 Sherman
County was created in 1889 out of the northeast
corner of Wasco County. It was named for General William Techumseh
Sherman of Civil War fame. Sherman County is located in north central
Oregon and is bounded by the Columbia River on the north, the John
Day River and Gilliam County on the east, and the Deschutes River,
Buck Hollow, and Wasco County on the west and south. The only change
made to the county's borders occurred in 1891 when the Legislative
Assembly moved the county line eighteen miles farther south. Sherman
County contains 831 square miles.
The
town of Wasco was designated the county seat by the Legislative
Assembly although the selection was contested between Wasco and
Moro. Moro benefited from the addition to the southern part of the
county of a portion of Wasco County and was the eventual winner
of a series of elections to select a county seat.
The
county contracted in 1892 to build a vault and building on the main
street of Moro for use as an interim courthouse. A permanent courthouse
was built in 1899 on a hill overlooking the town and is still in
use today.
The
citizens of Sherman County have been served by a county court form
of government ever since its creation. Administrative functions
for Sherman County continue to be the responsibility of the county
court consisting of the county judge and two commissioners. Other
elected officials are the assessor, county clerk, district attorney,
sheriff, and treasurer.
The
population of the county has remained fairly constant, in 1890 there
were 1,792 residents and in 2000 there were 1934 residents, a 0.83%
increase over 1990.
Sherman
County is an agricultural county with no industry. It has a larger
percentage of its 831 square miles under cultivation than any county
in Oregon. Its farms are devoted to growing wheat and barley. Cattle
raising also contributes to the county's economy as does recreation
on the rivers bordering the county.
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 Sherman
County's population has remained remarkably steady at
just under 2,000 residents for over 100 years. While
these folks, largely wheat farmers and cattle ranchers,
would take exception with the notion, most people are
just interested in getting through Sherman County.
Native
Americans traveled through the area to reach the famed
trading center at Celilo Falls to the west. Lewis and
Clark passed through anticipating the Pacific Ocean
ahead. Travelers on the Oregon Trail went through to
The Dalles or Barlow Pass. Stage, mail, and freight
routes began to cross in the 1860s, while the railroad
steamed through the area in 1881. Now, most people pass
through Sherman County on Interstate 84 or Highway 97
in about an hour or less. They don't notice the golden
glow of the wheat fields as the sun sets behind Mt.
Hood. But the residents do.
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