Harney County, Oregon | |
|---|---|
 Harney County Courthouse in Burns | |
 Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofOregon | |
 Oregon's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:43°04′N118°58′W / 43.07°N 118.97°W /43.07; -118.97 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Oregon |
| Founded | February 23, 1889 |
| Named after | William S. Harney |
| Seat | Burns |
| Largest city | Burns |
| Area | |
• Total | 10,226 sq mi (26,490 km2) |
| • Land | 10,133 sq mi (26,240 km2) |
| • Water | 93 sq mi (240 km2) 0.9% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 7,495 |
• Estimate (2024) | 7,402 |
| • Density | 0.7/sq mi (0.27/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
| Website | www |
Harney County is one of the36 counties in theU.S. state ofOregon. As of the2020 census, the population was 7,495,[1] making it the sixth-least populous county in Oregon. Thecounty seat isBurns.[2] Established in 1889, the county is named in honor ofWilliam S. Harney, a military officer of the period, who was involved in thePig War and popular in thePacific Northwest.
Harney County is a rural county in southeastern Oregon.[3][4] It is a five-hour drive fromPortland, Oregon[3] and a three-hour drive fromBoise, Idaho. The county is bordered byGrant County (to the north),Malheur County (to the east);Washoe County, Nevada andHumboldt County, Nevada (to the south); andLake,Deschutes, andCrook counties (to the west).[4]
At 10,226 square miles (26,490 km2) in size, thecounty is the largest in Oregon, and one of the largest in the United States; it is larger in area than six U.S. states.[3][4] The county is the most sparsely populated in Oregon, with a population density of 0.72 per square mile (0.28/km2). The county has just two incorporated cities:Burns, thecounty seat and the larger city, with 40% of the population, andHines, with 20% of the county's population.[4] About 75% of the county's area isfederal land,[3] variously managed by theBureau of Reclamation,Bureau of Land Management,U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, andU.S. Forest Service.[5] About 10 percent of Harney County's area is part of theOchoco National Forest andMalheur National Forest.[3] The county also contains theBurns Paiute Indian Reservation within and immediately north of the City of Burns; this 760-acre reservation of theBurns Paiute Tribe is a remnant of the formerMalheur Indian Reservation.[4][5][6]
Harney County has a "high desert" topography, with low levels of precipitation.[3] About 500 ranches and farms producingcattle, dairy products and hay operate within the county; in the county, cattle outnumber people 14-to-1.[3] Besides ranching and farming,forestry evolves important industries in the county.[4]
The county is of ecological as well as recreational importance. Along with neighboring Grant County, Harney County has the nation's largestPonderosa pine forest.[4] The county was also a focus of recent efforts toconserve thesage grouse; in 2014, Harney County ranchers signed 30-year agreements with the federal government to protect the sage grouse.[3] Visitors are attracted to the county for its hunting, fishing, and camping activities.[4]
According to the website of the Harney County Sheriff's Office, the sheriff has a staff of sixlaw enforcement officers.[7][failed verification] Burns has a separate police department but, as of 2008, did not employ enough officers to provide "24-hour" coverage.[8]
TheNative Americans living in this region at the time of theLewis and Clark Expedition were theNorthern Paiute, who fought with theTenino andWasco peoples.Peter Skene Ogden was the first known European to explore this area in 1826 when he led a fur brigade for theHudson's Bay Company.
In September 3, 1855 Brigadier General Harney led the U.S. Army and surrounded and ambushed a Lakota village killing 86 people and taking many others as prisoners. This site, located in Nebraska, is now known as the Blue Water Massacre or the Battle of Ash Hollow.
Harney County was carved out of the southern two-thirds ofGrant County on February 25, 1889. A fierce political battle, with armed "night riders" who spirited county records from Harney toBurns, ended with Burns as the county seat in 1890.
TheMalheur River Indian Reservation was created by executive order on March 14, 1871, and the Northern Paiute within the Oregon state boundaries were settled there. The federal government "discontinued" the reservation after theBannock War of 1878. Descendants of these people form a federally recognized tribal entity, theBurns Paiute Tribe, which had 341 members in 2008.[9] Fewer than 35.5% of the tribal members live on theBurns Paiute Indian Colony near Burns.[9] The tribe formerly earned revenue from a small casino, theOld Camp Casino, before its closure in 2012, and renting out communal tribal lands for grazing rights to local ranchers.
