Contact
Rock formations at the Clarno Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument on Highway 218. (Oregon State Archives Scenic Images collection)
County Seat: Courthouse, 701 Adams St., Fossil 97830
Phone: 541-763-2400 (General); 541-763-2541 (Court Administrator)
About
Established: Feb. 17, 1899
Elev. at Fossil: 2,654'
Area: 1,715 sq. mi.
Average Temp.: January 35° July 66°
Assessed Value: $194,537,611
Real Market Value: $364,800,2
(includes the value of non-taxed properties)
Annual Precipitation: 14.66"
Economy: Livestock and tourism
Related Resources
Incorporated Cities
Points of Interest
Clarno and Painted Hills Units of the John Day Fossil Bed National Monument, John Day River, Spray Rodeo
History and General Information
Wheeler County was formed by the Oregon Legislature in 1899 from parts of Grant, Gilliam and Crook counties, and was named for resident Henry H. Wheeler. The town of Fossil is the county seat.
Wheeler County is as rugged and uneven as any Oregon county, with the terrain varying widely from sagebrush, juniper and rim rock to stands of ponderosa pine and Douglas fir. Portions of two national forests and an expanse of Bureau of Land Management land lie within its boundaries. Publicly owned acreage makes up nearly one-third of the county. Wheeler County is probably best known as one of the most outstanding depositories of prehistoric fossils in North America.
County Officials
County Court: Judge Lynn Morley (2029); Matt Davis (2029), Ben Logan (2027); Dist. Atty. Gretchen Ladd Dobler (2029); Assess. Auralea Johnson (2027); Clerk Brenda Snow Potter (2029); Justice of the Peace Robin Ordway Campbell (2027); Sheriff Jeremiah Holmes (2029); Surv. Michael Springer (2029); Treas. Sandra K. Speer (2027)