (Cascade, High Desert, Pilot Butte, Pacific Crest, La Pine and Sky View), and 19 elementary schools which include three magnet schools.

Within Bend-LaPine, additional special schools include an environmentally focused middle school and high school called Realms. Charter schools include Desert Sky Montessori and the K-8 Bend International School.[70]

Private schools

Private schools in the area include Eastmont School, Cascades Academy of Central Oregon, Seven Peaks, Waldorf School of Bend, St. Francis of Assisi, Morning Star Christian, and Trinity Lutheran School.

Media
Newspapers
Television
  • KOAB-TV 3 (PBS)
  • KTVZ 21 (NBC) - The region's first broadcast TV station (launched in 1977).
  • KFXO-CD 39 (FOX) - On April 17, 2006, the station launched a local news broadcast. The station later was purchased by KTVZ's parent firm, News-Press and Gazette Co.
  • KOHD 51 (ABC) - Chambers Communications (Eugene, Oregon) recently purchased a broadcast license for the market and began its local newscasts in the fall of 2007.[71]
  • KBNZ-LD 7 (CBS) - TDS, parent company of Bend Broadband, has purchased KBNZ. KOIN-TV Portland's news is offered with no local cut-ins.
  • NTVZ-CW (CW). KTVZ (DT2). Broadcast by NPG of Oregon, The CW carries popular entertainment programming. First local on-air broadcast was September 2006.
  • KQRE-TM (Telemundo). Subchannel of KFXO-CD. Spanish language television broadcast by NPG of Oregon since 2007.
  • COTV 11 - Carries RSN (Resort Sports Network), local events (parades, city council meetings, candidate forums). In addition, COTV airs local sports, including the Central Oregon Hotshots, Bend Elks, and local high school teams.
Radio

AM

FM

Infrastructure

Air

The nearest commercial airport is Roberts Field (RDM) in Redmond, 18 mi (29 km) north of Bend. Alaska Airlines, Avelo Airlines, Horizon Air and SkyWest Airlines (flying as Alaska Airlines, American Eagle, Delta Connection and United Express) provide direct service to Burbank, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Denver, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. The U.S. Forest Service operates an air base and training center for firefighting.

Bend Municipal Airport (KBDN) is located 5 mi (8 km) northeast of the city and serves general aviation. Several significant general aviation companies are based at Bend Airport, including Precise Flight, which develops oxygen systems, speed brakes, landing lights and other modifications for general aviation aircraft, and Epic Aircraft.

Bus

The Bend Hawthorne Transit Center is a hub for the Cascades East Transit center with connections to intercity bus services including Pacific Crest Bus Lines, POINT Intercity Bus Service, the People Mover, and the Central Oregon Breeze.[73]

Bend was previously the only metropolitan area west of the Mississippi River without a public bus system. A measure that would have created a transit district was on the November 2004 ballot, but was defeated 53 to 41 percent. As of August 2006, however, funding was acquired and the B.A.T. (Bend Area Transit) bus service began on a limited basis. Buses have been running since September 27, 2006.[74]

During summer 2007, not a single bus purchased was in operation (though several were due to weak A/C systems) and litigation was underway.[75]

There are currently nine fixed bus routes offered by Cascades East Transit[76] in Bend. The city is also started experimenting with a shared-ride van in 2019.[77] The project was initially designed to find a replacement for a cancelled route that had limited riders.[78]

Roads and highways
Roundabout sculptures
Horse on Butler Market & 8th
Crescent moon on Shevlin Park Rd

Bend lies at the intersection of U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 97. The latter runs on an expressway alignment through the city known as the Bend Parkway; a business route for US 97 runs along 3rd Street. The city is also served by the Century Drive Highway No. 372 which provides access to Mount Bachelor.

In an effort to improve the safety of the city's non-driving residents, Bend has been implementing roundabouts within the city.[79]

Rail

A BNSF main line runs north–south through the city; there are numerous spurs off of the main line which serve industrial rail customers. The Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway ran passenger service six days a week on a mixed train along that line from Bend to Wishram, Washington until some point between 1968 and 1970.[80][81] The closest Amtrak station is in Chemult, approximately 65 mi (105 km) to the south; it is served by the Seattle–Los Angeles Coast Starlight.

Sustainable practices

In 2016, Bend adopted the Transportation System Plan, which is a 20-year plan that strives to achieve a healthy, equitable future for the entire community. The city is using community input to help this plan move forward, using experiments and data to drive their decisions on how people move within the city while incorporating land use throughout.[82]

In July 2019, Oregon State University Cascade launched a ride share program as part of a study called Ride Bend, which was active until March 2020. Ride Bend hired the transit company Downtowner to help set up and implement an on demand, app based, electric van service in Bend's west side. Part of Ride Bend's study was to see whether people prefer sharing rides to get to their destination over fixed bus routes.[83]

Ride Bend noticed that few people were using public transportation within the city, and many bus systems, such as Cascades East Transit, had to cancel their services because not enough people were taking the bus. Ride Bend not only succeeded in getting people to use public transportation again, effectively helping with traffic calming, but they also brought people to broader areas within the city.[83]

An estimated 40,000 people have moved to Bend since the Transportation System Plan was written, and most of them brought cars with them.[84]

While Ride Bend is directly addressing carbon emissions, plenty of other businesses surrounding Bend are reducing the amount of impact a car has on the environment after its use. Tires can be processed and reused, batteries and oil can be treated so no toxic waste gets put into the surface runoff in the streets and landfill.[84] While the Transportation System Plan just began in 2016, the city looks towards a 20-year investment in creating a brighter future in transportation use and waste management.