The first white people to arrive through Harney County were French explorers, circa 1750ː Narceese Charbonneau (father ofToussaint Charbonneau), LaValle and a priest named Joseph Nadeau. The men came aboard a Spanish supply ship and left from San Diego on a transcontinental tour to Quebec. Instead of reaching Canada, the men arrived at southern Harney County and continued towards Idaho. In the late 1820s, Peter Skene Ogden made a description of the natural features and Indian culture from Klamath County to Harney County, following theSylvaille River, and turning up afterwards towardsWalla Walla leading a fur brigade forHudson's Bay Company.[10]
On January 2, 2016, the headquarters building of theMalheur National Wildlife Refuge was seized by armed protesters related to theBundy standoff.[11] The group protested the prison sentences of two ranchers convicted of arson in wildfires set in 2001 and 2006, which the ranchers claimed spread from their land into the wildlife reserve.[12] Militia leaders, includingAmmon Bundy andJon Ritzheimer, were arrested on January 26, 2016, in an event that included the shooting death of militantLaVoy Finicum by law enforcement at a highway blockade between Burns and John Day.[13] The following day, only four militants remained, and they surrendered on February 11, 2016.[14]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 10,226 square miles (26,490 km2), of which 10,133 square miles (26,240 km2) is land and 93 square miles (240 km2) (0.9%) is water.[15] It is the largest county in Oregon by area and thetenth-largest county in the United States (excludingboroughs and census areas in Alaska).
Steens Mountain is the county's most prominent geographical feature, rising to 9,700 feet (3,000 m) above sea level and spanning many miles across a region that is otherwise fairly flat.[16] To its southeast is theAlvord Desert—the driest place in Oregon[17]—and theTrout Creek Mountains, which extend south intoNevada. South of Steens Mountain, thePueblo Mountains are another remote range in Oregon and Nevada. North of Steens Mountain lies theHarney Basin, which containsMalheur Lake andHarney Lake.
Although the county is officially in thePacific Time Zone, unincorporatedDrewsey, just west of theMalheur County line unofficially observes theMountain Time Zone.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 | 2,559 | — | |
| 1900 | 2,598 | 1.5% | |
| 1910 | 4,059 | 56.2% | |
| 1920 | 3,992 | −1.7% | |
| 1930 | 5,920 | 48.3% | |
| 1940 | 5,374 | −9.2% | |
| 1950 | 6,113 | 13.8% | |
| 1960 | 6,744 | 10.3% | |
| 1970 | 7,215 | 7.0% | |
| 1980 | 8,314 | 15.2% | |
| 1990 | 7,060 | −15.1% | |
| 2000 | 7,609 | 7.8% | |
| 2010 | 7,422 | −2.5% | |
| 2020 | 7,495 | 1.0% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 7,402 | [18] | −1.2% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[19] 1790–1960[20] 1900–1990[21] 1990–2000[22] 2010–2020[1] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[23] | Pop 1990[24] | Pop 2000[25] | Pop 2010[26] | Pop 2020[27] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 7,767 | 6,544 | 6,823 | 6,648 | 6,435 | 93.42% | 92.69% | 89.67% | 89.57% | 85.86% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 4 | 2 | 9 | 16 | 5 | 0.05% | 0.03% | 0.12% | 0.22% | 0.07% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 220 | 252 | 276 | 227 | 219 | 2.65% | 3.57% | 3.63% | 3.06% | 2.92% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 40 | 39 | 39 | 34 | 36 | 0.48% | 0.55% | 0.51% | 0.46% | 0.48% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | x[28] | x[29] | 4 | 1 | 0 | x | x | 0.05% | 0.01% | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 27 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 21 | 0.32% | 0.03% | 0.07% | 0.08% | 0.28% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x[30] | x[31] | 137 | 196 | 385 | x | x | 1.80% | 2.64% | 5.14% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 256 | 221 | 316 | 294 | 394 | 3.08% | 3.13% | 4.15% | 3.96% | 5.26% |
| Total | 8,314 | 7,060 | 7,609 | 7,422 | 7,495 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the2010 census, there were 7,422 people, 3,205 households, and 2,069 families residing in the county.[32] The population density was 0.7 inhabitants per square mile (0.27/km2). There were 3,835 housing units at an average density of 0.4 units per square mile (0.15 units/km2).[33] The racial makeup of the county was 91.9% white, 3.1% American Indian, 0.5% Asian, 0.3% black or African American, 1.3% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.0% of the population.[32] In terms of ancestry, 28.7% wereGerman, 18.6% wereEnglish, 15.0% wereIrish, 6.7% wereScottish, 5.1% wereDutch, and 4.5% wereAmerican.[34]
Of the 3,205 households, 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.4% were non-families, and 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.81. The median age was 45.2 years.[32]
The median income for a household in the county was $39,036 and the median income for a family was $46,626. Males had a median income of $40,218 versus $31,046 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,849. About 14.1% of families and 18.5% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 27.5% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.[35]
As of the2000 census, there were 7,609 people, 3,036 households, and 2,094 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 1 people per square mile (0.39 people/km2). There were 3,533 housing units at an average density of 0 units per square mile (0/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 91.93%White, 3.97%Native American, 0.51%Asian, 0.13%Black orAfrican American, 0.07%Pacific Islander, 1.30% fromother races, and 2.09% from two or more races. 4.15% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. 21.1% were ofGerman, 11.1%American, 10.3%Irish and 9.7%English ancestry.
