Bend, Oregon

Geography and History

Bend is a city in central Oregon and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States. It is east of the Cascade Range along the Deschutes River. Early pioneers named the area Bend because of a curve in the river. The city was named Bend and became official in 1905, starting as a logging town.

Things to Do

Bend is a popular place for visitors. It is in the high desert near the Deschutes National Forest and has many fun things to do. People can enjoy breweries, an amphitheater, and even the last Blockbuster video-rental store. Outdoor lovers can go mountain biking, fishing, hiking, camping, rock climbing, white-water rafting, skiing, paragliding, and golf.

Population

According to the 2020 census, Bend is the biggest city in Central Oregon, with over 99,000 people. The area around it, called the metropolitan statistical area, has nearly 250,000 people. This makes Bend an important and growing part of Oregon.

History

Further information: Central Oregon § History

American Indian tribes lived and fished in the area long ago. In 1824, people who trapped animals for fur visited the area. Famous explorers like John C. Frémont also came through. Later, American pioneers crossed the Deschutes River at a bend in the river, which may have been called “Farewell Bend.”

In the 1870s, people from Europe began settling there. One man named John Young Todd named his ranch “Farewell Bend Ranch,” but later the name was shortened to just “Bend” when a post office was set up. In 1904, Bend became an official city. Over the years, it grew into a place for fun activities and a home for many people. In 2001, a company bought Mt. Bachelor, making it a popular spot for skiing.

Geography

Bend is in central Oregon, near the Deschutes River. The city is named Bend because the river makes a bend there. The area around Bend is part of the Eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills, which has special plants and landscapes.

The Deschutes River flows through Bend and is dammed to create Mirror Pond. Bend is 3,623 feet above sea level. Inside the city is Pilot Butte State Scenic Viewpoint, which looks like an old volcano made from cinder. Bend is one of only three cities in the United States that has an extinct volcano inside its borders. Nearby, you can also find the Horse Lava Tube System and Newberry National Volcanic Monument.

Demographics

Bend is the main city of the Bend Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2023, the new Bend metropolitan area included nearby areas and had about 260,919 people.

2020 census

In the 2020 census, Bend had 99,178 people. The average age was 39.4 years, and about 21% were younger than 18. Most people lived in houses, and many families owned their homes.

2010 census

The 2010 census counted 76,639 people in Bend. Most people were White, and about 8% were Hispanic or Latino. Many families lived together, but a lot of people lived alone.

2000 census

In the year 2000, the 2000 census found 52,029 people living in Bend. The city had many families, but also many people living by themselves. The average age was 35 years.

Economy

Tourism is very important to Bend. The Mount Bachelor ski resort and the nearby Cascade Lakes attract many visitors. People enjoy activities such as skiing, hiking, biking, and fishing. Money from tourism helps pay for city services like streets, fire, and police.

Bend is also known for its breweries. The Deschutes Brewery is one of the biggest craft breweries in the country. The city has many events about beer and over 30 breweries.

Top employers

Bend’s jobs are spread across many areas, including tourism, healthcare, and wood products. Some people also work in technology and come from far away because they enjoy the outdoors.

Construction and real estate

Building and selling homes was a big part of Bend’s economy, especially around 2005. Many new people moved to Bend, which made home prices go up a lot. After 2008, home prices dropped, and there were fewer jobs in building.

Arts and culture

Bend is a growing place for art. It has many galleries and a film festival that started in 2004.

The city has public art displays, including a tour of outdoor sculptures.

Museums

• Deschutes Historical Museum (located in the historic Reid School building)
• High Desert Museum

National Register of Historic Places

• Bend Amateur Athletic Club Gymnasium
• Charles Boyd Homestead Group
• Downing Building
• Drake Park Neighborhood Historic District
• George Palmer and Dorothy Binney Putnam House
• Goodwillie–Allen House
• N. P. Smith Pioneer Hardware Store
• O'Kane Building
• Thomas McCann House
• Trinity Episcopal Church

Attractions

• Hayden Homes Amphitheater
• Old Mill District
• Pine Tavern
• Tower Theatre
• Old St. Francis School
• Blockbuster (Bend, Oregon)

Natural history

• Mirror Pond
• Pine Mountain Observatory

Sports

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

The city is also the home of the Central Oregon Hotshots of the International Basketball League. The Central Oregon Steelheaders play in the Premier Arena Soccer League at the Central Oregon Indoor Sports Center.

Bend is the home of the professional cross-country skiing team XC Oregon. The city has hosted many big sporting events, such as the USA Winter Triathlon National Championships and the United States National Cyclo-cross Championships.

Bend is a popular place for cycling, with many miles of mountain bike trails. It was once the home of the Cascade Cycling Classic, a long-running race for road bicycle racing. Bend is also home to the Deschutes County Rocks Boxing Team, a program that helps young boxers and raises money for the community.

