Shaniko, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Shaniko is a city located in Wasco County
, Oregon
, United States
, on U.S. Route 97 and about eight miles (13 km) north of Antelope
. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 26—a virtual ghost town
whose preservation is being spearheaded by investments from Robert B. Pamplin, Jr.
, a businessman and owner of the Portland Tribune
and Columbia Empire Farms.
s came to the Shaniko area after the discovery of gold
in Canyon City, Oregon
, in 1862. The route to Canyon City started at the early settlement of The Dalles
, 190 miles (305.8 km) away. Camps were made wherever water could be found. One camp, which became the farming community of Bakeoven, was closely associated with the future town of Shaniko, while another camp, Cross Hollow, was located in the present Shaniko city limits. In 1867, following complaints of hostile Indians
and fear of robbery of those transporting gold, the State of Oregon received a grant from the United States government to build a military wagon road from The Dalles to Fort Boise
, Idaho. Following this road, homesteaders began claiming land in Central Oregon
that was previously fairly inaccessible.
One of these settlers was August Scherneckau, who came to the area after the Civil War
, in 1874. The spelling of the town's name reflects local pronunciation of Scherneckau's name. The town was originally called Cross Hollows, and a post office by that name was established in May 1879 with Scherneckau as postmaster. Cross Hollows post office closed in 1887, and Shaniko post office opened in 1900.
The town's heyday was the first decade of the 20th century, when Shaniko served as a transportation hub spurred by the presence of the Columbia Southern Railway
, a subsidiary of Union Pacific Railroad
, which built a branch from Biggs Junction
to a terminus in Shaniko. That branch was completed in May 1900. At the time, the city was known as the "Wool
Capital of the World", and it was the center of 20000 square miles (51,799.8 km²) of wool, wheat, cattle and sheep production, with no other such center east of the Cascade Range
in Oregon. The region served by the city even stretched into Idaho
, south to Klamath Falls, Oregon
and beyond, because of rail connections to the main line.
The residents of Shaniko voted to incorporate Shaniko and elected a mayor, F. T. Hurlbert, and other city officials on January 1, 1902. It was Wasco County's
fifth largest city, boasting the largest wool warehouse in the state, from which two tons were marketed in 1901. It was surrounded by cattle ranches, which produced livestock for shipment that filled 400 railroad cars that year.
By 1911, another line diverted traffic once served by the Columbia Southern and the town begin to decline. A mid-1960s flood in Hay Canyon near Grass Valley
destroyed part of the Columbia Southern line and led to its abandonment.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), none of which is covered with water.
The semi-arid climate creates a landscape with little visible vegetation other than sagebrush, scrub oak and dry grass most of the year. Many foothills and peaks of the Cascade range are visible from the city, including Three Fingered Jack
, Hood
, Jefferson
, Adams
, St. Helens
and Rainier
.
of 2000, there are 26 people, 14 households, and nine families residing in the city. The population density
is 55.9 people per square mile (21.8/km²). There are 35 housing units at an average density of 75.3 per square mile (29.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 92.31% White and 7.69% African American.
There are 14 households out of which 7.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% are married couples
living together, 0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% are non-families. 21.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 14.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 1.86 and the average family size is 2.11.
In the city the population is spread out with 7.7% under the age of 18, 0% from 18 to 24, 11.5% from 25 to 44, 42.3% from 45 to 64, and 38.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 61 years. For every 100 females there are 136.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 140.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $28,750, and the median income for a family is $31,250. Males have a median income of $28,750 versus $43,333 for females. The per capita income
for the city is $15,617. 16.7% of the population and 0.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 0.0% of those under the age of 18 and 100.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
listed on the National Register of Historic Places
:
The Shaniko Historic District includes the Shaniko Schoolhouse, the Shaniko Jailhouse, and the Shaniko Historic Center. Many of the buildings in the historic district have undergone restoration.
Wasco County, Oregon
Wasco County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county is named for a local tribe of Native Americans, the Wasco, a Chinook tribe who lived on the south side of the Columbia River. In 2010, its population was 25,213...
, 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...
, on U.S. Route 97 and about eight miles (13 km) north of Antelope
Antelope, Oregon
Antelope is a city in Wasco County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 46.-History:The Antelope Valley was probably named by members of Joseph Sherar's party who were packing supplies to mines in the John Day area. Sherar became known as the operator of a toll bridge...
. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 26—a virtual ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
whose preservation is being spearheaded by investments from Robert B. Pamplin, Jr.
Robert B. Pamplin, Jr.
Dr. Robert B. Pamplin, Jr. is a businessman and philanthropist from the U.S. state of Oregon. He is the owner of a number of businesses in and around Portland, Oregon and across the United States. In 2001, he was reported to be the third-wealthiest person in Oregon.His holdings include textile...
, a businessman and owner of the Portland Tribune
Portland Tribune
The Portland Tribune is a free weekly newspaper published each Thursday in Portland, Oregon, United States.The Tribune is part of the Pamplin Media Group, which publishes a number of community newspapers in the Portland metropolitan area, and also owns and operates the talk radio station KPAM, and...
and Columbia Empire Farms.
History
The first European AmericanEuropean American
A European American is a citizen or resident of the United States who has origins in any of the original peoples of Europe...
s came to the Shaniko area after the discovery of gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
in Canyon City, Oregon
Canyon City, Oregon
Canyon City is a city in Grant County, Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Grant County, and is about a mile south of John Day on U.S. Highway 395. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 703.-History:...
, in 1862. The route to Canyon City started at the early settlement of The Dalles
The Dalles, Oregon
The Dalles is the largest city and county seat of Wasco County, Oregon, United States. The name of the city comes from the French word dalle The Dalles is the largest city and county seat of Wasco County, Oregon, United States. The name of the city comes from the French word dalle The Dalles is...
, 190 miles (305.8 km) away. Camps were made wherever water could be found. One camp, which became the farming community of Bakeoven, was closely associated with the future town of Shaniko, while another camp, Cross Hollow, was located in the present Shaniko city limits. In 1867, following complaints of hostile Indians
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
and fear of robbery of those transporting gold, the State of Oregon received a grant from the United States government to build a military wagon road from The Dalles to Fort Boise
Fort Boise
Fort Boise refers to two different locations in southwestern Idaho. The first was a Hudson's Bay Company trading post near the Snake River on the Oregon border, dating from the era when Idaho was part of the fur company's Columbia District. After several rebuilds, it was ultimately abandoned in...
, Idaho. Following this road, homesteaders began claiming land in Central Oregon
Central Oregon
Central Oregon is a geographic region in the U.S. state of Oregon and is traditionally considered to be made up of Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook counties. Other definitions include larger areas, often encompassing areas to the north towards the Columbia River, eastward towards Burns, or south...
that was previously fairly inaccessible.
One of these settlers was August Scherneckau, who came to the area after the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, in 1874. The spelling of the town's name reflects local pronunciation of Scherneckau's name. The town was originally called Cross Hollows, and a post office by that name was established in May 1879 with Scherneckau as postmaster. Cross Hollows post office closed in 1887, and Shaniko post office opened in 1900.
The town's heyday was the first decade of the 20th century, when Shaniko served as a transportation hub spurred by the presence of the Columbia Southern Railway
Columbia Southern Railway
The Columbia Southern Railway built a rail line extending from Biggs south to Shaniko, Oregon, U.S. The company was incorporated on March 5, 1897, and intended to continue beyond Shaniko to Prineville, with a branch to Canyon City...
, a subsidiary of Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
, which built a branch from Biggs Junction
Biggs Junction, Oregon
Biggs Junction is an unincorporated community in Sherman County, Oregon, United States. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Biggs Junction as a census-designated place...
to a terminus in Shaniko. That branch was completed in May 1900. At the time, the city was known as the "Wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
Capital of the World", and it was the center of 20000 square miles (51,799.8 km²) of wool, wheat, cattle and sheep production, with no other such center east of the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
in Oregon. The region served by the city even stretched into Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, south to Klamath Falls, Oregon
Klamath Falls, Oregon
Klamath Falls is a city in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. Originally called Linkville when George Nurse founded the town in 1867, after the Link River on whose falls this city sat, although no falls currently exist; the name was changed to Klamath Falls in 1892...
and beyond, because of rail connections to the main line.
The residents of Shaniko voted to incorporate Shaniko and elected a mayor, F. T. Hurlbert, and other city officials on January 1, 1902. It was Wasco County's
Wasco County, Oregon
Wasco County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county is named for a local tribe of Native Americans, the Wasco, a Chinook tribe who lived on the south side of the Columbia River. In 2010, its population was 25,213...
fifth largest city, boasting the largest wool warehouse in the state, from which two tons were marketed in 1901. It was surrounded by cattle ranches, which produced livestock for shipment that filled 400 railroad cars that year.
