Fields, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Fields is a small unincorporated community
in Harney County
, Oregon
, United States
, located 112 miles (180.2 km) south of Burns
.
In 2000, the community had a population of 86, including 17 students through grade 8. The average age was 38; the average household size was 2.53 persons; the average household income was $18,700; 85% of the community resided in a rented home. Despite the town's small size, it is the commerce center for the area's ranches and the largest community between Denio, Nevada
22 miles (35.4 km) to the south and Frenchglen, Oregon
52.4 miles (84.3 km) to the north.
and Burns. The stone roadhouse was remodeled into a store and restaurant and remains the town center. The original stone horse barn has partly collapsed, but remains in use. The school was established around 1900 with one teacher and one room. As of 2003, it has two rooms and two teachers serving kindergarten through eighth grade.
Ranching began in the area in 1869 when Whitehorse Ranch was established. The Rose Valley Borax Company processed about 400 short tons (362,873.9 kg) of crystallized borax
annually from 1892 to 1902. Chinese workers collected alkali formed from evaporating spring water containing 80 ppm borate
.
, Bog Hot Springs, and White Horse Hot Springs. Steens Mountain
is located about 60 miles (96.6 km) to the north.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Harney County
Harney County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Malheur National Forest *Malheur National Wildlife Refuge*Ochoco National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,609 people, 3,036 households, and 2,094 families residing in the county. The population density was 1 people per square mile...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, located 112 miles (180.2 km) south of Burns
Burns, Oregon
Burns is a city in and the county seat of Harney County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 census the population was 2,806.-History:Burns was established in the early 1880s and incorporated upon Harney county's creation in 1889...
.
In 2000, the community had a population of 86, including 17 students through grade 8. The average age was 38; the average household size was 2.53 persons; the average household income was $18,700; 85% of the community resided in a rented home. Despite the town's small size, it is the commerce center for the area's ranches and the largest community between Denio, Nevada
Denio, Nevada
Denio, Nevada is an unincorporated community that lies on the Nevada-Oregon state line in Humboldt County, Nevada and Harney County, Oregon, in the United States. The community is also known as Denio, Oregon. There was formerly a Denio, Oregon post office north of the state line. Most of the town...
22 miles (35.4 km) to the south and Frenchglen, Oregon
Frenchglen, Oregon
Frenchglen is an unincorporated community in Harney County, Oregon, United States. It is south of Burns on Oregon Route 205 and its population is approximately 12....
52.4 miles (84.3 km) to the north.
History
Fields was the homestead site of Charles Fields which he sold to John Smyth in 1911. The post office was established in 1913. The site was established as a stagecoach roadhouse in 1881 between Winnemucca, NevadaWinnemucca, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,174 people, 2,736 households, and 1,824 families residing in the city. The population density was 867.5 people per square mile . There were 3,280 housing units at an average density of 396.6 per square mile...
and Burns. The stone roadhouse was remodeled into a store and restaurant and remains the town center. The original stone horse barn has partly collapsed, but remains in use. The school was established around 1900 with one teacher and one room. As of 2003, it has two rooms and two teachers serving kindergarten through eighth grade.
Ranching began in the area in 1869 when Whitehorse Ranch was established. The Rose Valley Borax Company processed about 400 short tons (362,873.9 kg) of crystallized borax
Borax
Borax, also known as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate, is an important boron compound, a mineral, and a salt of boric acid. It is usually a white powder consisting of soft colorless crystals that dissolve easily in water.Borax has a wide variety of uses...
annually from 1892 to 1902. Chinese workers collected alkali formed from evaporating spring water containing 80 ppm borate
Borate
Borates are chemical compounds which contain oxoanions of boron in oxidation state +3. The simplest borate ion, BO33−, has a trigonal planar structure. Other borates are made up of trigonal BO3 or tetrahedral BO4 structural units, sharing oxygen atoms...
.
Parks and recreation
Nearby publicly accessible hot springs include Alvord Hot SpringsAlvord Hot Springs
Alvord Hot Springs is a geothermal spring located near the southeastern corner of the state of Oregon in the United States.-Geography:The spring lies at 4080 ft elevation on the western edge of the Alvord Desert into which the spring flows and eventually evaporates...
, Bog Hot Springs, and White Horse Hot Springs. Steens Mountain
Steens Mountain
Steens Mountain is a large fault-block mountain in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Oregon. Located in Harney County, it stretches some and rises from an elevation of about above the Alvord Desert to its peak at...
is located about 60 miles (96.6 km) to the north.