Parks and recreation

The Bend Park & Recreation District looks after the parks, nature areas, playgrounds, gardens, and paths in Bend.

Some favorite places to visit include the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway, the Deschutes River, Drake Park, Pilot Butte State Park, Shevlin Park, McKay Park, Farewell Bend Park, Riverbend Park, and the Ponderosa Skatepark.

Education

Bend, Oregon has many schools for students of all ages. There are two main colleges: Central Oregon Community College and the OSU-Cascades Campus of Oregon State University.

For younger students, the Bend–La Pine School District runs many public schools. There are high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools. Some schools have special programs. There are also private schools in the area.

Media

Newspapers

• Bend Bulletin
• The Source Weekly
• Cascade Business News

Television

• KOAB-TV 3 (PBS)
• KTVZ 21 (NBC) - The region's first TV station, started in 1977.
• KFXO-CD 39 (FOX) - Began local news in April 2006.
• KOHD 51 (ABC) - Started local news in fall 2007.
• KBNZ-LD 7 (CBS) - Shows Portland news with no local updates.
• NTVZ-CW (CW). KTVZ (DT2). Shows popular shows and first aired in September 2006.
• KQRE-TM (Telemundo). Subchannel of KFXO-CD. Spanish-language TV since 2007.
• COTV 11 - Shows local sports and events like parades and city meetings.

Radio

AM

• KRCO 690 AM - Sports format
• KBND 1110 AM - News Talk Information format
• KRDM 1240 AM - Regional Mexican format
• KBNW 1340 AM - News Talk Information format

FM

• KLBR 88.1 FM - National Public Radio and local shows from Lane Community College. A simulcast of KLCC (FM) in Eugene, Oregon.
• KWRX 98.9 FM - Non-commercial classical music radio station. A simulcast of KWAX in Eugene, Oregon.
• KPOV-FM 88.9 FM - Low-power community radio station.
• KVRA 89.3 FM - Contemporary Christian format.
• KVLB 90.5 FM - Contemporary Christian format.
• KOAB-FM 91.3 FM - Oregon Public Broadcasting
• KRCO-FM 95.7 FM - Classic country format.
• KNLR 97.5 FM - Contemporary Christian format.
• KTWS 98.3 FM - Classic rock format.
• KMTK 99.7 FM - Country music format.
• KMGX 100.7 FM - Classic rock format.
• KLRR 101.7 FM - Adult album alternative music in Redmond, Oregon, broadcasting to the Bend area.
• KEGB-LP 102.1 FM - Christian Radio, broadcasting to Bend.
• KWPK-FM 104.1 FM - Hot Adult Contemporary format.
• KNLX 104.9 FM - Spanish Religious format.
• KQAK 105.7 FM - Classic Hits format.
• KWXS 107.7 FM - Adult standards format.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Air

The closest big airport is Roberts Field in Redmond, about 18 miles north of Bend. Airlines fly from there to cities like Seattle, Salt Lake City, and Los Angeles. Bend also has its own small airport, Bend Municipal Airport, for private planes and airplanes for hire.

Bus

Bend has a central bus station where people can catch buses to other towns. The city started its own bus service in 2006. Today, there are nine regular bus routes to help people get around.

Roads and highways

Bend is where two big roads cross: U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 97. These roads help connect Bend to places like Mount Bachelor. The city has also added roundabouts to make streets safer for everyone.

Rail

A big railroad runs through Bend, but there is no train station in the city. The nearest train station is in Chemult, about 65 miles south, where you can catch the Coast Starlight train.

Sustainable practices

In 2016, Bend made a plan to improve how people move around the city over the next 20 years. They asked local people for ideas and tried new ways to help everyone get around easier and safer. In 2019, a new ride-share program helped more people use public transportation instead of cars, which also helped reduce traffic.

Notable people

Main article: List of people from Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon has been home to many interesting people. Ashton Eaton was an Olympian who excelled in the decathlon. Donald M. Kerr was a conservationist and helped start the High Desert Museum. Brian Malarkey became a well-known chef. Robert D. Maxwell received the Medal of Honor for his bravery. Max McNown was a singer and songwriter. Chino Moreno was the lead singer of the band Deftones. George P. Putnam was a publisher, mayor of Bend from 1912 to 1913, and the husband of Amelia Earhart. Laurenne Ross was an Olympic skier. Les Schwab started Les Schwab Tire Centers. Derek Sitter is an actor, filmmaker, and the founder of the Volcanic Theatre Pub.

Sister cities

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

Bend has several sister cities. These include:

• Fujioka Town (Toyota City), Aichi Japan
• Condega, Nicaragua
• Muzaffarabad, Pakistan
• Belluno, Veneto, Italy