There is a small, but significantSpanishBasque community.[36]
Approximately 75% of the population of Harney County lives in the Burns-Hines municipal district.Crane is the only other localised population center, with less than 7% of the population of Harney County.Lawen andRiley have no localised populations. The remaining population of Harney County is dispersed throughout the countryside, mostly dwelling on large ranches.
There were 3,036 households, out of which 29.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.00% weremarried couples living together, 6.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.00% were non-families. 25.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.00% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 26.60% from 25 to 44, 26.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 102.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,957, and the median income for a family was $36,917. Males had a median income of $27,386 versus $21,773 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $16,159. About 8.60% of families and 11.80% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 12.70% of those under age 18 and 13.90% of those age 65 or over.
Like most counties in eastern Oregon, the majority of registered voters who are part of apolitical party in Harney County are members of theRepublican Party. No Democrat has carried Harney County in a presidential election sinceLyndon Johnson in 1964. The last time a Democrat was even close to carrying Harney County in a presidential election wasJimmy Carter in 1976 when he lost it by 85 votes. Since 2000, every Republican nominee has received at least 70% of the vote in Harney County in presidential elections. In the2008 presidential election 70.45% of Harney County voters voted for RepublicanJohn McCain, while 25.79% voted forDemocratBarack Obama and 3.73% of voters either voted for aThird Party candidate orwrote in a candidate.[37] These numbers show a slight shift towards the Democratic candidate when compared to the2004 presidential election, in which 76% of Harney Country voters voted forGeorge W. Bush, while 22.7% voted forJohn Kerry, and 1.3% of voters either voted for a Third Party candidate orwrote in a candidate.[38] In 1992, the incumbent,George H. W. Bush won with 40.84% of the vote, overRoss Perot, who finished second with 30.37%, andBill Clinton, who finished third with 28.86%.[39] In the2020 United States presidential election,Donald Trump won about 78% of Harney County's votes, andJoe Biden won about 20%.[40]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1904 | 395 | 58.35% | 190 | 28.06% | 92 | 13.59% |
| 1908 | 450 | 52.39% | 329 | 38.30% | 80 | 9.31% |
| 1912 | 377 | 30.60% | 538 | 43.67% | 317 | 25.73% |
| 1916 | 872 | 37.52% | 1,239 | 53.31% | 213 | 9.17% |
| 1920 | 1,026 | 63.26% | 479 | 29.53% | 117 | 7.21% |
| 1924 | 851 | 53.83% | 436 | 27.58% | 294 | 18.60% |
| 1928 | 952 | 60.60% | 600 | 38.19% | 19 | 1.21% |
| 1932 | 687 | 33.22% | 1,276 | 61.70% | 105 | 5.08% |
| 1936 | 546 | 28.14% | 1,262 | 65.05% | 132 | 6.80% |
| 1940 | 912 | 42.70% | 1,214 | 56.84% | 10 | 0.47% |
| 1944 | 787 | 43.87% | 997 | 55.57% | 10 | 0.56% |
| 1948 | 784 | 48.28% | 802 | 49.38% | 38 | 2.34% |
| 1952 | 1,378 | 58.24% | 983 | 41.55% | 5 | 0.21% |
| 1956 | 1,512 | 55.51% | 1,212 | 44.49% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 1,464 | 54.40% | 1,220 | 45.34% | 7 | 0.26% |
| 1964 | 1,172 | 42.48% | 1,577 | 57.16% | 10 | 0.36% |
| 1968 | 1,617 | 56.58% | 1,036 | 36.25% | 205 | 7.17% |
| 1972 | 1,693 | 59.13% | 1,004 | 35.07% | 166 | 5.80% |
| 1976 | 1,652 | 48.49% | 1,567 | 45.99% | 188 | 5.52% |
| 1980 | 2,313 | 61.11% | 1,110 | 29.33% | 362 | 9.56% |
| 1984 | 2,197 | 62.56% | 1,290 | 36.73% | 25 | 0.71% |
