History of Baker City, Oregon
The values of hard work and family continue to be embraced by today's descendants of early immigrants. Lured by the promise of fertile soil and rich natural resources, immigrants left friends, family and the comforts of civilization and endured severe hardships of the 2000-mile Oregon Trail to reach the "Promised Land." As the largest peacetime immigration in recorded history (1840 - 1860), the trek remains an important chapter of American heritage. Nearly 1,700 miles and six months from the trailhead, the grassy meadows, forested mountains and abundant wildlife of the Baker Valley gave weary travelers a reason to hope for a new life.
In 1861, Henry Griffin found gold near the Powder River, and the rush was on. Boomtowns like Sumpter, Bourne, and Auburn sprouted overnight. Within twenty years Baker City developed into the commerce and cultural hub of the region. By 1900, elegant hotels, an opera house, trolleys, electricity and telephone service had transformed Baker City into the largest town between Salt Lake City and Portland.
Access to the vast natural resources, made possible by construction of the narrow gauge Sumpter Valley Railroad in 1896 and the Transatlantic Railway in 1897, helped the mining and budding timber industry flourish through the 1930s. Agriculture, primarily cattle ranching, also became increasingly important during this period. Over the next 50 years, the key industries of mining, timber and agriculture have remained largely unchanged as foundations of the economy.
Recently, the community has collectively taken steps to protect and capitalize on the area's rich heritage and develop the tourism industry around this resource. In 1992, public and private leaders joined forces to establish the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center to act as the focal point for development of the visitor industry. Results of the project have been a resounding success, attracting more than one million recorded visitors since 1993 and generating state, regional and national interest in Baker County beyond expectations.
Since that time, significant private and public investment in historic restoration has occurred countywide. In downtown Baker City, building owners and local development leaders have received state and national recognition for their efforts and financial investments to enhance the grandeur of the "crown jewel" of the Inland Empire.