Condon, Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Condon, Oregon
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Condon City Hall
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Location in Oregon
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Gilliam |
| Incorporated | 1893 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.81 sq mi (2.11 km2) |
| • Land | 0.81 sq mi (2.11 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,848 ft (868 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 711 |
| • Density | 872.39/sq mi (336.94/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (Pacific) |
| ZIP code |
97823
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| Area code(s) | 458 and 541 |
| FIPS code | 41-15000 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2410215 |
| Website | www.cityofcondon.com |
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Condon Commercial Historic District
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The IOOF Hall, J.F. Reisacher Building, and Bank Block (left to right) in 2012.
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| Location | Downtown Condon, Oregon |
| Area | 9.95 acres (4.03 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 98000609 (original) 01000493 (increase) |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | May 29, 1998 |
| Boundary increase | May 16, 2001 |
Condon is a small city in Oregon, USA. It's the main town in Gilliam County. In 2020, about 711 people lived there. Condon is known for its historic main street. It is a community focused on farming and ranching.
Nearby, you can find cool places like the John Day River/Cottonwood Canyon State Park. There's also the old ghost town of Lonerock. The famous John Day Fossil Beds are just a short drive away.
| Top - 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
Condon's Story: A Look at Its History
Condon was once the end point for a train line. This line was part of the Union Pacific Railroad.
How Condon Got Its Name
In 1883, a local farmer named Potter set up the town. He built it around a natural spring on his land. This spring was called Summit Springs by early ranchers. It came out of a black basalt rock bed.
Potter had money problems. So, he gave the land to a law firm called Condon and Cornish. Harvey C. Condon was part of this firm. He was also the nephew of a famous Oregon geologist, Thomas Condon.
Condon and Cornish sold pieces of land in the new town. In 1884, David B. Trimble opened the first post office. He named it Condon, after Harvey C. Condon.
From 1951 to 1970, a radar station called Condon Air Force Station was near the city.
Historic Downtown Condon
In 1998, Condon's old downtown area was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical site. It's called the Condon Commercial Historic District.
The city has worked with local businesses to fix up buildings on Main Street. Many of these historic buildings have been restored. New shops have opened. The Gilliam County Library moved into a newly fixed-up old hardware store. The City Park has also been made into a nice space for events.
Where is Condon? Geography and Weather
Condon is in north-central Oregon. It's located where two main roads meet: Oregon Route 19 and Oregon Route 206.
- It's about 38 miles (61 km) south of Interstate 84 at Arlington.
- It's about 69 miles (111 km) southeast of The Dalles.
- It's about 150 miles (240 km) east of Portland.
The city is about 2,831 feet (863 m) above sea level. Condon covers about 0.83 square miles (2.15 square kilometers) of land.
Condon's Climate
Condon has a climate with dry summers. Mornings are cool, but afternoons can get very warm. Winters are cold, but usually not too harsh. Sometimes, very cold air from Canada can bring freezing temperatures.
Most of the rain and snow falls during winter. Heavy storms from the Pacific Northwest can bring a lot of moisture. For example, in December 2008, Condon got 44.6 inches (1.13 m) of snow!
Summers are usually very dry. Hot winds can cause "heatwave" conditions. Temperatures can reach 90°F (32°C) on many summer afternoons. It's rare for it to reach 100°F (38°C). The hottest day ever recorded was 111°F (44°C) on July 24, 1928.