By 1911, another line diverted traffic once served by the Columbia Southern and the town begin to decline. A mid-1960s flood in Hay Canyon near Grass Valley
Grass Valley, Oregon
Grass Valley is a city in Sherman County, Oregon, United States. The population was 171 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.-Demographics:...
destroyed part of the Columbia Southern line and led to its abandonment.
Geography
Shaniko is located at an elevation of 3,344 feet (1019 m).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), none of which is covered with water.
The semi-arid climate creates a landscape with little visible vegetation other than sagebrush, scrub oak and dry grass most of the year. Many foothills and peaks of the Cascade range are visible from the city, including Three Fingered Jack
Three Fingered Jack
Three Fingered Jack, named for its distinctive shape, is a Pleistocene volcano in the Cascade Range of Oregon. It is a deeply glaciated shield volcano and consists mainly of basaltic andesite lava...
, Hood
Mount Hood
Mount Hood, called Wy'east by the Multnomah tribe, is a stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc of northern Oregon. It was formed by a subduction zone and rests in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States...
, Jefferson
Mount Jefferson (Oregon)
Mount Jefferson is a stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc, part of the Cascade Range, and is the second highest mountain in Oregon. Situated in the far northeastern corner of Linn County on the Jefferson County line, about east of Corvallis, Mount Jefferson is in a rugged wilderness and is...
, Adams
Mount Adams (Washington)
Mount Adams is a potentially activestratovolcano in the Cascade Range and the second-highest mountain in the U.S. state of Washington.Adams is a member of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, and is one of the arc's largest volcanoes,...
, St. Helens
Mount St. Helens
Mount St. Helens is an active stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is south of Seattle, Washington and northeast of Portland, Oregon. Mount St. Helens takes its English name from the British diplomat Lord St Helens, a...
and Rainier
Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier is a massive stratovolcano located southeast of Seattle in the state of Washington, United States. It is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and the Cascade Volcanic Arc, with a summit elevation of . Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most...
.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there are 26 people, 14 households, and nine families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
is 55.9 people per square mile (21.8/km²). There are 35 housing units at an average density of 75.3 per square mile (29.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 92.31% White and 7.69% African American.
There are 14 households out of which 7.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% are married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% are non-families. 21.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 14.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 1.86 and the average family size is 2.11.
In the city the population is spread out with 7.7% under the age of 18, 0% from 18 to 24, 11.5% from 25 to 44, 42.3% from 45 to 64, and 38.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 61 years. For every 100 females there are 136.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 140.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $28,750, and the median income for a family is $31,250. Males have a median income of $28,750 versus $43,333 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city is $15,617. 16.7% of the population and 0.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 0.0% of those under the age of 18 and 100.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Historic buildings
Shaniko contains an individual historic building, a building complex, and a historic districtHistoric district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
:
- Columbia Southern Hotel
- Imperial Stock Ranch Headquarters Complex
- Shaniko Historic District
The Shaniko Historic District includes the Shaniko Schoolhouse, the Shaniko Jailhouse, and the Shaniko Historic Center. Many of the buildings in the historic district have undergone restoration.
External links
- History page from Pamplin-funded website for the town (main site www.shaniko.com under construction)
- Entry for Shaniko from the Oregon Blue BookOregon Blue BookThe Oregon Blue Book is the official directory and fact book for the U.S. state of Oregon copyrighted by the Oregon Secretary of State and published by the Office of the Secretary's Archives Division. As Governor Ted Kulongoski notes in his introduction for the 2005–2006 edition, it "provides...
, including a link to a local road map (in PDF formatPortable Document FormatPortable Document Format is an open standard for document exchange. This file format, created by Adobe Systems in 1993, is used for representing documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems....
) from ODOTOregon Department of TransportationThe Oregon Department of Transportation is a department of the state government of the U.S. state of Oregon responsible for systems of transportation. It was first established in 1969. It had been preceded by the Oregon State Highway Department which, along with the Oregon State Highway... - Historic photos of Shaniko from the Salem Public Library
- Bend Bulletin story on Pamplin and Shaniko
- Official site of The Last Days of Shaniko