Robinette, Oregon | |
|---|---|
Formerunincorporated community | |
  Robinette, Oregon  Robinette, Oregon | |
| Coordinates:44°45′10″N117°01′50″W / 44.75278°N 117.03056°W /44.75278; -117.03056 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Baker |
| Elevation | 2,077 ft (633 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1126115[1] |
Robinette is a formerunincorporated community inBaker County,Oregon, United States.[1]
Robinette wasplatted around 1898, along aNorthwest Railway Company line that never developed.[2] In 1909, a railroad station andtownsite at this locale were named for James E. Robinette, a native ofMaryland.[3] Robinette came to what was thenUnion County in 1884 and settled on the west bank of the Snake River near the mouth of thePowder River in 1887.[3] Robinette post office was also established in 1909.[3]
By 1940, when Robinette had a population of 46, it was the northern terminus of a branch line of theUnion Pacific Railroad (Oregon Short Line) that ran along theSnake River fromHuntington, and served thePine Valley andEagle Valley agricultural areas to the north.[2][4] The line had previously extended 25 miles (40 km) further north toHomestead, but that section, which was used to haul ore from theCornucopia area mines, was later abandoned and the railroad grade was converted into a highway.[2][4][5] The Robinette railhead of the Union Pacific branch line "probably generated most of the freight hauled by the railroad."[2]
The townsite is now under the water of theBrownlee Reservoir, which was created by the damming of the Snake River by theBrownlee Dam in 1958.[3] Before the flooding, the Robinette Store was moved toRichland, where it still stands today.[6] Richland, the closest city to Robinette, was formerly accessible by a road along the Powder River that has since been flooded by the reservoir.[7] The post office was closed in 1957.[3] As of 2010, theUnited States Geological Survey still classified Robinette as apopulated place.[1]
Robinette was home to the Stil-Van Lumber Company from 1949 until just prior to the town being flooded.[8] Marion Dale Stillwell sold the company, includingtimber rights, toEllingson Lumber Company fromBaker City.[8] Stillwell also received compensation when the Robinette facility flooded.[8]
Municipalities and communities ofBaker County, Oregon,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| Footnotes |
| |