Sumpter Valley Railway Passenger Station
Encyclopedia
Sumpter Valley Railway Passenger Station was the westernmost station on the Sumpter Valley Railway
, which ran 80 miles (128.7 km) from Baker City
to Prairie City
in the U.S. state
of Oregon
. The line reached Prairie City in 1910 but was abandoned in 1933, and the station became a private dwelling. Since 1984, the renovated station has housed the collections of the DeWitt Museum, including railway artifacts from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
to a sawmill in South Baker City. By 1891, the line had reached McEwen
, 22 miles (35.4 km) to the west, and the railroad began offering passenger and freight service. To reach uncut forests further west, the company extended the line in stages. It reached Sumpter
in 1896 and continued southwestward to Whitney
, Tipton, Austin
and Bates
. By 1910, it arrived in Prairie City, a ranching and mining community on the John Day River
in Grant County
.
Ten years later, the railway began losing business to automobiles and trucks, and in 1933 the 20 miles (32.2 km) of track between Prairie City and Bates were abandoned. From then until 1973, the Prairie City Depot
was used as a dwelling. Thereafter, the Sumpter Valley Depot Restoration Committee renovated the structure, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1981.
at the turn of the 20th century.
Sumpter Valley Railway
The Sumpter Valley Railway is a heritage railroad located in Baker County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. Built on a right-of-way used by the original railway of the same name, it carries excursion trains on a roughly route between McEwen and Sumpter. The railroad has two steam locomotives and...
, which ran 80 miles (128.7 km) from 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:...
to Prairie City
Prairie City, Oregon
Prairie City is a city in Grant County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1,080 at the 2000 census. The community was incorporated by the Oregon Legislative Assembly on February 23, 1891.-History:...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. The line reached Prairie City in 1910 but was abandoned in 1933, and the station became a private dwelling. Since 1984, the renovated station has housed the collections of the DeWitt Museum, including railway artifacts from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
History
Incorporated in 1890, the narrow gauge railway's initial purpose was to haul logs from forests near Baker City in Baker CountyBaker 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...
to a sawmill in South Baker City. By 1891, the line had reached 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....
, 22 miles (35.4 km) to the west, and the railroad began offering passenger and freight service. To reach uncut forests further west, the company extended the line in stages. It reached Sumpter
Sumpter, Oregon
Sumpter is a city in Baker County, Oregon, United States. The population was 171 at the 2000 census. Sumpter is named after Fort Sumter by its founders.- History :...
in 1896 and continued southwestward to Whitney
Whitney, Oregon
Whitney is an unincorporated community, also considered a ghost town, located in Baker County, Oregon, United States, on Oregon Route 7 southwest of Sumpter. It is on the North Fork Burnt River, near the Blue Mountains and Wallowa-Whitman National Forest....
, Tipton, Austin
Austin, Oregon
Austin is an unincorporated community, considered a ghost town, in Grant County, Oregon, United States. It is located north of Oregon Route 7, near the Middle Fork John Day River in the Malheur National Forest.-History:...
and Bates
Bates, Oregon
Bates is an unincorporated community in Grant County, Oregon, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office with a ZIP code of 97817.Bates was a lumber mill town until 1975 with a population of up to 400. Bates State Park opened in 2011....
. By 1910, it arrived in Prairie City, a ranching and mining community on the John Day River
John Day River
The John Day River is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately long, in northeastern Oregon in the United States. Undammed along its entire length, the river is the third longest free-flowing river in the conterminous United States. There is extensive use of its waters for irrigation. Its...
in Grant County
Grant County, Oregon
Grant County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is included in the 8 county definition of Eastern Oregon. In 2010, its population was 7,445. It is named for President Ulysses S. Grant, who served as an army officer in the Oregon Territory, and at the time of the county's creation...
.
Ten years later, the railway began losing business to automobiles and trucks, and in 1933 the 20 miles (32.2 km) of track between Prairie City and Bates were abandoned. From then until 1973, the Prairie City Depot
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
was used as a dwelling. Thereafter, the Sumpter Valley Depot Restoration Committee renovated the structure, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1981.
DeWitt Museum
The City of Prairie City, assuming management of the building in 1984, used it to house the DeWitt Museum. Its collections include lanterns, lights, and other railway artifacts, and photographs of train wrecks and of life along the rail line. Other parts of the museum house a collection of rocks and minerals, family photo albums, and mining artifacts from Grant CountyGrant County, Oregon
Grant County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is included in the 8 county definition of Eastern Oregon. In 2010, its population was 7,445. It is named for President Ulysses S. Grant, who served as an army officer in the Oregon Territory, and at the time of the county's creation...
at the turn of the 20th century.
See also
- List of Oregon railroads
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Oregon
- List of museums in Oregon
External links
- DeWitt Museum - official site
- Sumpter Valley Railway