TAKE IT IN
e
r
o
Museums e xp
LIKE A
L
LOCA
GRANT COUNTY’S MANY MORE MUSEUMS
During the inception of Grant County and its most populated towns, everyone came for the gold. Today, there’s still treasure in
the hills – more than just gold. Mining, immigration, rail line, ranching, logging, fossils –visit any museum in the county for a rich
and interesting account of local history. Peek through the windows, into the past. Then step through the doors, into the legacies of
Grant County.
Sumpter Valley Railway Depot/DeWitt Museum
425 South Main St, Prairie City • 541-820-3330
www.prairiecityoregon.com/prairie-city-
oregon-dewitt-museum
OPEN: Mid May - Mid Oct. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.,
Wednesday - Sunday
ADMISSION: $3, children under 12 free
Originally constructed in 1910 as a passenger station on the Sumpter
Valley Railway, the Depot’s goal now is to stand as a caretaker of Oregon’s
most significant collection of narrow gauge railroad artifacts and historic
documents.
Train services were on the ground floor: the waiting room, station
agent’s office, baggage area and freight room. The second floor provided
living quarters for the station agent and family. In 1933 rail service to
Prairie City was abandoned and the Depot closed.
In the 1970s the building was scheduled for demolition, but thanks to
local interest, was instead entered into the National Register of Historic
places, and the museum was moved into the building several years later.
These days the Depot and museum house a vast collection of rocks,
minerals and other relics from the DeWitt family, as well as photos,
documents and historic items from more longtime area families, and a
collection of various photographs and physical artifacts of life along the
rail line.
The Sumpter Valley Railway Depot offers a look at a unique facet of
local and area history. It is a stately centerpiece of Depot RV Park, which
features camping facilities, a playground and a covered picnic area, on the
banks of the John Day River at the corner of Bridge and Main streets
Grant County Genealogical Society
281 W Main, John Day
541-575-2757
or 541-932-4718
gcgsociety94@yahoo.com
OPEN: 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Thursday-Friday
and 10 a.m. - 2 pm.
Saturdays.
Also open by appointment.
Grant County Ranch and Rodeo Museum
241 E Main, John Day
541-820-3624
or 541-575-0747
OPEN: May 1 - Sept. 30,
Thursday - Saturday,
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
ADMISSION: $3, children
under 12 are free.
Also open by appointment.
Information available at the Grant County Genealogical
Society Research Center includes cemetery books, obituaries,
marriages, births, old atlases and local family histories. There
are also reference materials, how-to-books, resources from
Oregon counties and other states, and some photos. Staff is
available to assist with research and answer questions.
The Ranch and Rodeo Museum offers a collection of photos,
ranch and rodeo tools, leatherwork, saddles and much more,
showcasing the times of local cowboys and rodeo competitors,
many of whom have been and are national contenders. Grant
County has a strong past and presence in ranching, cowboy
culture and rodeo heritage, which the museum works to preserve.
Grant County Historical Museum
Long Creek Historical Society
101 S Canyon Blvd., Canyon City • 541-575-0362
OPEN: May 15 - Sept. 30, Monday - Saturday,
9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and by reservation during off season
ADMISSION: Ages 7-17 $2; 18-62 $4; 62 and up $3;
7 & younger free
The museum exhibits focus on the day-to-day lives of the
pioneers who first came to the area and the many who came for
the gold, the Joaquin Miller Cabin and the jail from the now-
ghost town of Greenhorn, which happened to mysteriously
“show up” in the museum yard overnight in the 1960s. There
are gold mining and Chinese artifacts, three large rock
collections, ranching items and much, much more. Beyond the
old relics, there are extensive files of old newspaper clippings,
letters, paper items and over 5,000 old photographs.
The Long Creek Historical Society is a nonprofit 501c3
corporation, striving to relocate the fort built by settlers during
the Bannock Indian War of 1878, and build a permanent
interpretive site and museum. All are welcome to the Long
Creek Historical Society’s meeting, the fourth Friday of every
month at 4 p.m. at City Hall.
www.cityoflongcreek.com/history • 541-421-3621
JAYNE PRIMROSE
Jayne Primrose of Canyon City has been
with the Grant County Museum for 18
seasons. Some could say she knows almost
everything about the history of Grant
County.
The Grant County Museum opened on
Canyon Boulevard in Canyon City in 1953.
Over 6,000 curious visitors came in to catch
a glimpse of what this building had in store
to document the history of the county.
Now, 63 years later, the museum sees
close to 1,000 visitors a year, some from
around the world.
What do visitors find most intriguing,
you might wonder?
“Internet visitors come because they’ve
heard about the skulls of the first two men
hanged and about the two-headed calf,”
Primrose said.
Since Jayne has been working in the
museum building for over 18 years she, too,
has a few favorites in the museum.
“My favorite thing is the old Orient 1906
car that we’ve been restoring. Bob Stewart is
our chief mechanic,” Primrose shared. “I also
think that the Joaquin Miller Cabin and the
jail from Greenhorn are unique. The best
thing is the museum collection reflects the
lives of ordinary people.”
With many interesting pieces that offer
a look into the past, staying organized is
crucial. Primrose likes to keep on top of
things instead of letting them pile up.
“Our filing system was put together by
Janice Justice during her tenure at the
museum. It’s cross-referenced in every
direction so it’s easy to find what you or a
visitor is looking for,” praised Primrose. “I say
thank you to Janice many times each
season as I look up things for visitors.”
Jayne’s favorite things about living in
Grant County are the history, the scenery
and the spirit of the people.