Ritter, Oregon

Ritter is an unincorporated community in Grant County, Oregon, United States, ten miles down the Middle Fork John Day River from U.S. Route 395, between Dale and Long Creek.[1] At one time the locale was also known as Ritter Hot Springs.[2]

When a post office was established in this locale, it was named for the Rev. Joseph Ritter, a pioneer Baptist minister of the John Day Valley, on whose ranch it was situated.[3] The post office was originally near the mineral hot springs there, formerly known as McDuffee Hot Springs but now known as Ritter Hot Springs.[3] In 1988, the post office had moved to the old schoolhouse across the river.[3] As of 2009, Ritter no longer had its own post office; Ritter's mail is addressed to Long Creek.[4]

The springs were discovered by William Neal McDuffee, an early-day packer who traveled between Umatilla and the John Day Valley mines.[3]

References

  1. ^ Richard, Terry (August 12, 2009). "Rural, rustic Ritter Hot Springs won't disappoint". The Oregonian. http://blog.oregonlive.com/terryrichard/2009/08/rural_and_rustic_ritter_hot_sp.html. Retrieved 2009-10-07. 
  2. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Ritter
  3. ^ a b c d McArthur, Lewis A.; Lewis L. McArthur (2003) [1928]. Oregon Geographic Names (7th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. ISBN 0-87595-277-1. 
  4. ^ United States Postal Service ZIP Code Lookup

External links

Municipalities and communities of Grant County, Oregon, USA
Cities
Unincorporated
communities
Ghost towns