Andrews, Oregon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Andrews, Oregon
Ghost town
Andrews community school in 2007
Andrews, Oregon Location in Oregon Show map of Oregon Andrews, Oregon Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Oregon
County	Harney
Elevation	4,157 ft (1,267 m)
Population  (as of 1996)
• Total	0 (ghost town)
Time zone	Pacific

Andrews is a ghost town in Harney County, Oregon, United States. A ghost town is a place where almost no one lives anymore. It is located south of Steens Mountain and near the Alvord Desert.

The Story of Andrews

Andrews is named after Peter Andrews. He was one of the first people to settle in this area around 1880. In 1890, a post office was opened on his land.

How Andrews Got Its Name

The post office moved a short distance north in 1900. It was first called "Wildhorse" or "Wild Horse". But local people often called it "Wild Hog". Because of this, the person in charge of the post office changed the name. He decided to honor his friend, Peter Andrews, by naming the town "Andrews".

From Town to Ghost Town

At its busiest time, Andrews had about 150 people living there. But over time, fewer and fewer people stayed. The population slowly went down until only one house was left. In 1996, that last house burned down. That's when Andrews officially became a ghost town.

An Artist's Home

In 2011, an artist named John Simpkins moved to Andrews. He lived in the old teacher's house. He turned the abandoned schoolhouse into his art studio. John lived and worked there for almost ten years. In 2020, the owner of the property asked him to leave the buildings.

Climate in Andrews

Andrews has a type of weather called a semi-arid climate. This means it's usually dry, but not a full desert. It gets some rain, but not a lot. On climate maps, this is often shown as "BSk" using the Köppen Climate Classification system. This system helps scientists describe climates around the world.