Basin City, WA, is a census-designated place in Franklin County, Washington. At the 2000 census, the population of the city was 968. The city is located about fifteen miles north of Pasco along U.S. Route 395. It was originally populated by Native Americans. They traded with Lewis and Clark, and settlers came after the Yakima War in the late 1850s.
The population of Basin City, WA is made up of many different racial and ethnic groups. The most common racial and ethnic groups living below the poverty line are Other, Hispanic, and White. The poverty line is determined by the Census Bureau using a set of income thresholds for each family size. The total income for Basin City, WA is less than this threshold. Most people in poverty are employed in sales and extraction, agriculture, and farming.
Basin City is an agricultural town near the confluence of the Columbia and Snake rivers. Although largely agricultural, the city also has a significant government-related presence. The town is fairly clean and has low crime rates, although the city does not offer much in the way of cultural amenities. However, it is home to a major port and has a strong economic base.
The town's name derives from its location. It lies in a fertile peninsula, surrounded by private rangeland. A fire broke out about nine in the evening, believed to be caused by a fire in a dance hall. Because of the pitch in the pine wood, the fire spread rapidly. It consumed much of the town, though there were a few businesses that were untouched. Many merchants were able to salvage some items from their underground cellars. The fire brought miners from all over the Basin, and they came in droves to help.