Grant County

History

Grant County was established on October 14, 1864, from parts of old Wasco and old Umatilla counties. Prior to its creation, cases brought to court were tried in The Dalles, county seat of the vast Wasco County. The great distance to The Dalles made law enforcement a difficult problem, and imposed a heavy burden on citizens who had a need to transact business at the courthouse. In 1889, more than half of the southern part of the original Grant County was taken to form Harney County. Also in 1899, a small part of northwestern Grant County was taken (along with parts of Crook and Gilliam counties) to form Wheeler County.

After gold was discovered in 1862 on Whiskey Flat, it has been estimated that within ten days 1,000 miners were camped along Canyon Creek. This increased population created a need for county government. Grant County's government operates in accordance with the Oregon Constitution which was ratified by the People of Oregon in November 1857, and the revised Statutes of Oregon. It employs the old-western county government system: the County Court, with a County Judge and two Commissioners. While the County Court no longer exercises much judicial authority, it serves as the executive branch of county government.

The third man to serve as County Judge of Grant County was Cincinnatus Hiner "Joaquin" Miller (1837–1913), the noted poet, playwright, and western naturalist, called the "Poet of the Sierras" and the "Byron of the Rockies."

The county seat is Canyon City, which served as the chief community of the county for many years. In 1864, when the county was organized, Canyon City is said to have boasted the largest population of any community in Oregon. Mining and ranching, along with timber and then the service and public works that followed, brought people into the area and communities grew around the natural centers of industry and agriculture. Canyon City hosts an annual summer festival called "'62 Days" (referencing the local gold discovery in 1862) to celebrate its history and residents.

Since the 1930s, the city of John Day has served as the main economic center of the county, and boasts the largest population.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,529 square miles (11,730 km2), of which 4,529 square miles (11,730 km2) is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km2) (0.02%) is water.

Approximately 63% of the land area of the county is controlled by the Federal Government, most of which is controlled by the U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. Grant County contains most of the Malheur National Forest and sections of the Wallowa–Whitman, Umatilla and Ochoco National Forests, and has more than 150,000 acres (610 km2) of federally designated Wilderness Areas.

Grant County contains the headwaters of the John Day River, which has more miles of Wild and Scenic River designation than any other river in the United States.

The elevation of the county varies from 1,820 on the John Day River near Kimberly, to 9,038 feet (2,755 m) at the summit of Strawberry Mountain. The terrain of the county varies from grassland steppes and rangelands in relatively open or rolling hills and valleys, to steep, rugged, rocky high-alpine landscapes. Between these, the county contains heavily timbered land, many rolling hills, canyons and mountainous terrain. Portions of the county are technically high desert, dominated by sagebrush and sparse grasses.

Grant County includes the southern part of the Blue Mountains. One unique characteristic of the typical forestland of the area is the relatively low density of underbrush. Travelers and emigrants of the 19th century remarked that the absences of underbrush, and the wide spacing of the trees, made it possible to drive a wagon and team of horses virtually anywhere the grade would permit. The forested land of the county vary from sparse stands of Western Juniper in more arid, open, or rocky ground, to spruce-fir stands in the highest terrain. Other forested areas (mainly above 3,200 feet (980 m) in elevation) are marked by stands of Ponderosa Pine, Douglas-fir, hybrid Grand x White Fir, Western Larch and Lodgepole Pine. At high elevations there are stands of Engelmann Spruce, Subalpine Fir, and Whitebark Pine, as well as a few stands of Western White Pine. Cottonwoods grow along some rivers and streams, and there are small groves of birch and Quaking Aspen at higher elevations. There is also a rare and isolated stand of Alaska Yellow Cedar in the Aldrich Mountains. Other flora includes a wide variety of native grasses and wildflowers, huckleberries, wild strawberries, elderberries, several types of edible mushrooms and Oregon-grape, the state plant. Non-native Cheatgrass is also prevalent in many areas of the county.

Adjacent counties

Grant County is bordered by a total of eight Oregon counties. This is the most of any county in the state.

Morrow County - northwest

Umatilla County - north

Union County - northeast

Baker County - east

Malheur County - southeast/Mountain Time Border

Harney County - south

Crook County - southwest

Wheeler County - west

National protected areas

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument (part)

Malheur National Forest (part)

Ochoco National Forest (part)

Umatilla National Forest (part)

Wallowa–Whitman National Forest (part)

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 7,233. Of the residents, 18.3% were under the age of 18 and 30.5% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 50.8 years. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 99.8 males. 0.0% of residents lived in urban areas and 100.0% lived in rural areas.

The racial makeup of the county was 90.2% White, 0.2% Black or African American, 0.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.0% from some other race, and 7.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.9% of the population.

There were 3,300 households in the county, of which 22.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 23.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 4,112 housing units, of which 19.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 71.8% were owner-occupied and 28.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.5%.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 7,445 people, 3,352 households, and 2,167 families residing in the county. The population density was 1.6 inhabitants per square mile (0.62/km2). There were 4,344 housing units at an average density of 1.0 units per square mile (0.39 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.0% white, 1.2% American Indian, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 0.9% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.8% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 27.7% were German, 16.3% were English, 12.6% were Irish, 7.5% were American and 5.4% were Scottish.

