Baker City is located in northeastern Oregon. It’s a fairly small city (currently about 10,000 residents) but has an interesting history and a well-preserved historic district that’s well worth exploring.
The town dates to the mid-19th century. It was a stop along the Oregon Trail, and a gold rush which began in 1861. The city was founded in 1865 and incorporated in 1871. It is named after Edward Baker (Oregon’s first Senator). Gold mining fueled the city’s early wealth and by the late 1800s the arrival of the railroad helped cement it as an important commercial hub, being the largest city between Portland and Salt Lake City. At its peak around 1900, it had a population of 6,700, surpassing the population in cities like Spokane and Boise.
Baker City’s historic district is quite large, spanning 42 acres, making it one of the largest intact historic districts in the USA. It includes 130 buildings, many constructed between 1880 and 1915, many of which are on the National Register of Historic Places. A number of the older buildings are constructed of locally quarried stone and are nicely preserved
Some of the highlights are:
Geiser Grand Hotel (1889): A beautifully restored Victorian hotel with Viennese chandeliers, mahogany columns, and a stained-glass skylight, It was a hub for mining entrepreneurs.
Baker City Tower (1929): A nine-story Art Deco building, the tallest building in Oregon east of the Cascades. The building features terracotta eagles and an octagonal observation center on its roof
The Old Post Office (1910)
The Carnegie Library (1909), now known as The Crossroads Carnegie Arts Center. It hosts art exhibits, performances and the like.
While the day we visited was a cold rainy fall day, it still was a lot of fun to explore the historic district. You’ll find a thriving arts scene, and lots of local cafes, restaurants and pubs. When you’re downtown, try to stop by the US Bank to see it’s 80.4 ounce Armstrong gold nugget (closed when we visited)
Baker City is a gateway to the Oregon Trail interpretative center, Hell’s Canyon, and beautiful wilderness areas where you can hike and explore, and see some of old mining history of the area.
What follows is a collection of photos from the Historic Downtown District, presented in no specific manner:
Many of the homes are Victorian, including these examples:
A sign I rather enjoyed and which I believe summarizes the character of local folks:
