Dale, Oregon facts for kids
Dale is a small, quiet place in Oregon, United States. It's not a big city or town, but what we call an unincorporated community. This means it doesn't have its own local government like a city does. Dale is found in Grant County, right inside the beautiful Umatilla National Forest. You can find it about 17 miles south of a place called Ukiah, close to the border of Umatilla and Grant counties. It's also just south of the 45th parallel north, which is halfway between the Equator and the North Pole!
Discovering Dale, Oregon
Dale is a small community located along U.S. Route 395. This road helps connect people and places across the region. Being inside a national forest means Dale is surrounded by nature and trees.
A Bit of History
Dale has an interesting past! The first post office here opened way back in 1887. It was first named Dorman, after James W. Dorman, who was the very first postmaster. A postmaster is the person in charge of a post office.
Just a few years later, in 1891, the name was changed to Dale. People have wondered why it was called Dale, because the area doesn't really look like a typical "dale" (which is a valley). So, the name might have a special meaning that isn't about the land itself.
By 1903, the post office was officially located in Grant County. Today, mail for Dale is handled by the post office in Ukiah, using the ZIP code 97880.
What's in Dale Today?
Even though it's a small community, Dale has had some important services over the years.
- Service Station and Store: In 1940, a service station and a store were opened in Dale. A service station is a place where you can get gas for your car. These places still serve the community today, helping locals and travelers.
- Ranger Station: A Dale Ranger Station was opened by 1911. Ranger stations are important for managing and protecting national forests. This station was active for many years but closed sometime before 2008.
