Klamath

Formed October 17, 1882 (24^th county)

Klamath County (69,416), Klamath Falls (21,786)

The Modern glass and red brick 1999 building replaced the 1918 courthouse.  The courthouse is at the intersection of Main and 3^rd streets.  United States Highway 97 Business is one block west of the facility.  Kaplan, McLaughlin and Diaz Architects provided the designs.  A 1998 Government Center supports the courthouse.  There was also an 1888 version of the courthouse also in Klamath Falls, the only county seat.  The county was created on October 17, 1882 from Lake County as the 24^th county.  The county is named for the Native American tribe.  The county seat name combines the county name and the local river falls. 

Klamath County government consists of a treasurer, a sheriff, an attorney, an administrator, and a clerk (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  Five District Court Judges serve Klamath County (judicial.)  Klamath County is in the south on the border with California.  Eugene, Oregon is northwest and Bend, Oregon is north of the county.  The county center is 44.5 miles North-Northeast of Klamath Falls nearer Chiloquin.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Deschutes and Lake counties and California and Jackson, Douglas, and Lane counties. 

The area of the county is 5945 square miles.  It is 4 out of 36 in the state.  It ranks 15 out of 36 in population in the state.  It has a density of 11.7 persons per square mile making it 24 out of 36 in the state.  Klamath County has 35.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 97 passes north to south through the county from Deschutes County to California.  The county looks like a capital letter L with the northwest corner eaten away.  Klamath Falls is located in the southern quarter of the county.  Klamath Falls is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 31.4% of the county population.  This county is in the Klamath Falls Micropolitan Statistical Area.