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Wallowa County, OR Links
Chamber of Commerce
Indigo Gallery
Belle Pepper's BnB
City of Enterprise
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Wallowa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. According to Oregon Geographic
Names, the origins of the name are uncertain, with the most likely explanation being that the name
comes from the Nez Perce word to describe a structure of stakes (a weir) used in fishing. Another
explanation is that Wallowa is the Nez Perce word for "winding water". The journals of Lewis and
Clark Expedition record the name of the Wallowa River as Wil-le-wah.
Wallowa County, Oregon History:
In 1871, the first white settlers came to the area, crossing the mountains in search of
livestock feed in the Wallowa Valley. The county was established on February 11, 1887,
from the eastern portion of Union County. Boundary changes occurred with Union County in
1890, 1900, and 1915.
In 1877, the younger Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce, incensed at the government's attempt to
deprive his people of the Wallowa Valley, refused to be moved to an Idaho reservation.
Several regiments of United States troops were dispatched to force him onto the
reservation. After several battles and a march of almost two thousand miles towards
sanctuary in Canada, Chief Joseph was forced to surrender in Montana, forty miles from
the Canadian border. He and some of the survivors from his band were detained in Oklahoma,
and later were relocated to Colville Reservation in Washington State. Approximately half
of the survivors moved to the Nez Perce Reservation in Idaho.
Wallowa County was the scene of perhaps the worst incident of violence against Chinese in
Oregon, when in May 1887 a gang of rustlers massacred 34 Chinese gold miners in Hells
Canyon. Of the seven rustlers and schoolboys believed to have been responsible, only
three were brought to trial in Enterprise, where a jury found them not guilty on September
1, 1888. A proposal to commemorate this event on official maps was defeated June 2004; one
reason given was the fact prominent local families are related to the killers.
Wallowa County Businesses Wanted
Have a computer or internet related business in Wallowa County, Oregon?
We would like to talk to you about becoming a reseller of our services.
Contact Us to request more information or a copy of
our resellers agreement.
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