7
CULTURE & HERITAGE
CELEBRATING THE HISTORY
OF EASTERN OREGON
DECEMBER 2229, 2021
Prairie City was once home to a Civil War camp
By Cheryl Hoefl er
GO! Magazine
P
RAIRIE CITY — Once upon
a time — for a short time —
there was a Civil War military post
just south of present-day Prairie
City.
Camp Logan, occupied by the
First Oregon Volunteers and later
by the U.S. Army, was established
in 1865 to protect settlers in the
John Day Valley. It was among
a handful of other such camps
connected by The Dalles Military
Road, which ran from Boise to
The Dalles.
Camp Logan had a headquar-
ters, storehouse, blacksmith
shop, stable, mule shed, hospital,
cookhouse with mess hall, two
offi cers’ quarters and, later, a
cemetery. It usually housed 100-
200 men and nearly as many
horses and mules.
The military post was part
of the Department of Colum-
bia, which included the state
of Oregon and the territories
of Washington and Idaho. The
territory of Alaska was added in
1870. Camp Logan was named
in memory of William Logan, who
was a United States Indian Agent
at Warm Springs Reservation in
the 1860s.
Cheryl Hoefl er/Go! Magazine
A Civil War military post named Camp Logan was located outside of present-day Prairie City.
After the Civil War, Camp Logan
was manned by the U.S. Cavalry. It
continued to operate until 1869.
The fort was located 6 miles
south of Prairie City, in the shadow
of Strawberry Mountain, which
was then called Logan Butte.
Strawberry Creek — then known
Sponsored by:
3rd Annual
as Indian or Logan Creek — runs
through the site.
TO GET THERE
From Prairie City, travel south
on Bridge Street, which becomes
Strawberry Road/County Road
60. Note that the paved road
becomes gravel the last couple
of miles. At about 5.5 miles from
town, at a bend in the roadway,
travelers will see an informational
sign created by 2007 Grant Union
High School graduate Jamison
Soupir of Prairie City.
Heritage
Lights
E
H
S
M
XPERIENCE ERITAGE
TATION
USEUM
dressed up for the holidays both indoors and out!
COMPETITION
The Third Annual County-wide Holiday Decorating Competition is here! Winners
Maps available at
www.VisitUnionCounty.org or call 541-963-8588
Check our Facebook event page for special activities and guests.
5pm-7pm December 3 & 4 • December 10 & 11 • December 17 & 18
Admission is FREE • Donations are appreciated