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Jefferson County, OR
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 Established:
Dec. 12, 1914
Population: 19,900 (2003)
Elev. at Madras: 2,242'
Area: 1,791 sq. mi.
Average Temp.: January 37.4°, July 70.1°
Assessed Value: $1,104,130,669
Real Market Value: $2,001,533,465
Annual Precipitation: 10.2"
Economy: Agriculture, forest products and recreation.
Incorporated Cities: Culver | Madras | Metolius
Points of Interest: Mt. Jefferson, Warm Springs Indian
Reservation, Metolius River, Black Butte, Suttle Lake, Blue
Lake, Santiam Summit, Lake Billy Chinook behind Round Butte Dam,
Haystack Reservoir, Priday Agate Beds.
General Information: Jefferson County was established in 1914
from a portion of Crook County and named for Mount Jefferson on
its western boundary. The county owes much of its agricultural
prosperity to the railroad, which arrived in 1911, and to the
development of irrigation projects in the late 1930s. The
railroad, which links Madras with the Columbia River, was
completed after constant feuds and battles between two lines
working on opposite sides of the Deschutes River.
Vegetable, grass and flower seeds, garlic, mint and sugar beets
are cultivated on some 60,000 irrigated acres. Jefferson County
also has vast acreages of rangelands and a healthy industrial
base related to forest products. The Warm Springs Forest
Products Industry, a multi-million dollar complex owned by the
Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation—partially
located in the northwestern corner of the county—is the single
biggest industry. With 300 days of sunshine and a low yearly
rainfall, fishing, hunting, camping, boating, water-skiing and
rock hunting are popular recreations.
County Officials: Commissioners—Bill C. Bellamy (R) 2009, Walter
Ponsford (D) 2007, Mary Zemke (R) 2007; Dist. Atty. Peter L.
Deuel (NP) 2009; Assess. Patsy Mault (R) 2007; Clerk Kathy
Marston (R) 2007; Sheriff Jack Jones (NP) 2007; Surv. Gary L.
DeJarnatt (R) 2009; Treas. Deena Goss (R) 2009; Co. Admin.
Matthew Birney. |
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County History |
Jefferson County was created on December 12, 1914, out of
territory that was once part of Crook County. The county was
named after Mount Jefferson, the second highest peak in Oregon
with an elevation of 10,497 feet, which marks the county's
western skyline. The county is bounded on the north by Wasco
County, on the east by Wheeler and Crook Counties, on the south
by Deschutes County, and on the west by Linn and Marion
Counties. The county encompasses 1791 square miles.
Madras, named after the city in India, was incorporated in 1911
and serves as the county seat. A new county courthouse was built
in 1961. County government is administered by a three-member
board of commissioners.
The county's population at its first federal census in 1920 was
3,211. The 2000 population of 19,009 represented a 39% increase
from 1990.
Principle industries are agriculture, forest products, and
recreation. The fertile North Unit Irrigation District in the
central part of the county produces seed, potatoes, hay, and
mint. The eastern part of the county has dry wheat farming and
grazing land for cattle, and the western part is timber country.
Warm Springs Forest Product Industries and Kah-Nee Ta Vacation
Resort, owned by the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs
Reservation, provide many jobs in the area. The reservation is
located on portions of land in four counties including 236,082
acres in the northwestern corner of Jefferson County.
The county owes much of its agricultural prosperity to the
arrival of the railroad in 1911 and to the development of
irrigation projects in the late 1930s. The railroad, linking
Madras with the Columbia River, was completed after constant
feuds and battles between two lines working opposite sides of
the Deschutes River. |
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