| Shaniko, Oregon | |
|---|---|
| — City — | |
| City name written on barn in Shaniko | |
| Nickname(s): Oregon's Best Known Ghost Town | |
| Location in Oregon | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Wasco |
| Incorporated | 1901 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Goldie Roberts |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.5 sq mi (1.2 km2) |
| • Land | 0.5 sq mi (1.2 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 3,344 ft (1,019 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 26 |
| • Density | 55.9/sq mi (21.8/km2) |
| Time zone | Pacific (UTC-8) |
| • Summer (DST) | Pacific (UTC-7) |
| ZIP code | 97057 |
| Area code(s) | 541 |
| FIPS code | 41-66700[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1126791[2] |
| Website | http://www.shaniko.com |
Shaniko is a city located in Wasco County, Oregon, United States, on U.S. Route 97 and about eight miles (13 km) north of Antelope. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 26—a virtual ghost town whose preservation is being spearheaded by investments from Robert B. Pamplin, Jr., a businessman and owner of the Portland Tribune and Columbia Empire Farms.
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The first European Americans came to the Shaniko area after the discovery of gold in Canyon City, Oregon, in 1862.[3] The route to Canyon City started at the early settlement of The Dalles, 190 miles (310 km) away.[3] Camps were made wherever water could be found.[3] One camp, which became the farming community of Bakeoven, was closely associated with the future town of Shaniko, while another camp, Cross Hollow, was located in the present Shaniko city limits.[3] In 1867, following complaints of hostile Indians and fear of robbery of those transporting gold, the State of Oregon received a grant from the United States government to build a military wagon road from The Dalles to Fort Boise, Idaho.[3] Following this road, homesteaders began claiming land in Central Oregon that was previously fairly inaccessible.[3]
One of these settlers was August Scherneckau, who came to the area after the Civil War,[4] in 1874.[3] The spelling of the town's name reflects local pronunciation of Scherneckau's name.[4] The town was originally called Cross Hollows, and a post office by that name was established in May 1879 with Scherneckau as postmaster.[4] Cross Hollows post office closed in 1887, and Shaniko post office opened in 1900.[4]
The town's heyday was the first decade of the 20th century, when Shaniko served as a transportation hub spurred by the presence of the Columbia Southern Railway, a subsidiary of Union Pacific Railroad, which built a branch from Biggs Junction to a terminus in Shaniko.[3] That branch was completed in May 1900.[3] At the time, the city was known as the "Wool Capital of the World", and it was the center of 20,000 square miles (52,000 km2) of wool, wheat, cattle and sheep production, with no other such center east of the Cascade Range in Oregon.[3] The region served by the city even stretched into Idaho, south to Klamath Falls, Oregon and beyond, because of rail connections to the main line.[3]
The residents of Shaniko voted to incorporate Shaniko and elected a mayor, F. T. Hurlbert, and other city officials on January 1, 1902. It was Wasco County's fifth largest city, boasting the largest wool warehouse in the state, from which two tons were marketed in 1901. It was surrounded by cattle ranches, which produced livestock for shipment that filled 400 railroad cars that year.[5]
By 1911, another line diverted traffic once served by the Columbia Southern and the town begin to decline. A mid-1960s flood in Hay Canyon near Grass Valley destroyed part of the Columbia Southern line and led to its abandonment.
Shaniko is located at an elevation of 3,344 feet (1019 m).[6]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km2), none of which is covered with water.[6]
The semi-arid climate creates a landscape with little visible vegetation other than sagebrush, scrub oak and dry grass most of the year. Many foothills and peaks of the Cascade range are visible from the city, including Three Fingered Jack, Hood, Jefferson, Adams, St. Helens and Rainier.[5]
As of the census[1] of 2000, there are 26 people, 14 households, and nine families residing in the city. The population density is 55.9 people per square mile (21.8/km²). There are 35 housing units at an average density of 75.3 per square mile (29.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 92.31% White and 7.69% African American.
There are 14 households out of which 7.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% are married couples living together, 0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% are non-families. 21.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 14.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 1.86 and the average family size is 2.11.
In the city the population is spread out with 7.7% under the age of 18, 0% from 18 to 24, 11.5% from 25 to 44, 42.3% from 45 to 64, and 38.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 61 years. For every 100 females there are 136.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 140.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $28,750, and the median income for a family is $31,250. Males have a median income of $28,750 versus $43,333 for females. The per capita income for the city is $15,617. 16.7% of the population and 0.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 0.0% of those under the age of 18 and 100.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Shaniko contains an individual historic building, a building complex, and a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places:
The Shaniko Historic District includes the Shaniko Schoolhouse,[8] the Shaniko Jailhouse, and the Shaniko Historic Center. Many of the buildings in the historic district have undergone restoration.
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