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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (March 30, 2016)
OUR TOWNS Canyon City L ELEVATION: 3,173 FEET • POPULATION: 705 ong before 1862, people were roaming Grant County - hunting, trapping, tending sheep and cattle. But when gold was discovered in a creek near what is now Canyon City that year, so many people joined the gold rush that the population of the area boomed to 10,000, and in 1964 it became the county seat; Canyon City was larger than Portland at the time, and a hustle-and-bustle mining town. The town has the notoriety of burning three times in its history — in 1870, 1898 and 1937. Each time, the resilient residents rallied and rebuilt their community. Canyon City’s biggest annual gala is the ’62 Days Celebration in June, commemo- rating the discovery of gold in 1862. ’62 Days has been held every year since 1922. Sproul Park sits in the center of town, and adjacent to it is the Grantville theater, which holds regular showings of newly released DVDs. Among Canyon City’s attractions are several businesses, Grantville Theater, Canyon City Community Hall and the Grant County Historical Museum, which houses a wealth of artifacts, documents and photographs telling the history of Grant County. Now the third largest town in the county, Canyon City is still the county seat and home to the Grant County Courthouse. It is situated at the the base of Canyon Mountain, which offers a network of hiking trails that lead to panoramic views of the valley far below. DON’T MISS: The Grant County Historical Museum, which houses a wealth of artifacts, documents and photographs telling the history of pioneering locals in Grant County. Sproul Park, in the center of town, features a playground, covered band stage, picnic areas and restrooms across the street, and is frequently the site of summer concerts in the park and other community events. OUR TOWNS Mt. Vernon S ELEVATION: 2,865 FEET • POPULATION: 525 till standing east of Mt. Vernon is a small stone structure, originally a cellar, that was used to house the famous racehorse Mt. Vernon, for whom the town was named. The first schoolhouse was built in 1873, but the town didn’t become official until nearly three-quarters of a century later. While Mt. Vernon once flourished for many years without a municipal government before being incorporated in 1948, nowadays the town is headed by a city government. Mt. Vernon boasts a spacious community center, which is the site of several functions and fundraisers, and holds annual events that are fun for all, including a holiday bazaar, the volunteer fire department’s easter egg hunt, and the Memorial Day Cinnabar Mountain Rendezvous, when competitors flex their muscles in lumberjack contests. The city is in the planning stages of making improvements at the town’s park, which include upgrading the play equipment and putting in a walking path. With active volunteer groups, a stately community center and a state park right outside town, Mt. Vernon has much of which to be proud. DON’T MISS: Phil Boyd Park. Featuring tennis courts, horseshoe pits, restrooms, a playground and covered picnic area, the city park is the site of many events throughout the year. 52 | OFFICIAL GRANT COUNTY VISITOR GUIDE 2016 | MyEagleNews.com
