Hardman, Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hardman, Oregon
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Collapsing house in Hardman
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 Hardman, Oregon
Location in Oregon
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Morrow |
| Elevation | 3,563 ft (1,086 m) |
| Population
(1990)
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| • Total | 20 |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (Pacific) |
| Area code(s) | 541 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1136356 |
Hardman is a historic community in Morrow County, Oregon. It's located about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Heppner. Hardman sits at an elevation of about 3,600 feet (1,100 m) in a farming area. It is just west of the Blue Mountains.
Rock Creek, which flows into the Columbia River, passes by Hardman. This community was once a busy center for nearby farms. However, it became a ghost town after a railroad was built to Heppner in the 1920s. Today, the main building that remains is the Hardman IOOF Lodge Hall. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012.
Contents
Hardman's Early Days
The area where Hardman is located was praised in newspapers during the late 1800s. People called Hardman a "thriving little trade center." They said the land around it was great for farming. It was also described as "the greatest stock range in the West."
Newspaper ads from the late 1800s said Hardman was a wonderful place. It was "high enough to secure plenty of fresh air." It was also "level enough for the building of a magnificent city." The area had good water and rich soil. It was far enough from other towns to allow new businesses to do well.
Brave Settlers Arrive
Brave pioneers began settling this land in the late 1800s. They came to build homes and start new lives. Their success encouraged more people to move there. The community grew slowly but steadily. However, it faced some challenges in its early years.
The First Families
John F. Royse and his brother were among the first settlers. Royse moved to the "bunch grass hills" of what is now Hardman around 1872. He had first settled in the Willamette Valley.
In 1879, Royse started a school in a place called Dairyville. Locals often called Dairyville "Rawdog." About a mile northwest of Dairyville was Adamsville, known as "Yallerdog." Because of these two dog-named places, locals sometimes called the whole area "Dogtown." No one knows why they chose these dog-related names!
David N. Hardman and the Post Office
At the same time, David N. Hardman arrived in the county in 1878. He had traveled across the plains with an ox train many years before. Mr. Hardman started a settlement a mile southeast of Dairyville. He became an important leader in the new community.
In 1881, people wanted a post office. Mr. Hardman helped get a petition signed. The post office was named Hardman in his honor. In 1882, the Hardman post office moved to Dairyville but kept its name. The Adamsville post office opened in 1884 but closed in 1885. After that, all activity focused on Hardman. The post office there operated on and off until 1968.
Mr. Hardman served as postmaster for several years. Eventually, he decided to leave his business and resign from the post office. He was known for doing a great job in public positions. He even ran for county commissioner once. In 1892, Mr. Hardman said the area was "the easiest country on the coast in which to make a good living."
Hardman's Busy Town Life
By 1902, Hardman was a busy place. It had many businesses and services. These included:
- Three general stores
- Two hotels
- Two places to stable horses
- Two blacksmiths
- A saloon
- A barber shop
- A church
- Schools
- A post office
- A newspaper
- A telephone office
The town also had two meeting halls, a skating rink, and even a racetrack! This shows how important Hardman was to the surrounding area.
Images for kids
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1892 article in the Heppner Gazette advertising Hardman, Oregon.
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1892 advertisement for the Hardman Hotel.
