Malheur County
The Succor Creek area. (Oregon State Archives Photo No. malD0056)
Contact
County Seat: 251 B St. W, Vale 97918
Phone: 541-473-5151 (General); 541-473-5171 (Court Administrator)
Fax: 541-473-5523
E-mail: ddelong@malheur.co.org
Web: www.malheurco.org
About
Population: 31,620
Established: Feb. 17, 1887
Elev. at Vale: 2,243'
Area: 9,926 sq. mi.
Average Temp.: January 28.7° July 75.6°
Assessed Value: $1,492,950,265
Real Market Value: $3,904,924,682
Annual Precipitation: 9.64"
Economy: Agriculture, livestock, food processing and recreation
Related resources
History
Historical
Records Inventory
Scenic
Image
Economic
Information (from OECDD)
"County
Quick Facts" (from U.S.
Census Bureau)
County
Seat Map (from Yahoo!
Maps)
County
Map (from ODOT)
Incorporated cities
Adrian | Jordan Valley | Nyssa | Ontario | Vale
Points of interest
Oregon Trail, Keeney Pass, Owyhee Lake, Succor Creek State Park, Leslie Gulch Canyon, Jordan Craters, grave of trapper John Baptist Charbonneau, Nyssa Agricultural Museum, Vale Oregon Trail Murals, Jordan Valley Basque Pelota Court, the Four Rivers Cultural Center.
History and general information
Malheur County was created in 1887 from Baker County. Malheur County derives its name from the “Riviere au Malheur” or “Unfortunate River” (later changed to “Malheur River”), named by French trappers whose property and furs were stolen from their river encampment.
Malheur County is a place filled with fascinating history, diverse landscape and friendly people. The landscape is enchanting and provides for a wide variety of excellent recreation such as hunting, fishing, hiking, rock climbing, rock hounding, boating and water skiing. The county is 94 percent rangeland. Basques, primarily shepherds, settled in Jordan Valley in the 1890s. Irrigated fields in the county’s northeast corner, known as Western Treasure Valley, are the center of intensive and diversified farming.
County officials
Commissioners—Judge Dan Joyce (R) 2010, Jim Nakano (R) 2011, Lewis Wettstein (R) 2013; Dist. Atty. Dan Norris (NP) 2013; Assess. Dave Ingram (NP) 2013; Clerk Deborah DeLong (NP) 2011; Justice of the Peace Terry Thompson (NP) 2011; Sheriff Andrew Bentz (NP) 2013; Surv. Jim Kimberling (NP); Treas. Jennifer Forsyth (NP) 2011; Co. Admin. Janice Belnap (NP).