Notable people

Sister cities
Main article: List of twin towns and sister cities in the United States

Bend has multiple sister cities:

See also

References
  1. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  2. "Census Population API". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  3. "Renaissance Bendites: Two among us who do it all". The Source Weekly. October 17, 2012. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  4. Jasper, David (April 19, 2013). "Bendites show at ceramic showcase". The Bulletin. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  5. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  6. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  7. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  8. "Census - Table Results". US Census Bureau. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  9. "2010 Census Total Population Table". US Census Bureau. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  10. Phil F. Brogan. "Visitor Information Service" (PDF). Deschutes National Forest. 1969 (pg 116). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 18, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
  11. "Mirror Pond: Bend, Oregon's Lake on the Deschutes River". mirrorpond.info. City of Bend, Oregon. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  12. "Bend Selected County Seat". The Bend Bulletin. Vol. XIV, no. 4. Bend, OR: University of Oregon Libraries - Historic Oregon Newspapers. December 20, 1916. p. 1. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  13. "Bend PD release new info on Safeway shooting: Over 100 shots fired; hero went after gunman with produce knife". KTVZ. August 30, 2022.
  14. File:Level IV ecoregions, Pacific Northwest.png
  15. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  16. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 20, 2011. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
  17. "Mt. Tabor Park". Portland Parks & Recreation. Retrieved August 3, 2007.
  18. Skeels, Matt (February 5, 2012). "Horse Lava Tube System". Archived from the original on December 25, 2017. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
  19. Champion, Duane E. (May 14, 2002). "Mapping Newberry Volcano's Extensive North Flank Basalts". Archived from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  20. "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Bend, OR". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  21. Jordan, Ramon (January 24, 2012). "USNA - USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: North-West US". Archived from the original on December 10, 2013. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  22. "National Water & Climate Center - Climate Information". Archived from the original on July 13, 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  23. "NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Pendleton". National Weather Service. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  24. "Bend, Oregon, USA - Monthly weather forecast and Climate data". Weather Atlas. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
  25. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Hagerstown city, Maryland". www.census.gov. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  26. Moffatt, Riley. Population History of Western U.S. Cities & Towns, 1850-1990. Lanham: Scarecrow, 1996, 206.
  27. United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing". Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  28. METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS AND COMPONENTS Archived May 26, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Office of Management and Budget, 2007-05-11. Accessed 2008-08-01.
  29. MICROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS AND COMPONENTS Archived June 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Office of Management and Budget, 2007-05-11. Accessed 2008-08-01.
  30. COMBINED STATISTICAL AREAS AND COMPONENT CORE BASED STATISTICAL AREAS Archived June 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Office of Management and Budget, 2007-05-11. Accessed 2008-08-01.
  31. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
  32. "Bend Tourism Letter". Visit Bend. Archived from the original on December 8, 2014. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
  33. "Visit Bend Marketing Plan" (PDF). Visit Bend. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 24, 2016. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
  34. "Visit Bend Business Plan 2011" (PDF). Visit Bend. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 24, 2016. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
  35. Brauns, L. (2021, November 21). Tourism tensions. Bend. Retrieved November 28, 2021, from https://www.bendsource.com/bend/tourism-tensions/Content?oid=12443252.
  36. City of bend. Tourism | City of Bend. (n.d.) Retrieved November 27, 2021, from https://www.bendoregon.gov/government/departments/economic-development/tourism.
  37. Bend City Council approves spending tourism money on Trail Maintenance. Central Oregon Daily. (2021, April 22). Retrieved November 28, 2021, from https://centraloregondaily.com/bend-city-council-approves-spending-tourism-money-on-trail-maintenance/.
  38. "Central Oregon Brewers Guild". Central Oregon Brewers Guild. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
  39. "Best Breweries in Bend Oregon: Full List and Map". Bend Explored. February 5, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  40. Anderson, Jen (July 19, 2017). "Stargaze at Worthy Brewing's Hopservatory". Travel Oregon. Archived from the original on August 11, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  41. Scheidt, Donald (March 4, 2018). "Bend's Worthy Brewing Is the World's Only Combination Brewery and Observatory". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on March 5, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  42. "Bend, OR Economy at a Glance". www.bls.gov. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  43. Bulletin, KYLE SPURR The (February 4, 2020). "Blockbuster in Italy startles Bend woman". The Bulletin. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  44. Lou, Michelle; Saeed, Ahmed (March 6, 2019). "There's now only one Blockbuster left on the planet". CNN. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  45. "Oregon Solutions". Archived from the original on July 27, 2011.
