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Baker County, Oregon
Baker County Courthouse in Baker City
Seal
Location in the U.S. state of Oregon
Oregon's location in the U.S.
Founded	September 22, 1862
Seat	Baker City
Largest city	Baker City
Area
• Total	3,088 sq mi (7,998 km2)
• Land	3,068 sq mi (7,946 km2)
• Water	20 sq mi (52 km2), 0.6%
Population (est.)
• (2016)	16,059
• Density	5.3/sq mi (2.0/km2)
Congressional district	2nd
Time zone	Pacific: UTC−8/−7
Website	www.bakercounty.org

Baker County is a county in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 census, the population was 16,134.^[1] The county seat and largest city is Baker City.^[2] The county was split from the eastern part of Wasco County. Union County and Malheur County were set off from Baker County in 1864 and 1887 respectively. It is named after Edward Dickinson Baker, a senator from Oregon who was killed at Ball's Bluff, a battle of the Civil War in Virginia in 1861.

Baker County is part of the county definition of Eastern Oregon.

History

The first groups from the eastern U.S. following the Oregon Trail passed through the area on their way to the Willamette Valley, unaware of the potential wealth they passed over. At Flagstaff Hill, near Baker City, 15 miles (24 km) of wagon ruts left by immigrants can still be seen.

In 1861 gold was discovered and Baker County became one of the Northwest's largest gold producers.

On September 22 of the following year, the state assembly created Baker County from the eastern part of Wasco County. Later, Union County and Malheur County were created from this county. The boundaries were adjusted for the last time in 1901, when the area between the Powder River and the Wallowa Mountains was returned to Baker County.

The original county seat was at Auburn. While at first a booming mining town with 5,000 inhabitants, once the gold was mined out Auburn's population dwindled, and county citizens eventually voted in 1868 to make Baker City, incorporated in 1874, the new county seat.

The population of Baker County nearly quadrupled between the years 1880 and 1910. This growth was largely a product of the emergence and expansion of the Sumpter Valley Railroad and several of its spur lines, which helped lumber and mining operations to develop and grow.^[3]

In 1914 Fern Hobbs, on behalf of her employer Governor Oswald West, declared martial law in the Baker County city of Copperfield. This was the first declaration of martial law in the state since the American Civil War.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,088 square miles (8,000 km²), of which 3,068 square miles (7,950 km²) is land and 20 square miles (52 km²) (0.6%) is water.^[4]

About 30% of the county is forest.

Adjacent counties

• 
  Union County - north


• 
  Wallowa County - northeast


• 
  Adams County, Idaho - east/Mountain Time Border


• 
  Washington County, Idaho - southeast/Mountain Time Border


• 
  Malheur County - south/Mountain Time Border


• 
  Grant County - west

National protected areas

• 
  Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge (part)


• 
  Hells Canyon National Recreation Area (part)


• 
  Malheur National Forest (part)


• 
  Whitman National Forest (part)

Demographics

2000 census

As of the census^[10] of 2000, there were 16,741 people, 6,883 households, and 4,680 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile (2/km²). There were 8,402 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was:

• 95.68% White
  


• 0.23% Black or African American
  


• 1.09% Native American
  


• 0.38% Asian
  


• 0.04% Pacific Islander
  


• 0.92% from other races
  


• 1.65% from two or more races.

2.34% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.4% were of English, 17.4% German, 11.4% American and 9.1% Irish ancestry.

There were 6,883 households out of which 28.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.20% were married couples living together, 8.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.00% were non-families. 27.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the county, the population dispersal was 24.20% under the age of 18, 5.80% from 18 to 24, 23.60% from 25 to 44, 27.30% from 45 to 64, and 19.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 98.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,367, and the median income for a family was $36,106. Males had a median income of $27,133 versus $20,480 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,612. About 10.10% of families and 14.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.80% of those under age 18 and 12.40% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 16,134 people, 7,040 households, and 4,430 families residing in the county.^[11] The population density was 5.3 inhabitants per square mile (2.0/km²). There were 8,826 housing units at an average density of 2.9 per square mile (1.1/km²).^[12] The racial makeup of the county was 94.6% white, 1.1% American Indian, 0.5% Asian, 0.4% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 1.0% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.3% of the population.^[11] In terms of ancestry, 24.5% were German, 14.8% were Irish, 14.6% were English, and 8.1% were American.^[13]

Of the 7,040 households, 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 37.1% were non-families, and 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.78. The median age was 47.9 years.^[11]

The median income for a household in the county was $39,704 and the median income for a family was $50,507. Males had a median income of $43,849 versus $30,167 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,683. About 12.7% of families and 19.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.2% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.^[14]

Politics

Like all counties in eastern Oregon, the majority of registered voters who are part of a political party in Baker County are members of the Republican Party. In the 2008 presidential election, 64.37% of Baker County voters voted for Republican John McCain, while 31.95% voted for Democrat Barack Obama and 3.66% of voters either voted for a Third Party candidate or wrote in a candidate.^[15] These numbers have changed slightly from the 2004 presidential election, in which 69.2% voted for George W. Bush, while 29% voted for John Kerry, and 1.8% of voters either voted for a Third Party candidate or wrote in a candidate.^[16]

^[17]

Economy

Gold mining was the original impetus for settlement in the area, and at one time the county was the largest gold producer in the Northwest. Gold dredging was conducted with the Sumpter Valley Gold Dredge. With the exhaustion of the gold fields, agriculture, stock raising, logging became the primary economic pursuits. In the last decades of the 20th century, tourism also contributed to the local economy, helped by attractions that include the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area, the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, and Anthony Lakes Ski Area. The National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center has drawn numerous visitors since it opened in 1993.

Communities

Incorporated cities

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

• Auburn


• Bourne


• Copperfield


• Cornucopia


• Nelson


• Pocahontas


• Robinette

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Baker County, Oregon

Notes

References

Further reading

• Baker County Historical Society, "The History of Baker County, Oregon. Portland, OR: Baker County Historical Society, 1986.
  


• Eloise Dielman, Jon Croghan, and Gary Dielman, Baker County Links to the Past. Baker City, OR: Baker County Historical Society, 2001.


• Gary Dielman, "Discovering Gold in Baker County Library's Photograph Collection," Oregon Historical Quarterly, vol. 109, no. 1 (Spring 2008).


• Ruth H. Evans, Centennial Pioneer Families of Baker County. n.c.: n.p., c. 1974.


• Isaac Hiatt, Thirty-one years in Baker County: A History of the County from 1861 to 1893. Baker, OR: Baker County Historical Society, 1970.


• Gordon Stewart and Patricia Stewart, Baker County Sketch Book. n.c.: n.p., 1956.


• 
  An Illustrated History of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties, with a Brief Outline of the Early History of the State of Oregon. Chicago: Western Historical Publishing Company, 1902.


• 
  Turnbull, George S. (1939). "Baker County". History of Oregon Newspapers. Binfords & Mort.
  


• 
  The History of Baker County, Oregon, 1986. Portland, OR: Baker County Historical Society, 1986.

External links

• Baker County Chamber of Commerce

Coordinates: 44°43′N 117°40′W / 44.71°N 117.67°W / 44.71; -117.67