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Morrow County, OR
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 Established:
Feb. 16, 1885
Population: 11,750 (2003)
Elev. at Heppner: 1,955'
Area: 2,049 sq. mi.
Average Temp.: January 33.1°, July 69.0°
Assessed Value: $1,029,029,550
Real Market Value: $1,169,946,290
Annual Precipitation: 12.5"
Economy: Agriculture, food processing, dairies, utilities,
forest products, livestock and recreation.
Incorporated Cities: Boardman | Heppner | Ione | Irrigon |
Lexington
Points of Interest: Columbia River, coal-fired generating plant,
Blue Mountains, Umatilla National Forest, Oregon Trail, Blue
Mountain Scenic Byway, Morrow County Museum, Port of Morrow and
the Lewis and Clark Route.
General Information: Morrow County, created from Umatilla County
in 1885, is located east of the Cascades in north-central
Oregon. It was named for J.L. Morrow, an early resident. Morrow
County contains more than one million acres of gently rolling
plains and broad plateaus. This rich agricultural land can be
roughly divided into three occupational zones—increasing amounts
of irrigation farming in the north; vast fields of wheat
yielding to cattle ranches in the center; and timber products in
the south. With the advent of center pivot irrigation
technology, Morrow County became one of Oregon’s fastest growing
areas in terms of population, personal income, and agricultural
and industrial development. The Port of Morrow, second largest
in the state in terms of tonnage, serves as a gateway to Pacific
Northwest and Pacific Rim markets.
County Officials: Commissioners—Ray Grace (R) 2007, Judge Terry
Tallman (R) 2011, John Wenholz (D) 2009; Dist. Atty. David Allen
(NP) 2007; Assess. Greg Sweek (NP) 2009; Clerk Bobbi Childers
(NP) 2009; Justice of the Peace Charlotte Gray (NP) 2011;
Sheriff Kenneth Matlock (NP) 2009; Surv. Judd Coppick (R) 2009;
Treas. Gayle Gutierrez (NP) 2009. |
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County History |
Morrow County was created in 1885 from the western portion
of Umatilla County and a small portion of eastern Wasco County.
It was named after Jackson Lee Morrow an early settler in the
area and member of the Legislative Assembly when the county was
created.
Morrow County is located in the north central part of the state
and east of the Cascade Mountains. The county is bounded by the
Columbia River on the north, Umatilla County on the east, Grant
County on the south, and Gilliam County on the west. The county
contains 2,049 square miles.
Heppner was designated the temporary county seat at the time the
county was created and narrowly defeated Lexington in the
election held in 1886 to determine the permanent county seat.
Heppner was originally called Standsbury Flat for George W.
Standsbury, one of the first white settlers in the area. The
settlement's name was changed to Heppner in 1873, in honor of
Henry Heppner who in partnership with Jackson Morrow had
established a store in the town a year earlier.
The first courthouse was a frame structure completed shortly
after Heppner was confirmed as the county seat. In 1902, the
wooden courthouse was torn down and replaced the following year
by the present courthouse, which is constructed of native
bluestone with sandstone trim.
Morrow County government consists of a county judge, two county
commissioners, district attorney, assessor, clerk, sheriff,
surveyor, justice of the peace, and treasurer-tax collector.
The Morrow Port District, situated on the Columbia River near
the town of Boardman, was established in 1958.
Early cattlemen found an abundance of rye grass along the creek
bottoms of the region and drove their herds into the area to
forage on these natural pastures. They established cattle camps
and from them grew the county's first settlements. Stock raising
was the primary economic force in the county for many years.
Increased settlement, the enclosure of the free grazing lands
and diminished pastures due to overgrazing, resulted in the
decline of ranching during this century. Farming and other
agricultural pursuits became predominant. The completion of rail
lines into the county in 1883 increased access to markets and
encouraged wheat production in the area. The principal
industries in the county today include agriculture, food
processing, utilities (there is a coal fired generating plant
located in Boardman), lumber, livestock, and recreation.
Heppner was almost destroyed by a flood on June 14, 1903. The
flood was precipitated by a sudden cloudburst and accompanying
hail that caused a dam collapse and flash flooding. A wall of
water and debris swept down the creeks and canyons and through
the town. It has been estimated that 247 people were drowned.
Property damage was reported at nearly $1,000,000. The nearby
towns of Ione and Lexington also sustained significant damage.
Morrow County experienced steady growth in population reaching a
peak in 1920 with 5,617 people. The county's population declined
in the following years and did not surpass the 5,000 mark again
until 1978. However, the 2000 population of 10,995 represented
an increase of 44.20% over 1990. |
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