  46. Castillo, Michelle (March 4, 2018). "Bend, Oregon, is becoming a commuter town for Silicon Valley despite the 10-hour drive". CNBC. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  47. Schwartz, Ariel (March 6, 2018). "San Francisco is so expensive, people are commuting from an Oregon town that's a 10-hour drive away". Business Insider. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  48. "BEA : Local Area Personal Income". May 23, 2011. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  49. "Economy endures in housing slump | The Bulletin". Bendbulletin.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  50. "Welcome to the City of Bend Oregon Website - Statistics - Building Division". November 13, 2005. Archived from the original on November 13, 2005. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  51. "Bend housing market data and appreciation trends - NeighborhoodScout". www.neighborhoodscout.com. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  52. "MONEY Magazine Real Estate: Bend". CNN. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013.
  53. Christie, Les (June 12, 2006). "'Overpriced' housing gets more overpriced". CNN.
  54. Christie, Les (September 21, 2006). "More home markets 'extremely' overvalued". CNN.
  55. Christie, Les (June 15, 2007). "Overheated housing markets cool down". CNN.
  56. Bernton, Hal (April 12, 2009). "Oregon's "New West" tumbles, another sign of hard times". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on April 15, 2009.
  57. Bjork, Nick (May 28, 2010). "Bend leads nation in home depreciation". The Daily Journal of Commerce.
  58. http://bendgalleries.com/
  59. "Reflecting on 15 Years of Cinematic Fun". BendFilm. July 17, 2018. Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  60. "XC Oregon". XC Oregon. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  61. "USA Track & Field - Open Men Overall".
  62. "2019, 2020 USA Climbing Bouldering National Championships Announced for Bend, Oregon". Climbing Magazine. February 7, 2018. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  63. "USA Climbing Bouldering Nationals". visitcentraloregon.com. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  64. "Bend Rugby". Bend Rugby. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  65. "Official Site". Lava City Roller Dolls. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
  66. "Competing in the Pole Pedal Paddle in Bend, Oregon: Everything you need to know - Travel Spark". Travel Spark. July 25, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  67. Brey, Brianna. "Outside the Box". The Source Weekly - Bend. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  68. "Best Outside Towns: Bend, Oregon | Bend". OutsideOnline.com. Archived from the original on October 30, 2010. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
  69. "Trail Running and Running Events in Bend Oregon". Visitbend.com. Archived from the original on March 14, 2010. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
  70. "Bend LaPine Schools". Niche. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  71. "KOHD Official Website". Copyright 2006 by KOHD, Inc. Retrieved February 4, 2007.
  72. "Listen | KWAX". kwax.uoregon.edu. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  73. "Bend Bus Service | Ride in Bend, Oregon with CET".
  74. Preusch, Matthew. "Fixed-route buses are coming to Bend". The Oregonian. Retrieved November 8, 2006.
  75. Sachs, Peter. "Why Aren't Any of Bend's Big Blue Buses on the Road?". Bend Bulletin. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved August 28, 2007.
  76. "Bend Bus Service | Ride in Bend, Oregon with CET". Cascades East Transit. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  77. sources, KTVZ news (January 21, 2020). "Surge in riders prompts continued free Ride Bend van service". KTVZ. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  78. Brauns, Laurel. "Public Transit of the Future?". The Source Weekly - Bend. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  79. Corrigan, Hilary (August 21, 2019). "More Roundabouts, Sidewalks on the Way". Source Weekly. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  80. "Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway, Table 3". Official Guide of the Railways. National Railway Publication Company. 101 (1). June 1968.
  81. "Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway, Table 3, freight only". Official Guide of the Railways. National Railway Publication Company. 102 (12). May 1970.
  82. City of Bend. "Transportation System Plan". bendoregon.gov. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  83. Brauns, Laurel (February 7, 2020). "Public Transit of the Future?". Source Weekly. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  84. Johnson, Suzanne (October 30, 2019). "Wasted in Bend: Automobiles". Source Weekly. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  85. Bulletin, MARK MORICAL The (June 25, 2022). "Memory of a lifetime: Bend's Ashton Eaton reflects on his world-record decathlon performance at Hayward Field 10 years ago". The Bulletin. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  86. "Laurenne Ross Team USA Bio". Team USA Athlete Biographies. Archived from the original on December 29, 2015. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  87. "Oregon Sister Relationships". [Economic and Community Development Department / Way Back Machine]. Archived from the original on March 13, 2005. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
  88. "City Edition > August 2009". City of Bend. Archived from the original on September 24, 2009. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
  89. "Condega Open House" (PDF). October 10, 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 19, 2011. Retrieved July 30, 2009.
  90. "Sister City". April 1, 2009. Retrieved July 30, 2009.
  91. "10_13_08_Work_Session" (PDF). October 13, 2008. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 19, 2011. Retrieved July 30, 2009.
  92. "Bend's New Sister City Belluno, Italy - Cascade Business News". May 31, 2011. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  93. "Bend Sister City Foundation". Bend Sister City Foundation. Archived from the original on July 27, 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
    Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bend, Oregon.
    Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Bend, Oregon.
    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.