Simnasho, Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Simnasho, Oregon
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 Simnasho, Oregon
Location in Oregon
Simnasho, Oregon
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Wasco |
| Elevation | 2,412 ft (735 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| Area code(s) | 541 and 458 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1126986 |
Simnasho is a small place in Oregon, United States. It's called an unincorporated community, which means it's not an official city or town with its own local government. Simnasho is located in Wasco County.
You can find Simnasho where Simnasho Road, Wapanitia Road, and Simnasho–Hot Springs Road meet. This area is part of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. The name "Simnasho" comes from the Sahaptin language. It means black hawthorn bush.
A long time ago, in 1886, a post office called Sinemasho opened here, but it closed quickly in 1887. Then, in 1894, a new post office named Simnasho opened. It stayed open until 1954, with only one short break.
For many years, Simnasho was an important place for the reservation. It was where the government's main office, run by a Federal agent, was located. This lasted until the late 1800s. After that, the main office moved to the community of Warm Springs. Simnasho has also had schools at different times since 1874. The most recent grade school closed in 1999.
Learning in Simnasho and Nearby Areas
Students from Simnasho and other parts of the reservation have a few options for school. They can go to Warm Springs K–8 Academy in Warm Springs. Older students can attend Madras High School in Madras. Both of these schools are part of the Jefferson County School District 509–J.
Warm Springs is about 25 miles (40 km) south of Simnasho. Madras is another 15 miles (24 km) further. This means that many students have long bus rides to get to school each day.
History of Schools in Simnasho
Simnasho has had its own school open and close several times over the years. The very first school for the entire reservation was in Simnasho. It opened in 1874 and was run by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).
However, when the BIA's main office moved to Warm Springs, the school moved too. It became a boarding school. At these schools, one of the government's goals was "assimilation." This meant trying to make Native American students adopt American culture and traditions. Native languages and customs were often discouraged.
Later schools in Simnasho were more controlled by local residents. Simnasho Elementary School was built in the 1950s. It became part of the Jefferson County School District in the 1960s. But the number of students changed a lot, causing the school to open and close more than once. The school last opened in 1994 with 22 students. However, it closed again in 1999 when only 6 students were left.
Culture and Community Life
Simnasho is a place where many important cultural events happen. These include special harvest festivals. There are also churches in Simnasho, like the Simnasho Longhouse and Simnasho Church, which are important gathering places for the community.
