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Crook County, OR
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 Established:
Oct. 24, 1882
Population: 20,300 (2003)
Elev. at Prineville: 2,868'
Area: 2,991 sq. mi.
Average Temp.: January 31.8°, July 64.5°
Assessed Value: $1,123,687,464
Real Market Value: $1,459,141,304
Annual Precipitation: 10.50"
Economy: Livestock, forest products, recreation, agriculture,
manufacturing and wholesale trade.
Incorporated Cities: Prineville
Points of Interest: Pine Mills, Crooked River Canyon, Ochoco
Mountains, Prineville and Ochoco Reservoirs, rockhound areas,
county courthouse, Steins Pillar, Wildland Fire Fighter’s
Monument and geological formations.
General Information: Crook County was formed from Wasco County
in 1882, and named for Maj. Gen. George Crook, U.S. Army.
Geographically, the county is in the center of Oregon. It is
unique in that it has only one incorporated population center,
the city of Prineville, founded in 1868. Prineville’s colorful
past was the scene of Indian raids, range wars between sheepmen
and cattlemen and vigilante justice. Other communities in this
sparsely settled region are Powell Butte, Post and Paulina.
Forest products, agriculture, livestock raising and
recreation/tourism services constitute most of Crook County’s
economy. Thousands of hunters, fishers, boaters, sightseers and
rockhounds are annual visitors to its streams, reservoirs and
the Ochoco Mountains. Rockhounds can dig for free agates, limb
casts, jasper and thundereggs on more than 1,000 acres of mining
claims provided by the Prineville Chamber of Commerce. Major
annual events include the Prineville Rockhound Pow Wow, Crooked
River Roundup, Crook County Fair, Old Fashioned Fourth of July
Celebration, High Desert Celtic Festival and the Lord’s Acre
Sale.
County Officials: Commissioners—Judge Scott Cooper, chair (R)
2009, Mike McCabe (R) 2009, Mike Mohan (D) 2007; Dist. Atty.
Gary Williams (NP) 2009; Assess. Tom Green (R) 2007; Clerk
Deanna “Dee” Berman (NP) 2007; Sheriff Rodd Clark (NP) 2007;
Surv. David Armstrong (D) 2009; Treas. Kathy Gray (NP) 2009. |
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County History |
Crook County was established on October 24, 1882. It was
created from the southern part of Wasco County and named after
U.S. Army Major-General George Crook, a hero of the Snake Indian
Wars.
Crook County is situated in the geographic center of Oregon. It
has been reduced from its original size of 8,600 square miles to
2,986 square miles by the creation of Jefferson County in 1914
and Deschutes County in 1916. The current boundaries were
established in 1927. Crook County is bounded by Jefferson and
Wheeler Counties to the north, Grant and Harney Counties to the
east, and Deschutes County to the south and west.
In 1882 the Legislative Assembly established Prineville as the
county seat. The voters confirmed the choice of Prineville, the
only incorporated town in the county, in the 1884 general
election. Prineville was named in honor of the town's first
merchant, Barney Prine.
The first courthouse was a one story wooden structure at the
corner of West 5th and Main Streets. In 1885 a two story wooden
structure was built for $5,474. By 1905 this building was
considered unsafe to store the county's records, and a $16,526
bid was accepted to erect a new, brick and stone courthouse. The
building was completed in 1909, at a cost $48,590, and remodeled
in the early 1990s.
The government of Crook County consisted originally of a county
judge, two county commissioners, clerk, treasurer, and sheriff.
The position of school superintendent appeared by 1899. The
county also added an assessor.
The first census in 1890 showed a population of 3,244 excluding
the Indians. There has been a fluctuation in the population's
growth. The last several censuses have shown an increase in
inhabitants with the 2000 population given at 19,182
representing a 35.94% increase from 1990.
Routes over the Cascades were difficult to find and traverse,
thus delaying development in the area until access was more
developed. The first effort was in 1862 when a supply train with
cattle crossed the Scott Trail. This was also the first group of
non-natives to spend the winter in central Oregon. The discovery
and development of the Santiam Pass in the 1860s made
development of the area much easier. The economy of the county
is based on agriculture and forestry. Agriculture is supported
by the development of irrigation districts, which permits the
raising of hay, grain, mint, potatoes, and seed. Range and
forest lands allow grazing for a sizable livestock industry. The
Ochoco National Forest's stand of ponderosa pine is the main
source of lumber. As the lumber industry suffers with restricted
log cutting, tourism and recreation are helping to strengthen
the economy. |
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