List of ghost towns in Oregon
According to several historians, the U.S. state of Oregon contains over 200 ghost towns, more than any other state in the country.[1][2] Professor and historian Stephen Arndt has counted a total of 256 ghost towns in the state, some well known, others "really obscure."[3] The high number of ghost towns and former communities in the state is largely due to its frontier history and the influx of pioneers who emerged in the area during the 19th century.[2] Many of the ghost towns in Oregon were once mining or lumber camps that were abandoned after their respective industries became unprosperous.[2]
This list includes towns and communities that have been described as ghost towns, and may be abandoned, unpopulated, or have populations that have declined to significantly small numbers[lower-alpha 1]; some may still be classified as unincorporated communities. As of 2019, some of the towns included may have small residual populations; others may retain few physical remnants of their existence, but are broadly considered ghost towns under prevailing definitions in the United States.[lower-alpha 2]
Classifications
Many historians and enthusiasts of ghost towns use a classification system to distinguish ghost towns by types. This classification, which breaks towns into numerous different types, was established by photographer Gary Speck, and has been adapted here.[6]
Class | Distinguishing features[6] |
---|---|
A | No apparent remains of former settlement exist. In some cases, site may be marked and/or contain a cemetery. |
B | Dilapidated buildings and/or remnants of buildings present, along with rubble and debris. |
C | No population, but structures are still mostly intact; may be actively preserved. |
D | Area is sparsely populated and may boast period structures (of varied physical condition) and/or a cemetery, but no operative town proper. |
E | Has retained a small population and historic structures, though typically not as substantive as in its heyday. |
Towns
See also
- Category:Former populated places in Oregon
- Lists of Oregon-related topics
- List of flooded towns in the United States#Oregon
- List of ghost towns in the United States
Notes and references
Notes
- According to T. Lindsay Baker, a "ghost town" can refer to either an unpopulated town or a town that, though still populated (albeit in small numbers), has seen a significant decline in population since its establishment.[4]
- American author Lambert Florin's preferred definition of a ghost town is simply "a shadowy semblance of a former self,"[5] while historian T. Lindsey Baker defines a ghost town as simply "a town for which the reason for being no longer exists."[4]
References
- Arndt, Steve (2015). Oregon Ghost Towns A to Z. Portland, Oregon: Stephen Arndt. ISBN 978-0-984-42949-3.
- McBee, Ben (June 23, 2017). "The Vanished Cities". 1859. Bend, Oregon. OCLC 489252235. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
- McOmie, Grant (September 5, 2015). "Grant's Getaways: Oregon's Ghost Towns". USA Today. ISSN 0734-7456. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019.
- Baker 2003, p. 9.
- Hall 2010, p. 7.
- Thomsen 2012, pp. 24–25.
- McArthur & McArthur 1974, p. 6.
- McArthur & McArthur 2003, p. 11.
- McArthur & McArthur 1974, pp. 6–7.
- McArthur & McArthur 2003, p. 24.
- McArthur & McArthur 1974, p. 18.
- Varney, Drew & Drew 2005, pp. 109–112.
- Miller 1977, p. 127.
- Weis 2006, pp. 16, 18.
- Florin 1971, pp. 688–690.
- Miller 1977, p. 69.
- Florin 1971, pp. 694–696.
- Florin 1992, p. 12.
- Miller 2017, p. 15.
- "Explore Polk County" (PDF). Polk County Itemizer-Observer. May 22, 2009. p. 77C. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 20, 2009.
- Wilson, Jason (April 28, 2015). "Bayocean: the American city that disappeared because man ignored nature". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on April 28, 2015. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
- Miller 1977, p. 72.
- Florin 1992, p. 13.
- McArthur & McArthur 2003, pp. 88–89.
- Metzler 1986, p. 61.
- Romaine 2015, p. 150.
- McArthur & McArthur 2003, pp. 101, 865.
- Miller 1977, p. 73.
- Varney, Drew & Drew 2005, pp. 100–101.
- Boddie, Ken. "Where We Live: The ghost town that is Bridal Veil". KOIN. Portland, Oregon. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
- Corning 1947, p. 55.
- Kullgren, Ian K. (December 4, 2014). "Historic facility that powered Portland's early streetcars to reopen to public". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
- McArthur & McArthur 1974, p. 93.
- Friedman 1990, pp. 248–249.
- Corning 1947, p. 67.
- Florin 1971, pp. 701–703.
- Florin 1992, pp. 19–21.
- McArthur & McArthur 1991, p. 116.
- McArthur & McArthur 1974, p. 137.
- Florin 1992, pp. 28–29.
- Friedman 1990, p. 621.
- Wray, Kylie (June 11, 2014). "Historic Cherryville Cemetery receives a stone marker". Portland Tribune. Portland, Oregon. Archived from the original on December 12, 2018.
- Friedman 1990, p. 196.
- Friedman 1990, pp. 123–124.
- Miller, Bill (December 14, 2008). "The underwater ghost town". Mail Tribune. Medford, Oregon. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
- McArthur & McArthur 1974, p. 176.
