Sumpter, Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sumpter, Oregon
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The historic dredge at Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area recalls Sumpter's gold mining origins.
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Location in Oregon
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Baker |
| Incorporated | 1898 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.18 sq mi (5.65 km2) |
| • Land | 2.18 sq mi (5.65 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 4,462 ft (1,360 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 204 |
| • Density | 93.49/sq mi (36.10/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−08:00 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−07:00 (Pacific) |
| ZIP Code |
97877
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| Area code(s) | 458 and 541 |
| FIPS code | 41-71000 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2412002 |
| Website | ww.historicsumpter.com |
Sumpter is a small city located in Baker County, Oregon, in the United States. In 2020, the city had a population of 204 people. Sumpter was named after Fort Sumter, a famous fort from the American Civil War. Early settlers found a round rock that looked like a cannonball, which reminded them of the fort and the war news they were hearing.
Contents
The Story Behind Sumpter's Name
The name of Sumpter has an interesting history. Baker County itself was named after Edward Dickinson Baker. He was a U.S. Senator from Oregon who died during the American Civil War at the Battle of Ball's Bluff.
When Euro-Americans first settled Sumpter during the Civil War, they often heard news about Fort Sumter in South Carolina. A story from the Baker Democrat–Herald newspaper says that a round rock found in the 1860s reminded residents of a cannonball. This, along with the war news, made them think of Fort Sumter.
In 1883, Joseph D. Young became Sumpter's first postmaster. The U.S. Post Office would not let him use the original spelling, Sumter. At that time, goods were often transported by pack mules. So, Young chose the name Sumpter, which sounded similar and also referred to a sumpter mule, a mule used for carrying heavy loads.
Sumpter's Gold Rush History
Sumpter was officially planned out in 1889. About 10 years later, it quickly grew into a busy boom town because of gold mining. Before trains arrived, Sumpter was just a few simple log cabins.
The Sumpter Valley Railway
In 1897, a narrow gauge railway called the Sumpter Valley Railway (SVRy) reached Sumpter. This railway was built by David C. Eccles. It stretched about 80 miles (129 km) from Baker City through Sumpter and all the way to Prairie City by 1907. This train line was very important for moving goods for ranchers, miners, and logging companies until it closed in the 1930s.
Life in a Mining Town
After the SVRy arrived, Sumpter grew a lot. It was close to gold mines with many tunnels, totaling about 12 miles (19 km) long. The city's population grew to over 2,000 people. Sumpter had modern things like electric lights, churches, shops, a brewery, sidewalks, three newspapers, and even an opera house.
However, as the gold mines started to run out, the city began to shrink. Then, in 1917, a huge fire destroyed 12 blocks of buildings in the town. Dynamite was even used to try and stop the fire from spreading. A few buildings from that time still stand today and are used as shops.
Sumpter's Economy and Tourism
Today, Sumpter mostly relies on tourism for its income. Visitors come to see the town's old buildings, ride a special train, and visit a state park with a historic gold dredge.
The Sumpter Valley Railway Excursion
A 6-mile (9.7 km) part of the original SVRy line has been rebuilt. You can ride this excursion train on summer weekends and major holidays from Memorial Day through September. The train has stations in Sumpter and McEwen.
The Sumpter Valley Dredge State Historic Area
The Sumpter station and part of the train line are inside the Sumpter Valley Dredge State Historic Area. The giant gold dredge on display there was the last of three machines used to dig for gold from the surface along the Powder River. It worked from 1935 to 1954. Now, visitors can walk through the dredge and learn how it found gold.
Sumpter in Television
In 2013, the area was featured in a reality television show called Ghost Mine. The show followed a team looking for gold and ghosts in a mine near Sumpter. Most of the filming happened at the Buckeye Mine group, about 6 miles (9.7 km) north of Sumpter.
In 2020, Season 11 of Discovery's TV series Gold Rush was also filmed in the area. This show features a new miner, Fred Lewis, and his friends trying to find gold.
Sumpter's Geography and Climate
Sumpter is located about 4,400 feet (1,341 meters) above sea level. It is close to the Wallowa–Whitman National Forest, the Blue Mountains, and a smaller mountain range called the Elkhorn Mountains. Two creeks, McCully Fork and Cracker Creek, join together near Sumpter to form the Powder River.
The city covers about 2.18 square miles (5.65 square kilometers) of land. Sumpter is on Oregon Route 410, also known as the Sumpter Highway. By car, it's about 26 miles (42 km) from Baker City and 333 miles (536 km) from Portland. A 106-mile (171 km) scenic drive called the Elkhorn Scenic Byway also passes through Sumpter.
What is Sumpter's Climate Like?
Sumpter has a climate with big differences in temperature between seasons. Summers are warm to hot, and sometimes humid. Winters are cold, and can be very cold. This type of weather is known as a humid continental climate.
Sumpter's Population Over Time
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 261 | — | |
| 1890 | 91 | −65.1% | |
| 1900 | 2,216 | 2,335.2% | |
| 1910 | 643 | −71.0% | |
| 1920 | 219 | −65.9% | |
| 1930 | 154 | −29.7% | |
| 1940 | 420 | 172.7% | |
| 1950 | 146 | −65.2% | |
| 1960 | 96 | −34.2% | |
| 1970 | 120 | 25.0% | |
| 1980 | 133 | 10.8% | |
| 1990 | 119 | −10.5% | |
| 2000 | 171 | 43.7% | |
| 2010 | 204 | 19.3% | |
| 2020 | 204 | 0.0% | |
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Who Lives in Sumpter? (2010 Census)
According to the 2010 census, there were 204 people living in Sumpter. These people lived in 119 households, with 65 of them being families. The city had about 94 people per square mile (36 people per square kilometer).
Most of the people in Sumpter were White (about 92%). About 2.5% were Native American, and 0.5% were Asian. About 5% of the population identified as being from two or more races. About 1% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.
In the households, about 7% had children under 18. About 51% were married couples. About 40% of all households were made up of single individuals, and 19% of those were people aged 65 or older living alone. The average household had 1.71 people, and the average family had 2.22 people.
The average age in Sumpter was about 62 years old. About 6% of residents were under 18, and 34% were 65 or older. The population was 54% male and 46% female.
See also
In Spanish: Sumpter (Oregón) para niños
