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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (March 30, 2016)
OUR TOWNS Pr airie City ELEVATION: 3,535 FEET • POPULATION: 910 ecreation, scenery, history, community pride and small town “Main Street” atmosphere — Prairie City seems to have it all. Located at the eastern end of the John Day Valley, Prairie City lies in the shadow of the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness Area to the south and is on the fringes of the Blue Mountains to the north and northeast. An abundance of year-round outdoor recreation awaits just a few miles from town — Dixie Rope Tow, Magone Lake and the wilderness area all offer fishing, hiking, biking, hunting and camping enjoyment. A full range of services are available for both residents and visitors, including groceries, hardware, gift and coffee shops, banks, lodging, camping, gas, several restaurants, a mini mart and even a laundromat. Prairie City has not one but two parks — City Park in the center of town, with an adjoining picnic area next to city hall, and Depot Park, at Bridge and Main streets, which is also home to Depot RV Park and the Sumpter Valley Railway Depot and DeWitt Museum. The community has two gathering places — R the Prairie City Community Center, formerly the United Methodist Church, and the Prairie City Senior Center, formerly the Strawberry Grange Hall. The second-largest town in Grant County, Prairie City is a tight-knit community with several energetic groups dedicated to keeping residents and visitors busy with activities and events throughout the year. Prairie City School, serving students from preschool through grade 12, offers a voc/ag program, an active FFA chapter and a complete athletics program for both boys and girls. Prairie City’s roots lie in the mining, lumber and railroad industries. It was preceded by another community, Dixie Town, which sprang up in the summer of 1862 along Dixie Creek, which runs along the north and west side of town. The young mining town was located about 3.5 miles north of present-day Prairie City. Incorporated in 1891, Prairie City’s original business section was in the northeast part of town, in the area of North Main and East Third streets. In 1910, the Sumpter Valley Railway in Baker City extended service to Prairie City which operated until 1933. 50 | OFFICIAL GRANT COUNTY VISITOR GUIDE 2016 | MyEagleNews.com DON’T MISS: Grant County’s Fourth of July Celebration. Parade, fireworks, games in the park and food galore — Prairie City bursts with an explosion of small-town, old-fashioned fun for the entire family. Bates State Park, 20 miles northeast of town near Highway 26 and State Route 7. One of only two state parks in Grant County, it was established on the site of the former lumber town of Bates and commemorates the history and memory of the town, while offering several day and overnight recreational opportunities.
