VACATIONING

Walking Tour

Barney Prine founded Prineville in 1868. He was quite the entrepreneur. In one day he set up as a blacksmith, dry goods merchant, and barkeep, all under one roof. Take a walk around historic Prineville, visiting the Crook County Courthouse, which caused a controversy resulting in the splitting off from Jefferson and Deschutes counties. View cabins and houses of the early settlers and business people. Then switch gears and view modern-day Prineville. Strolling the streets of town, you will notice the vivid heritage that typifies Prineville as Forever Country. Prineville has a heritage of sheep and cattle ranching, and you will see trucks with ranchers, cowboys, farmers, and hay. You will also notice a strong merchant heritage in Prineville, while you enjoy exceptional, friendly customer service.

Selected Points of Interest

This tour starts at the Bowman Museum located on the corner of Main Street and 3rd Street.

  1. The Bowman Museum is housed in the historic Crook County Bank Building. Opened in 1911, it held three different banks before Mr. Bowman bought it for his insurance business in 1935. Its interior looks much the way it did when it opened. View displays of Central Oregon history and exhibits that include furniture, garments, photographs, and artifacts. The research room contains almost 700 books on Oregon history where you can investigate the war between the cattlemen and the sheepherders, the Lost Meek Wagon Train, and the local timber industry. Books and souvenirs can be purchased in the gift shop. Head east on 3rd Street down to Court St.
  2. The Crook County Courthouse was built in 1909 when Crook County contained all of present day Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook counties, and part of Wheeler County. The basalt stone was quarried from a site just west of Prineville and cost on completion was $48,590. There were originally three sets of steps, but the east and west steps were removed in the 1940s. There are free summer-time tours of this historic building, which you may schedule by calling 541-447-3715. Head east on 3rd Street down to Pioneer Park.
  3. The Jasper Wright Cabin was built in the 1880s by Jasper Wright. The cabin originally stood 19 miles east of Prineville and was moved to this site to serve as the town's first museum. Head west on 2nd Street to intersection of 2nd and Main Street and cross the street.
  4. The Clifton & Cornett Store Building was Prineville's first brick building and began as Hahn and Fried General Merchandise. It has been home to many businesses with many facelifts, including the Lyric Theatre, and currently houses law offices. Head south on Main Street to the intersection with 1st Street. Turn right on 1st Street. Across the street is a large white house.
  5. The Baldwin House was built in 1907 by Thomas Baldwin, one of the founders of the First National Bank, and was the first of several large houses built on West 1st Street. The house has been carefully restored and is corpo-rate headquarters for the Woodward Companies. Cross the street and continue east on 1st to Beaver Street. Turn left on Beaver. Across the street and beside the large white house is a smaller yellow one.
  6. The Elisha Barnes House. In 1866, Elisha Barnes was in the first group of people to come to the Ochoco Country with the idea of settling. He homesteaded on Ochoco Creek, but lost his land to the Willamette Valley-Cascade Mountain Wagon Road Company. The house was built before 1880 when Barnes was appointed as the first mayor of the newly incorporated town. Return to 1st Street and continue east on 1st Street to Claypool. On the corner across the street is a large white house.
  7. The Marion Elliott House was built in 1910 by M.R. Elliott, a prominent attorney of the early 1900s. The house has been painstakingly renovated and is now on the National Register of Historic Sites. Turn right on Claypool. Head north to the intersection with 3rd Street. Head west on 3rd Street to the intersection with Beaver. On the corner of 3rd and Beaver is a two-story brick building.
  8. The Mason Building. Prineville Lodge #76 A.F. and A.M. was organized on November 8, 1878. This temple building was completed in 1920 at a cost of $30,000. Cross 3rd St. at Beaver. Head north on Beaver to 5th. North of the parking area on 4th is a large, two-story yellow house.
  9. The Collins Elkins House. Collins Elkins, a member of a well-known pioneer family, built this house in the early 1900s. He operated a general merchandise store, then later a grocery store, and was active in the development of the Ochoco Irrigation District. Head east on 5th to the intersection with Main Street, then head south on Main.
  10. Looking south on Main Street at 4th Street. The building to the immediate right was the Cornett Building; today it is a retail shop. The second floor periodically served as headquarters for Ochoco National Forest until 1966. Both sides of this block burned to the ground in 1922. Head south on Main Street to the intersection with 3rd Street and cross the street.
  11. 1st National Bank Building. Replacing an early wood structure, this basalt block building was built in 1907. (The wood structure still serves as an apartment house on 5th Street.) It continued as the 1st National Bank until the early 1950s, when a new building was built one block west. As you can see, it has gone through many reno-vations. Notice the size of the basalt blocks and the hand-crafted chisel marks on the blocks.

