Antelope, Oregon

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Coordinates: 44°54′39″N, 120°43′22″W
Antelope, Oregon
Location in Oregon
County	Wasco County
Government
- Mayor	Brian Sheer
Area
- City	1.3 km² (0.5 sq mi)
- Land	1.3 km² (0.5 sq mi)
- Water	0 km² (0 sq mi)
Elevation	818.4 m (2,685 ft)
Population (2000)
- City	59
- Density	44.7/km² (116.8/sq mi)
Time zone	Pacific (UTC-8)
- Summer (DST)	Pacific (UTC-7)

Antelope is a city in Wasco County, Oregon, United States. The population was 59 at the 2000 census.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 History
4 Further reading
5 External links

[edit] Geography

Antelope is located at 44°54′39″N, 120°43′22″W (44.910852, -120.722784)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.3 km² (0.5 mi²), all land.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 59 people, 27 households, and 18 families residing in the city. The population density was 44.7/km² (116.8/mi²). There were 41 housing units at an average density of 31.0/km² (81.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.22% White and 6.78% Native American. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.39% of the population.

There were 27 households out of which 14.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.0% were married couples living together, 3.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.72.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 1.7% from 18 to 24, 18.6% from 25 to 44, 32.2% from 45 to 64, and 25.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females there were 103.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $40,208, and the median income for a family was $37,500. Males had a median income of $30,000 versus $30,417 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,444. There were 16.7% of families and 22.2% of the population living below the poverty line, including 64.3% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

[edit] History

The town of Antelope was the first to be settled in a valley of the same name where many antelope grazed. It became a stopping point for stagecoaches where passengers could rest and even stay over night. By 1871, the town had grown to the point that warranted a post office and one was opened in August of that year. The town grew to become a center for sheep and cattle ranchers and had its share of shootings common in western towns during the 1890s. Like many other small towns during that period, Antelope was all but destroyed by fire in 1898. All but one building on the main street was destroyed but that building still stands today. The town was quickly rebuilt. Only a few miles north of Antelope a new town called Shaniko became the terminus of a railroad, causing the population to gradually fade.

After World War II, the community languished until the 1980s when followers of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, who had started the city of Rajneeshpuram on a nearby ranch (previously known as "The Big Muddy Ranch"), began to dominate the town. Rajneeshpuram was an intentional community (or commune) of "Rajneeshees". On September 18, 1984, by a vote of 57 to 22, Antelope's charter was amended to change the name of the city to Rajneesh. A short time later Rajneesh was indicted on federal immigration charges. After an abortive attempt at flight, he pleaded no contest to two of the 34 charges and returned to India. Meanwhile, on November 6, 1985, the remaining residents, both original and Rajneeshee, voted 34 to 0 to restore the original name. The ranch is now owned by Young Life and has been converted into a camp, known as "Wild Horse Canyon."