 Wallowa
County was established on February 11, 1887,
out of the eastern portion of Union County. It is the northeastern
most county of Oregon. Subsequent boundary changes occurred in 1890,
1900, and 1915 when land was acquired from or transferred to Union
County. Wallowa County is now bounded on the north by the State of
Washington, on the east by the Snake River which is the boundary with
the State of Idaho, on the south by Baker County, and on the west
by Union County. The county's area is 3,153 square miles. Its 2000
population of 7,226 was an increase of 4.56% over 1990.
In
1877 the younger Chief Joseph of the Nez Perces, incensed at the
government's attempt to deprive his people of the Wallowa Valley,
refused to be moved to an Idaho reservation. Several regiments of
United States troops were dispatched to force him onto the reservation.
After a number of battles and a thousand-mile retreat, Chief Joseph
was compelled to surrender. He and the remnants of his band were
removed to Oklahoma and later were relocated to a reservation in
Washington State.
The
Wallowa Mountains are an important geographical feature of the county.
They are unlike other mountain ranges in the state due to their
granitic rather than volcanic origin. They take their name from
the Wallowa River that is formed by the confluence of the east and
west forks about a mile south of Wallowa Lake and eventually flows
into the Grande Ronde River. Wallowa is a Nez Perce word for "fish
trap."
The
City of Enterprise serves as the county seat. The City of
Joseph was named the interim county seat until a general
election chose Enterprise as the county seat in 1888. A proposition
to contribute to the building of a county courthouse by sixty citizens
was turned down by the county court in 1899. It was not until 1909
that a courthouse was built. Constructed of native stone the building
continues to house county offices. Enterprise, in addition to being
the county seat, is the Wallowa Valley's trade center for ranchers
and headquarters for the Wallowa National Forest.
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Bar
M Ranch -
in Adams
The ultimate destination for a fun, relaxing and
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Tapadera
Inn
105
SE Court Avenue
Pendleton, Oregon
541-276- 3231
877-722-8277
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 While
many streams in Wallowa County run dry in the summer,
Whiskey Creek was decidedly "wet" in the summer
of 1872. It seems that enterprising traders ran a pack
train with a considerable supply of whiskey from Walla
Walla, Washington Territory to a camp near Wallowa.
Residents
of Wallowa were hopping mad after the traders began
to barter the whiskey for goods with local Indians.
They entered the camp and engaged in a three-cornered
fight with the traders and the Indians. Emerging victorious,
the Wallowa residents finished their work by busting
open the kegs of whiskey, which then flowed freely into
what has been known as Whiskey Creek ever since.
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