| Climate data for Condon, Oregon, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1894–2018 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 71 (22) |
71 (22) |
78 (26) |
91 (33) |
97 (36) |
104 (40) |
111 (44) |
103 (39) |
99 (37) |
88 (31) |
74 (23) |
69 (21) |
111 (44) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 55.6 (13.1) |
58.7 (14.8) |
65.0 (18.3) |
74.1 (23.4) |
83.4 (28.6) |
88.7 (31.5) |
94.8 (34.9) |
94.8 (34.9) |
88.8 (31.6) |
78.5 (25.8) |
64.1 (17.8) |
55.0 (12.8) |
96.5 (35.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 40.2 (4.6) |
44.2 (6.8) |
51.5 (10.8) |
57.9 (14.4) |
66.7 (19.3) |
73.4 (23.0) |
84.1 (28.9) |
83.9 (28.8) |
75.0 (23.9) |
61.2 (16.2) |
48.0 (8.9) |
39.0 (3.9) |
60.4 (15.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 33.0 (0.6) |
35.7 (2.1) |
41.3 (5.2) |
46.3 (7.9) |
54.2 (12.3) |
60.0 (15.6) |
68.3 (20.2) |
68.1 (20.1) |
60.5 (15.8) |
49.3 (9.6) |
39.3 (4.1) |
32.1 (0.1) |
49.0 (9.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 25.8 (−3.4) |
27.1 (−2.7) |
31.1 (−0.5) |
34.7 (1.5) |
41.7 (5.4) |
46.6 (8.1) |
52.6 (11.4) |
52.3 (11.3) |
46.1 (7.8) |
37.3 (2.9) |
30.7 (−0.7) |
25.1 (−3.8) |
37.6 (3.1) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 9.5 (−12.5) |
10.5 (−11.9) |
20.1 (−6.6) |
23.3 (−4.8) |
27.4 (−2.6) |
34.2 (1.2) |
40.1 (4.5) |
40.0 (4.4) |
32.0 (0.0) |
23.2 (−4.9) |
15.3 (−9.3) |
6.9 (−13.9) |
−1.0 (−18.3) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −24 (−31) |
−20 (−29) |
2 (−17) |
14 (−10) |
15 (−9) |
23 (−5) |
29 (−2) |
30 (−1) |
20 (−7) |
3 (−16) |
−14 (−26) |
−23 (−31) |
−24 (−31) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.81 (46) |
1.26 (32) |
1.20 (30) |
1.30 (33) |
1.65 (42) |
1.11 (28) |
0.39 (9.9) |
0.38 (9.7) |
0.47 (12) |
1.17 (30) |
1.51 (38) |
1.82 (46) |
14.07 (356.6) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 5.6 (14) |
4.7 (12) |
2.0 (5.1) |
1.0 (2.5) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.2 (0.51) |
1.7 (4.3) |
10.3 (26) |
25.5 (64.41) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 11.2 | 10.8 | 12.1 | 10.9 | 9.7 | 6.7 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.9 | 8.2 | 11.8 | 11.7 | 102.6 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 4.4 | 3.1 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 4.8 | 16.6 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service (mean maxima/minima 1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
People of Condon: Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 60 | — | |
| 1900 | 230 | 283.3% | |
| 1910 | 1,009 | 338.7% | |
| 1920 | 1,127 | 11.7% | |
| 1930 | 940 | −16.6% | |
| 1940 | 856 | −8.9% | |
| 1950 | 968 | 13.1% | |
| 1960 | 1,149 | 18.7% | |
| 1970 | 973 | −15.3% | |
| 1980 | 783 | −19.5% | |
| 1990 | 635 | −18.9% | |
| 2000 | 759 | 19.5% | |
| 2010 | 682 | −10.1% | |
| 2020 | 711 | 4.3% | |
| source: | |||
In 2010, Condon had 682 people living there. There were 357 households. Most people (97.2%) were White. About 2.1% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age in Condon was 54.5 years old.
- 14.7% of residents were under 18.
- 31.7% were 65 or older.
- Slightly more than half (53.4%) of the population was female.
Fun Things to Do: Arts and Culture
Condon hosts many fun events all year long:
- Robert Burns Day in January
- The Tumbleweed Basketball Tournament in March
- The Fabulous 4th of July celebration
- The Fall Festival in November
The Gilliam County Historical Museum is a great place to visit. It has several old buildings that have been restored. These include a train depot, a church, a barber shop, and a school house. The Silas A. Rice Log House is also there and is a historic landmark.
Condon is also a place where local artists show their work. You can often find art shows happening in the community.
The city of Condon has a 9-hole golf course and a swimming pool. There's also a movie theater that the Condon Arts Council plans to restore. It will become a space for events. The Oregon Frontier Chamber of Commerce hosts summer concerts in the City Park. You can also find game-bird reserves and hunting lodges nearby.
Learning and Jobs: Education and Economy
Students in Condon go to schools in the Condon School District 25J. This includes Condon Elementary School and Condon High School.
In 2002, the biggest employers in Condon were:
- The Gilliam County government
- The Condon School District
- The North-Central Education Service District
- The Hotel Condon
- Summit Springs Village (an assisted living center)
News and Travel: Media and Transportation
The Times-Journal is a weekly newspaper published in Condon.
The state airport in Condon is called Pauling Field. It's named after a famous former resident, Linus Pauling.
Famous People from Condon
Many notable people have connections to Condon:
- Jay Bowerman, who was the 13th governor of Oregon.
- John Burns, who led the Oregon Senate from 1971 to 1973.
- Robert R. Butler, a U.S. representative from Oregon.
- Terry Cooney, a Major League Baseball umpire.
- William Parry Murphy, who won a Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1934.
- Linus Pauling, who won two Nobel Prizes (Chemistry in 1954 and Peace in 1962).
- Earl Snell, who was the 23rd governor of Oregon.
See also
In Spanish: Condon (Oregón) para niños
