Homestead, Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Homestead, Oregon
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Homestead (circa 1915-1925)
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 Homestead, Oregon
Location in Oregon
Homestead, Oregon
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Baker |
| Elevation | 1,742 ft (531 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| Area code(s) | 458 and 541 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1121943 |
Homestead is a small, quiet place in Baker County, Oregon. It is called an "unincorporated community." This means it's a group of homes and buildings, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town.
Homestead is located right by the Snake River. This is a big river that flows through several states. The community is also south of the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area. This is a beautiful area known for its deep canyon. Homestead is about 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Copperfield and Oxbow.
How Homestead Got Its Name
The community of Homestead was named after a man named Frank E. Pearce. He had a "homestead claim" in the area. A homestead claim was a piece of land given to settlers by the government. Frank Pearce worked at the nearby Iron Dyke Mine around the year 1900.
Homestead also had a post office. J. H. Pearson was the first postmaster there. The post office served the community for many years. It finally closed on May 1, 1965. After that, people in Homestead used the post office in Oxbow.
A Busy Place in the Past
Homestead was planned around 1898. It was supposed to be along a new train line called the Northwest Railway Company. However, this train line was never built.
Even without the train line, Homestead became a busy place. It grew because of the miners who worked at the Iron Dyke Mine. These miners bought supplies and used services in Homestead. The community was also important because it was a "railhead" for local orchards. A railhead is a place where goods, like fruit from orchards, are loaded onto trains to be shipped away.
River Journeys from Homestead
From 1953 to 1960, Homestead was a starting point for exciting boat trips. These trips went down the Snake River all the way to Lewiston, Idaho. A man named Blaine Stubblefield operated these passenger boat trips.