Historical Notes:

Journalists had historically descended upon Crook County, well-known as a county able to predict the political winds of the country. The residents of Crook County had voted for the winning presidential candidate every time since the county was founded in 1882. It had been the longest "bellwether" county in the nation for the presidential election. When Crook County voted for George Bush in the 1992 presidential election and the rest of the country elected Bill Clinton, the county lost that coveted status. Crook County voted against the winner again in 1996 by casting votes for Bob Dole.

Crook County is named for General George Crook who fought the local Native Americans for two decades. Oregon was not a state until 1859, but referred to as the Oregon Country of which both England and the United States claimed the territory. The skirmishes with the Native Americans began to subside after the signing of the treaties that created the Warm Springs Indian Reservation in 1855. Some hostilities with the Native Americans continued, and as late as 1878, the citizens of Prineville dug rifle pits in the heart of the town to defend it from an attack. Crook County was carved out of Wasco County in 1882, where vigilantism ran rampant and the nearest sheriff was over 120 miles away.

Prineville is named for Barney Prine, who came to the Crooked River Valley in 1868. He was the industrious sort who pulled the nails out of abandoned wagon train wagons in order to supply his store. It was from the front room of his establishment that his profits were made. The whiskey was dispensed in the front room, and the blacksmithing was done in the rear. The post office was established in 1871 and named Prine in honor of Barney, but then was renamed Prineville in 1872. The town was platted in 1877 by Monroe Hodges, who named the town after the existing post office.

Additional Points of Interest

  1. Meadow Lakes Golf Course - This city-owned golf course, restaurant and bar is open to the public. Meadow Lakes is a player-friendly course with generous fairways, huge greens and four sets of tees. Designed by Canada’s premier golf course architect Mr. Bill Robinson, the course crosses the Crooked River four times and winds through rolling mounds, 10 ponds and 66 bunkers.
  2. Crook County Library - Free Internet access to read and send e-mail. Paperback exchange: bring one in, take one home. Check out story time, special programs, and a children’s area with puppets, puzzles, and building blocks. There is a small park with picnic tables next to the library.
  3. Bike Path - Get an espresso and enjoy a walk along Ochoco Creek. Walk north on Harwood Ave., Deer St. or Main St. to reach the path. Harwood Park is located where the street meets Ochoco Creek. Exit the path on Fairview Ave. near Ochoco Creek Park or continue east to the Ochoco Plaza where you will find shopping and dining establishments.
  4. Juniper Haven Cemetery - North on Main on the west side of the street. Bring paper and charcoal and make some rubbings of the old headstones.
  5. City of Prineville Railroad - The City of Prineville Railroad and Depot has been operating since 1918 and is the only example in the United States of a railroad that is city-owned and operated. The railroad was built to secure Prineville's future by connecting the town to the main line that was built 19 miles from the city. The cost was $100,000 and the project was endorsed by a vote of 358-1. Trains still operate today, leaving the engine house west of Main St. and joining the Burlington Northern and Union Pacific tracks at Prineville Junction, near Redmond. During the logging heyday, the railway provided grants and loans for city improvements. Prineville called itself "The City of No City Taxes" as it was the only U.S. incorporated town that collected no taxes — the railway paid the costs of city government.
  6. Mount Emily Shay - The Shay is the steam locomotive owned by the City of Prineville Railroad. The Shay, built in 1923 by Lima Locomotive Works in Lima, Ohio, was one of 2,771 such locomotives. Today, 84 engines still exist and 24 are operational. The engine operates at 200 lbs boiler pressure and the water capacity of the engine is 4,000 gallons. These engines, designed to climb grades up to 12%, were ideal for the steep grades of logging roads.
  7. Ochoco Creek Park - This 15-acre park is located beside the Ochoco Creek between Fairview and Juniper Streets. Tennis courts, heated outdoor pool, skateboard park, two basketball courts, large wooden children's play structure built by the community, handicap fishing platform, and an outdoor amphitheater are available. For Parks and Recreation info, call 541-447-1209.
  8. Wildland Firefighters Memorial - Hotshot crews are wildland firefighters that combat fires across the U.S. Our Ochoco National Forest averages 95 wild fires every year and throughout the west, over 8 million acres burned in 2003. In 1994, the Prineville Hotshots went to help on the South Canyon Fire located in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. As they began to dig a fire line on Storm King Mountain, the winds changed and the fire blew up. Flames leapt 300 feet into the air and of the 20-person crew, 14 died. Nine of them were Prineville Hotshots. This memorial is to all wildland firefighters past, present, and future. The bronze monument was sculpted by David R. Nelson of Marble, Colorado, and the 20 boulders represent the basic staffing of a firefighting crew. A review of the 1994 tragedy resulted in many changes to official firefighting safety policies.
  9. POW/MIA Monument - Enter Ochoco Creek Park from Elm St., just north of 4th St. This impressive brick and marble area is a circle of honor starting from World War I to present. It honors all prisoners of war and those missing in action. Built by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxillary #1412, Auxillary #28 and the American Legion Post, it was a gift to the community.

FEATURED BUSINESS