Contact
Little Strawberry Lake in the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness Area of the Strawberry Mountains. (Oregon State Archives Scenic Images collection)
County Seat: Courthouse, 201 S. Humbolt St., Suite 290, Canyon City 97820
Phone: 541-575-1675 (General); 541-575-0059 (County Court Administrator)
About
Established: Oct. 14, 1864
Elev. at Canyon City: 3,194'
Area: 4,528 sq. mi.
Average Temp.: January 30.7° July 68.4°
Assessed Value: $698,896,427
Real Market Value: $1,098,766,450
(includes the value of non-taxed properties)
Annual Precipitation: 14.28"
Economy: Forest products, agriculture, hunting, livestock and recreation
Incorporated Cities
Points of Interest
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Veterans Memorial, Clyde Holliday State Park, Kam Wah Chung Museum, Joaquin Miller Cabin, Grant County Historical Museum, John Day totem pole, Grant County Historical Mural, Dewitt Museum, Depot Park, Sumpter Valley Railroad, Strawberry Mountain Wilderness, North Fork John Day River Wilderness
History and General Information
Grant County was created in 1864 from Wasco and Umatilla counties and was named for General Ulysses S. Grant. It shares boundaries with more counties (eight) than any other county in Oregon. Canyon City is the county seat.
Gold was discovered on Whiskey Flat in 1862. It is estimated that within 10 days of the original discovery, 1,000 miners were camped along Canyon Creek. Over $20 million in gold was mined from the Canyon City and Susanville areas. Following the decline of gold and placer mining, stock raising and agriculture became the main work of residents.
Grant County contains the headwaters of the John Day River, which has more miles designated as Wild and Scenic than any other river in the United States. More than 60% of the land in the county is in public ownership.
County Officials
County Court: Judge Jim Hamsher (2029); John A Rowell (2027), Mitchel Wilson (2029); Dist. Atty. Jim Carpenter (2027); Assess. David Thunell (2029); Clerk Laurie Cates (2029); Justice of the Peace Richard Tirico (2031); Sheriff Todd McKinley (2029); Surv. Mike Springer (2029); Treas. Julie Ellison (2029)