Auburn, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Auburn was an unincorporated community
in rural Baker County
, Oregon, United States, now considered a ghost town
. Auburn lies off Oregon Route 7 southwest of Baker City
and east of McEwen
on the edge of the Blue Mountains
.
Auburn is deserted today, but the former gold mining
boomtown
was once the largest community in Eastern Oregon
. Auburn only had one or two buildings until 1861, when gold was discovered in the area. By September 1862, Auburn had grown into a full-fledged town with over 20 stores and 1000 homes to serve the mining industry. In that month the Oregon Legislative Assembly
made Auburn the first county seat
of Baker County, but by the 1870s Auburn was largely deserted, with a population of 200 people in 1873. The post office
, the first in northeast Oregon, closed in 1903.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in rural Baker County
Baker County, Oregon
Baker County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is included in the 8 county definition of Eastern Oregon. It is named for Edward Dickinson Baker, a senator from Oregon who was killed at Ball's Bluff, a battle of the Civil War in Virginia in 1861. It was split from the eastern part...
, Oregon, United States, now considered a ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
. Auburn lies off Oregon Route 7 southwest of Baker City
Baker City, Oregon
Baker City is a city in and the county seat of Baker County, Oregon, United States. It was named after Edward D. Baker. The population was 9,828 at the 2010 census.-History:...
and east of McEwen
McEwen, Oregon
McEwen is an unincorporated community in Baker County, Oregon, United States. McEwen lies on Oregon Route 7 east of its interchange with Oregon Route 220. McEwen is southeast of Sumpter and west of Auburn....
on the edge of the Blue Mountains
Blue Mountains (Oregon)
The Blue Mountains are a mountain range in the western United States, located largely in northeastern Oregon and stretching into southeastern Washington...
.
Auburn is deserted today, but the former gold mining
Gold mining
Gold mining is the removal of gold from the ground. There are several techniques and processes by which gold may be extracted from the earth.-History:...
boomtown
Boomtown
A boomtown is a community that experiences sudden and rapid population and economic growth. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although the term can also be applied to communities growing very rapidly for different reasons,...
was once the largest community in Eastern Oregon
Eastern Oregon
Eastern Oregon is the eastern part of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is not an officially recognized geographic entity, thus the boundaries of the region vary according to context. It is sometimes understood to include only the eight easternmost counties in the state; in other contexts, it includes...
. Auburn only had one or two buildings until 1861, when gold was discovered in the area. By September 1862, Auburn had grown into a full-fledged town with over 20 stores and 1000 homes to serve the mining industry. In that month the Oregon Legislative Assembly
Oregon Legislative Assembly
The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...
made Auburn the first county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Baker County, but by the 1870s Auburn was largely deserted, with a population of 200 people in 1873. The post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, the first in northeast Oregon, closed in 1903.
Further reading
- Bright, Verne. "Blue Mountain Eldorados: Auburn, 1861." Oregon Historical Quarterly 62, 1961: 213-236
- McLoughlin, Virginia Duffy. "Cynthia Stafford and the Lost Mining Town of Auburn." Oregon Historical Quarterly 98, 1997: 6-55