Ritter, Oregon facts for kids
Ritter is a small, quiet community located in Grant County, Oregon, in the United States. It's not a big city, but it's well-known for its natural hot springs! You can find Ritter about ten miles down the Middle Fork John Day River from U.S. Route 395, nestled between the towns of Dale and Long Creek. This special place was once also called Ritter Hot Springs.
What Are Hot Springs?
Hot springs are natural pools of water that are heated by the Earth's underground warmth. Water seeps deep into the ground, gets heated by hot rocks, and then rises back to the surface. People have enjoyed hot springs for thousands of years because they can be very relaxing and are sometimes thought to have healing properties.
How Ritter Got Its Name
When a post office was first set up in this area, it was named after a man called Reverend Joseph Ritter. He was a pioneer Baptist minister who lived in the John Day Valley. The post office was originally located on his ranch, very close to the mineral hot springs. These springs were once known as McDuffee Hot Springs, but now they are called Ritter Hot Springs.
Over time, the post office moved. By 1988, it was located in the old schoolhouse across the river. As of 2009, Ritter no longer has its own post office. If you send mail to Ritter today, it will be addressed to Long Creek.
The Discovery of the Springs
The hot springs at Ritter were first discovered by William Neal McDuffee. He was an early-day "packer," which means he used animals like mules to carry supplies and goods between different places. William McDuffee often traveled between Umatilla and the gold mines in the John Day Valley. During his travels, he found these amazing hot springs, which eventually became a popular spot for visitors.