Of the 3,352 households, 22.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.4% were non-families, and 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.69. The median age was 50.0 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,974 and the median income for a family was $43,521. Males had a median income of $40,603 versus $27,326 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,041. About 11.4% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.3% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 7,935 people, 3,246 households, and 2,233 families residing in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile (0.77 people/km2). There were 4,004 housing units at an average density of 1 units per square mile (0.39/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.69% White, 0.10% Black or African American, 1.60% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.68% from other races, and 1.70% from two or more races. 2.05% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 17.5% were of English, 17.1% German, 14.3% American and 9.0% Irish ancestry.

There were 3,246 households, out of which 30.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.90% were married couples living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.20% were non-families. 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.90% 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 2.89.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.80% under the age of 18, 5.60% from 18 to 24, 24.00% from 25 to 44, 27.90% from 45 to 64, and 16.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 99.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,560, and the median income for a family was $37,159. Males had a median income of $31,843 versus $22,253 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,794. About 11.20% of families and 13.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.60% of those under age 18 and 10.20% of those age 65 or over.

2000 U.S. Census statistics for Grant County show that the total workforce for Grant County was 3,800, or 62% of the total population over age 16. These people were employed as follows:

56.9% private wage/salaried positions;

14.7% private self-employed (not incorporated business);

0.8% private unpaid family workers;

Communities

Politics

Like the other counties in eastern Oregon, the majority of registered voters who are affiliated with a political party in Grant County are members of the Republican Party. George W. Bush's performance here in 2000 marked the strongest of any Republican in the county, carrying just over 80% of Grant's votes in it. In the 2008 presidential election, 70.97% of Grant County voters voted for Republican John McCain, while 26.05% voted for Democrat Barack Obama and 3.94% of voters either voted for a Third Party candidate or wrote in a candidate. These numbers show a small but definite shift towards the Democratic candidate when compared to the 2004 presidential election, in which 78.9% of Grant County voters voted for George W. Bush, while 19.2% voted for John Kerry, and 1.9% of voters either voted for a Third Party candidate or wrote in a candidate. The 2008 presidential election, however, was the last time a Democratic nominee won over 1,000 votes in the county.

In the 2020 election, the county had shifted back to the Republican candidate Donald Trump, who received 77.28% of the votes, compared to Joe Biden's share of 20.17%. The remaining 2.55% of voters chose either a Third Party candidate or wrote in a candidate.

Economy

With the discovery of gold near Canyon City in June 1862, and near Granite in July 1862, gold miners streamed into the area. The eminent geologist, Waldemar Lindgren, who visited the area in 1900, estimated that approximately $16 million in gold had been mined from the Canyon City area alone by that time. (In 1900, the value of gold was fixed at $20.67 per ounce, so that $16 million in gold would have been roughly 800,000 ounces—worth today [at $1,600 an ounce] about $1.28 Billion) Mining remained the dominant sector of the area's economy, with increasing lode-ore production annually, until October 1942 when the U. S. War Labor Board made gold mining illegal by Executive Order, Public Law L-208. This effectively led to several mining towns being abandoned and the demise of the mining industry in eastern Oregon and elsewhere; idle equipment was removed as scrap drives during World War II literally dismantled a great deal of the county's mining infrastructure. In Oregon, Grant County's gold production was second only to Baker County.

Because of the wealth of natural resources found in Grant County, agriculture, ranching, and timber industries naturally grew with and contributed to the development of the county. In the early days, sheep formed a large part of the agricultural base and the area boasted some of the largest sheep bands in the world, supplying a great volume of wool to, among others, the world-renowned Pendleton Wool Works in Pendleton. Cattle ranchers and sheep ranchers were often at odds and physical confrontations were not uncommon. By the 1920 and 1930s, however, cattle ranching became—and continues to be—the dominant sector of the agricultural industry. Crop farming, dairy production and orchards operated on small scales during the late 19th century and early 20th century, but declined during World War II due to changing market and labor pressures. The commercial timber industry in Grant County grew rapidly in the 1920s, and again during and after World War II. Livestock raising and timber harvesting remain important sectors of Grant County's economy, although the production and profitability of these industries has declined in recent years due mainly to political and expanding-market factors. Two wood-fired co-gen electric plants have been built in the county, one of which continues to operate in Prairie City.

Due mainly to federal land management policies and global market pressures affecting timber and agricultural production and extraction, the county has experienced the second highest unemployment rate in Oregon for more than 30 years. The county has experienced some growth in recreational activities (including hunting) and tourism, as well as cottage industry, but residents have struggled to develop new productive industries and to diversify their economy. Slightly more than a quarter of the county's workforce is employed by some level of government or public services.

Education

School districts include:

Dayville School District 16J

John Day School District 3

Long Creek School District 17

Monument School District 8

Prairie City School District 4