Millican, Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Millican, Oregon
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Millican store and gas station
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 Millican, Oregon
Location in Oregon
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Deschutes |
| Area | |
| • Land | 100,000 acre (40,000 ha) |
| Elevation | 4,330 ft (1,320 m) |
| Population
(2021)
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| • Total | 150 |
| Time zone | Pacific |
| Area code(s) | 97701 |
Millican is a small, unincorporated community in Deschutes County, Oregon, United States. It's located right on U.S. Route 20, about 25 miles (40 km) east of Bend. This community sits high up, at about 4,304 feet (1,312 meters) above sea level. In 2021, only about 150 people lived there.
Contents
Millican's Early Days and Naming
In the late 1880s, a man named George Millican started a ranch in this area. His wife thought it would be a good idea to name the new community after him. So, the Millican post office officially opened in 1913. George Millican sold his ranch just a few years later, in 1916. In the early 1900s, about 60 people lived in Millican.
Moving the Town and Its Smallest Population
In 1930, a new highway, U.S. Route 20, was built. It went north of where Millican was located. Because of this, the entire community of Millican was moved to be right next to the new highway.
Around this time, the town's population dropped to just one person! This person was the postmaster, Billy Rahn. He lived in Millican from about 1922 until 1945. When Billy Rahn retired in 1942, the post office had to close.
New Owners and Changes Over Time
In 1946, a man named Bill Mellin bought Millican. He ran the gas station, the store, and even reopened the post office for a while. The post office closed for good in 1953, but the store and gas station stayed open for another 35 years.
In 1985, Bill Mellin decided to sell the community. Sadly, in 1988, Bill Mellin passed away. After his death, his granddaughter took over running the store for a few years.
Later, Eric Cooper bought Bill Mellin's property. Then, in 1999, Bruce and Tracy Resnick bought Millican. They had plans to give the land to an animal rescue group, but they put the town up for sale again in 2000.
Millican's Recent History
In 2002, the Murray family moved to Millican, which brought the town's population up to seven people! The Murrays rented the town area and ran the store. However, the Millican Store closed again in 2005 when the Murrays moved to run a cafe and gas station in Hampton, Oregon, which is a bit further east.
In 2008, the 75 acres (30 hectares) where Millican is located were put up for sale by the Resnicks. The town area and store were bought in the spring of 2010. Today, a caretaker lives on the site.