| 1988 | 1,833 | 55.05% | 1,379 | 41.41% | 118 | 3.54% |
| 1992 | 1,350 | 40.04% | 973 | 28.86% | 1,049 | 31.11% |
| 1996 | 1,948 | 55.42% | 980 | 27.88% | 587 | 16.70% |
| 2000 | 2,799 | 74.96% | 766 | 20.51% | 169 | 4.53% |
| 2004 | 2,815 | 76.04% | 839 | 22.66% | 48 | 1.30% |
| 2008 | 2,595 | 70.46% | 950 | 25.79% | 138 | 3.75% |
| 2012 | 2,607 | 72.76% | 832 | 23.22% | 144 | 4.02% |
| 2016 | 2,912 | 73.28% | 683 | 17.19% | 379 | 9.54% |
| 2020 | 3,475 | 77.55% | 894 | 19.95% | 112 | 2.50% |
| 2024 | 3,307 | 77.72% | 797 | 18.73% | 151 | 3.55% |
Three industries have traditionally provided the county's economic base: ranching, sheep raising, and timber. Therailroad, which extended into the area in 1883, served as a catalyst to the cattle industry but later contributed to its decline. By bringing farmers and sheep men to the area, it created increased competition for productive land. Harvesting and breeding of wild horses was lucrative for a period. Harney County shares the largestPonderosa Pine forest in the nation withGrant County. Its abundance of game, numerous campsites and excellent fishing have stimulated fast-growing recreational activities.
Although county lands were open to homesteading from 1862 to 1934, the U.S.Bureau of Land Management still owns more than 3 million acres (12,000 km2), or 62%, of the lands within the county boundaries. Facilitated on the national level by theCarey act of 1894, arid land in Harney County was donated to the state for irrigation and settlement, but all water development efforts failed.
Eventually all land claims filed under the reclamation legislation were abandoned or nullified.Malheur National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1908 and expanded in 1936. The refuge now includes 159,872 acres (646.98 km2). Borax has been mined in theSteens area, and uranium has been found on its south side.
Harney District Hospital is located in Burns.[43] Apublic hospital, it is under a separate taxing district and has been since 1990, and previously was a part of the county government.[44] In 2005 the hospital provided a traveling doctor in a mobile trailer for southern parts of the county and forDenio, Nevada. The southern part of the county, in 2005, had, in the words of Matthew Preusch of theAssociated Press, a "particularly acute" absence of healthcare services.[45] In 2005 Matthew Preusch ofThe Oregonian, citing the lack of doctors and long distances between the southern part of the county and the hospital, described the area as "the most medically underserved area of all."[46]
School districts include:[47]
The county formerly had the Trout Creek School, which in 1969 had two students, making it the smallest school by enrollment in the state.[48] It was a part of its own school district, Trout Creek School District No. 53.[49] In 1975 it became a part of the Fields Trout Creek School District 33.[50]
The county also formerly had the Lawen Elementary School District, which operated Lawen Elementary School.[51] The Lawen school never reopened after a 1984 flooding, and the Lawen district merged into the Crane elementary district in 1988.[52] The Burns Union High School District, the Burns Elementary School District, and the Hines Elementary School District merged into Harney County District 3 in 1989.[53]
There was also the Sodhouse School District No. 32, based in Princeton.[49]
Harney County is not in a community college district but has a "contract out of district" (COD) withTreasure Valley Community College.[54] TVCC operates the Burns Outreach Center in Burns.[55]
The Harney County Library is located in Burns.[56]
80 West "D" Street Burns, OR 97720
Media related toHarney County, Oregon at Wikimedia Commons
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