Minam, Oregon facts for kids
Minam is a small, unincorporated community in Oregon, United States. It is located in northwestern Wallowa County. Minam sits right where the Minam and Wallowa rivers meet. This area is found north of the Wallowa Mountains along Oregon Route 82. Minam is about 20 miles (32 km) northeast of La Grande.
What's in a Name? The Story of Minam
Minam gets its name from the Minam River. The river itself was named by Native Americans. They called the area E-mi-ne-mah. This word described a valley or canyon. It was a place where a special plant grew a lot. This plant looked like a small sunflower and was used for food. People started using the name "Minam River" as early as 1864.
A post office was first opened in Minam in 1890. It closed a year later in 1891. However, it reopened in 1910. The community of Minam was officially planned out, or platted, in 1907. A railroad line was built through Minam to Joseph in 1908. This new railroad likely helped the post office reopen.
Minam's Climate
Minam experiences warm and dry summers. The average monthly temperatures do not go above 71.6 °F (22 °C). According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Minam has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. This type of climate is often shown as "Csb" on climate maps.
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Minam for kids in Spanish