- Perry, Douglas (October 31, 2016). "Rich, even murderous, history can still be found in Oregon's ghost towns: Halloween history photos". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
- Florin 1992, p. 36.
- McArthur & McArthur 2003, p. 267.
- Miller 1977, p. 116.
- "Ghost Towns of the Old West". Sherman County, Oregon. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019.
- McArthur & McArthur 2003, pp. 291–292.
- Miller 1977, p. 104.
- Varney 2013, pp. 138–9.
- McArthur & McArthur 1974, p. 240.
- McArthur & McArthur 2003, p. 323.
- McArthur & McArthur 2003, p. 327.
- McArthur & McArthur 2003, p. 333.
- McArthur & McArthur 1974, p. 261.
- Rautenstrauch, Rick (January 28, 2015). "Eureka Bar's faded summer dream". Wallowa County Chieftain. Enterprise, Oregon. Archived from the original on August 20, 2019.
- McArthur & McArthur 1974, p. 267.
- Varney 2013, p. 116.
- Varney 2013, p. 120.
- Sullivan, William (June 30, 2009). "Secret sea cave". The Register-Guard. Eugene, Oregon. Archived from the original on August 20, 2019. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
- Varney 2013, pp. 138–42.
- Weis 2006, pp. 16–17.
- Hatton, Chitwood & Garrett 1996, p. 263.
- Varney, Drew & Drew 2005, pp. 149–150.
- McArthur & McArthur 1974, p. 318.
- Varney, Drew & Drew 2005, p. 132.
- Weis 2006, pp. 9–11.
- Weis 2006, pp. 63–64.
- Miller 1977, p. 91.
- Friedman 1990, pp. 154, 293.
- Varney 2013, p. 169.
- Weis 2006, pp. 39–40.
- Florin 1992, p. 45.
- Miller 2017, p. 8.
- "Izee". Grant County Chamber of Commerce. Archived from the original on August 20, 2019.
- "Jawbone Flats History". Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center. United States Forest Service. Archived from the original on August 18, 2019.
- McArthur & McArthur 2003, pp. 511–512.
- Varney 2013, pp. 152–5.
- Varney 2013, p. 206.
- McArthur & McArthur 1974, pp. 406–407.
- Florin 1971, pp. 736–738.
- "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Kings Valley CDP, Oregon". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
- Friedman 1990, p. 386.
- "Remnants of another time". The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. June 9, 2013. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
- Austin, Lon (January 30, 2011). "Homesteading on the Grasslands". Central Oregonian. Prineville, Oregon. Archived from the original on August 18, 2019.
- "Latourell, Oregon". Columbia River Images. Archived from the original on March 14, 2020.
- McArthur & McArthur 1991, p. 508.
- Friedman 1990, pp. 608–609.
- Varney, Drew & Drew 2005, pp. 113–116.
- Harris, Sandy. "Take A Walk With Me Into The Past". Eugene Daily News. Eugene, Oregon. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
- McArthur & McArthur 1974, p. 477.
- McArthur & McArthur 2003, p. 600.
- Florin 1971, pp. 742–743.
- Florin 1971, pp. 744–746.
- Corning 1947, p. 61.
- Varney 2013, pp. 162–4.
- Gardner, Rita (March 17, 2018). "Mayville". The Oregon Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on August 20, 2019. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
- Anderson, John Gottberg (April 14, 2014). "Traveling Union County's back roads". The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. Archived from the original on March 16, 2015. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
- "Sherman County Milestones". Sherman County, Oregon. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
- Florin 1971, pp. 748–750.
- Florin 1992, p. 63.
- McArthur & McArthur 2003, p. 578.
- Friedman 1990, p. 456.
- McArthur & McArthur 2003, p. 711.
- McArthur & McArthur 1974, p. 542.
- Corning 1947, pp. 61, 66.
- McArthur & McArthur 2003, p. 725.
- McArthur & McArthur 1991, p. 643.
- Florin 1992, p. 66.
- Florin 1971, pp. 760–762.
- McArthur & McArthur 1974, p. 580.
- Friedman 1990, p. 755.
- Nguyen, Tran (September 5, 2017). "The Pinehurst way". Mail Tribune. Medford, Oregon. Archived from the original on August 20, 2019. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
- Miller 1977, p. 53.
- Weis 2006, pp. 60–62.
- McArthur & McArthur 2003, pp. 771–772.
- Bebout, Bill (June 22, 1959). "Ghost Town Of Pondosa Left In Charred Ruins By Flames". The Observer. La Grande, Oregon. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
- Weis 2006, pp. 23–24.
- "Robinette: The Eastern Oregon ghost town lying underwater". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. Associated Press. January 1, 2018. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019.
- McArthur & McArthur 2003, p. 818.
- Battistella, Maureen (December 1, 2016). "Wine with a View". Oregon Wine Press. Archived from the original on August 20, 2019. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
- McArthur & McArthur 2003, p. 838.
- Florin 1992, p. 75.
- Friedman 1990, pp. 220–221.
