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