The Baker County Chamber of Commerce would like to salute the following sponsors:

Home > Our Community > Heritage

Our Community

Heritage

In Baker County, we are proud of our cultural heritage and our colorful history. Celebrations such as Miners' Jubilee, events like the Haines Stampede Rodeo, and facilities like the Oregon Trail Regional Museum, reflect this pride and honor those who blazed the trail before us.

Visit Baker County to experience the real west, what it was back then and what it is today. Below you will find a chronology of some of the major events in Baker County History.

1811 Wilson Price Hunt, leading the John Jacob Astor overland expedition, passes through Baker Valley known then as The Lone Tree Valley. Hunt is responsible for the first crossing the Blue Mountains to the Columbia, thus establishing a passage for the western end of the Oregon Trail, the major travel route to the West. He arrived in Astoria in 1812.

1841 Through 1869 more than 250,000 Americans took the Oregon Trail to the West, starting their journey in Independence, Missouri. Nearing the end of their journey, they arrived at Farewell Bend on the Snake River and proceeded to conquer the treacherous Burnt River Canyon. The Trail ahead led them across Virtue Flat to Flagstaff Hill and into Powder River Valley. In the distance lay the challenge of the Blue Mountain crossing. 1845 Famous "Lost Wagon Train." In August

1845 a group of wagons led by Stephen Meek, left the Oregon Trail for a short cut to Western Oregon. After suffering many hardships and deaths, the survivors reached The Dalles in October. While camped at a tributary of the the John Day River, small yellow pebbles were found along the water's edge. Not realizing that the pebbles were gold, they were left behind in an old blue bucket and the legend of the "Lost Blue Bucket Mine" was born.

1847 The Whitman Massacre. The news of conflict with the Indians discouraged the settlement of Eastern Oregon until more military protection could be supplied.

1861 Gold discovered in Baker County. Four men, searching for the fabled "Lost Blue Bucket Mine," found gold in Griffin Gulch, south of where Baker City is now located.

1862 Auburn Established. In the spring, the town of Auburn was laid out in Blue Canyon and soon mushroomed to the unbelievable population of about 5,000 people! It was even considered a lively prospect for the Capitol of Oregon.

1862 Baker County Established. In October, Baker County was established and named after Col. Edward Dickinson Baker, Oregon's first Senator. Baker died during the Civil War at the Battle of Balls Bluff, the only member of Congress to die in that conflict. The first county seat of Baker County was the town of Auburn.

1862 Sumpter was established. Learn more about Historic Sumpter.

1862 Express Ranch was established as a Wells Fargo stage station. It was later renamed Durkee when the railroad purchased the right of way.

1862 The Chandler Wagon Train arrived in Powder River Valley in September and settled at Pine City at the foot of the Elkhorn Ridge of the Blue Mountains. The town was moved down the mountain and renamed Pocahontas.

1862 The first school for Baker County was organized at Auburn.

1863 The Sisley Toll Road was built from Weatherby to connect with the Old's Ferry Toll Road to the Snake River and the Old's Ferry.

1863 Gold was discovered at Sparta.

1863 The 125 mile long Eldorado Ditch, probably the world's longest hand-dug ditch was surveyed and started. It was constructed mostly by Chinese labor.

1865 The first hotel, Reid & Fletcher's Western Hotel, was build and served as the headquarters for overland stages, which passed through Baker City five times a week.

1865 The post office moved (unofficially, but later approved) from Auburn to Baker City for more efficient handling of the mail.

1866 Baker City was made the county seat by an act of the State Legislature, but Auburn refused to relinquish the records. Following the official vote of the people in 1868, the records were confiscated in an early morning surprise visit of the new Baker county officials.

1868 The first organized church services were held by the Methodists.

1870 The Bedrock Democrat, first newspaper of Baker City, published in May.

1871 A small frame Catholic church was the first church in Baker City.

1874 Baker City was incorporated.

1884 Cornucopia was established after gold was discovered in the area.

1884 Transcontinental Railroad reached Baker City.

1886 Fire. The business block of Baker City's Front Street was almost completely destroyed by fire.

1889 High School Built. Baker City completed the new public school to house twelve grades. It was the second public high school in Oregon.

1889 The Hotel Warshauer constructed. The most elegant structure between Portland and Denver, this was the forerunner of the Geiser Grand Hotel.

1890 Sumpter Valley Railway was incorporated to carry logs from Sumpter Valley to the Baker City sawmills.

1890 The population of Baker City is 6,663, larger than either Boise or Spokane. The Street Railway was due to be in operation the same year.

1891 The community of Unity was established.

1892 Sawmill in Baker City completed by the Oregon Lumber Company.

1896 Sumpter Valley Railroad reached Sumpter.

1898 The first telephone service arrived at Baker City.

1900 The Baker City Opera House was completed.

1900 The Alpha Club was organized with the goal of providing Baker County and Baker City with a free public library.

1901 Population of Sumpter is 3,000 with over 80 businesses.

1908 The town of Copperfield established to house mining and railroad crews working at the Snake River. Copperfield, known for its lawlessness, was destroyed by fire in 1914.

1909 The town of Robinette served as a railhead for the Oregon Shortline. It was flooded out by the backwaters of the Snake River Dams in the 1950's.

1910 Sumpter Valley Railroad extended to Prairie City to serve ranchers and farmers as well as lumber and mining.

1911 Baker City residents voted to drop "City" from their name.

1913 Dredging in the Sumpter Valley began, temporarily revitalizing the mining industry.

1913 The "Armstrong Nugget", weighing 80.4 oz., was discovered by George Armstrong.

1916 The limestone quarry at Lime expanded. Between 1923 and 1980, over 6.5 million tons of stone was taken from the area.

1917 Sumpter Fire. A fire, which started in the kitchen of the Capital Hotel, destroyed much of Sumpter. The town's water supply failed thirty minutes after the start of the fire and dynamite is finally used to stop the flames. The fire, combined with the shutdown of the gold mines, ended the boom in Sumpter.

1933 Anthony Lakes Ski Area was established and named in honor of Dr. Anthony, a pioneer circuit-riding doctor of early days.

1971 Restoration of the SVRR begins.

1975 Congress established the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area.

1978 The Baker Historic District is listed in the National Register.

1989 Baker High School largely destroyed by fire, just as the District Basketball Tournament was getting underway. Games for the tournament were quickly shuttled to other school gyms in the city and completed on time. No one was seriously hurt.

1990 Voters restored "City" to the name of Baker City.

1991 New Baker High School Building completed.

1992 The Oregon Trail Interpretive Center on Flagstaff Hill opens.

1995 Restoration of the gold dredge in Sumpter begins.

1996 Sumpter Valley Railroad restoration reaches Sumpter Depot.

1996 Restoration completed at the Geiser Grand Hotel.

1996 Closing of Ellingson Lumber company.

1998 Leo Adler Pathway project begins. Pathway named to honor local philanthropist and designed to offer pedestrian access along the Powder River.

1999 Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort upgrades to a triple chair lift.

2000 Anthony Lakes adds cat skiing for back country ski enthusiasts.

2000 New nine at Baker Municipal Golf Course completed making 18 holes available for play for the first time in Baker County.

2001 Sports complex completed.

2002 Tenth Anniversary of the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center