- Varney 2013, p. 156.
- Florin 1992, p. 79.
- Florin 1971, pp. 771–772.
- Case 1983, p. 59.
- Florin 1992, p. 83.
- Friedman 1990, pp. 249–250.
- Fattig, Paul (November 3, 2013). "The road to Sterlingville". Mail Tribune. Medford, Oregon. Archived from the original on August 20, 2019. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
- Varney, Drew & Drew 2005, pp. 124–129.
- Weis 2006, p. 19.
- Friedman 1990, p. 156.
- McArthur & McArthur 1974, p. 724.
- Eastman, Janet (September 12, 2018). "Sold! The entire town of Tiller to turn into a resort (photo, video)". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. Archived from the original on March 14, 2020.
- Friedman 1990, p. 181.
- Friedman 1990, pp. 236–237.
- Friedman 1990, p. 510.
- Adams, Tom (November 7, 2016). "'It was quite a town': The rise - and fall - of Wendling, Oregon". KVAL. Eugene, Oregon. Archived from the original on August 20, 2019. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
- Smith 1963, p. 18.
- Highberger, Mark (September 20, 2002). "Westfall". The Observer. La Grande, Oregon. Archived from the original on August 20, 2019. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
- Varney, Drew & Drew 2005, p. 124.
- Friedman 1990, pp. 57–60.
- Sandler, Rich (Winter 2008). "The Rise and Fall of Yaquina City" (PDF). Corvallis, Oregon: Oregon State University. pp. 1–15. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 20, 2019. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
- Friedman 1990, p. 400.
- McArthur & McArthur 1974, p. 817.
Sources
- Baker, T. Lindsay (2003). More Ghost Towns of Texas. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0-806-13518-2.
- Case, George Baxter (1983). The History of the Port of Coos Bay (Thesis). Pan American University. OCLC 10205043.
- Corning, Howard McKinley (June 1947). "Ghost Towns on the Willamette of the Riverboat Period". Oregon Historical Quarterly. 48 (2): 55–67. JSTOR 20611743.
- Florin, Lambert (1971). Ghost Towns of the West. New York City: Promontory Press. ISBN 978-0-883-94013-6.
- Florin, Lambert (1992). Ghost Towns of the Pacific Frontier. New York City: Promontory Press. ISBN 978-0-883-94068-6.
- Friedman, Ralph (1990). In Search of Western Oregon. Caldwell, Idaho: Caxton Press. ISBN 978-0-870-04332-1.
- Hall, Shawn (2010). Ghost Towns and Mining Camps of Southern Nevada. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-738-57013-6.
- Hatton, Raymond; Chitwood, Lawrence; Garrett, Stuart (1996). Oregon's Sisters Country. Bend, Oregon: Geographical Books. ISBN 978-0-892-88260-1.
- McArthur, Lewis A.; McArthur, Lewis L. (1974) [1928]. Oregon Geographic Names (4th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. OCLC 1135868.
- McArthur, Lewis A.; McArthur, Lewis L. (1991) [1928]. Oregon Geographic Names (6th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. ISBN 978-0-87595-237-6.
- McArthur, Lewis A.; McArthur, Lewis L. (2003) [1928]. Oregon Geographic Names (7th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. ISBN 978-0-875-95277-2.
- Metzler, Ken (1986). Best of Oregon. Portland, Oregn: Timber Press. ISBN 978-0-881-92028-4.
- Miller, Donald C. (1977). Ghost Towns of Washington and Oregon. Boulder, Colorado: Pruett Pub. Co. ISBN 978-0-871-08500-9.
- Miller, George R. (2017). Grant County. Charleston South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1-467-12568-0.
- Romaine, Garret (2015). Gold Panning the Pacific Northwest: A Guide to the Area’s Best Sites for Gold. Guilford, Connecticut: Falcon Guides. ISBN 978-1-493-01483-5.
- Smith, Earl R. (1963). The Westfall Country: The Story of an Eastern Oregon Community and the People Who Settled and Lived There. New York City: Exposition Press. OCLC 908823656.
- Thomsen, Clint (2012). Ghost Towns: Lost Cities of the Old West. New York: Bloomsbury. ISBN 978-1-782-00107-2.
- Varney, Phillip; Drew, Susan; Drew, Jonathan (2005). Ghost Towns of the Pacific Northwest: Your Guide to the Hidden History of Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia (1st ed.). Stillwater, Minnesota: Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-0-896-58592-8.
- Varney, Phillip (2013). Ghost Towns of the Pacific Northwest: Your Guide to the Hidden History of Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia (2nd ed.). Minneapolis, Minnesota: Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-0-760-34316-6.
- Weis, Norman D. (1971). Ghost Towns of the Northwest (1st ed.). Caldwell, Idaho: Caxton Press. ISBN 978-0-870-04201-0.
- Weis, Norman D. (2006) [1971]. Ghost Towns of the Northwest (10th ed.). Caldwell, Idaho: Caxton Press. ISBN 978-0-870-04358-1.
External links
- Oregon at GhostTowns.com