Whitney - Oregon Ghost Town

WHITNEY

NAME: Whitney
COUNTY: Baker
ROADS: 2WD
GRID: 3
CLIMATE: Cool winter, warm summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Anytime.

COMMENTS: Whitney is located about 1/2 mile south of Highway 7 between Austin and McEwan.
REMAINS: Many buildings. UPDATE:

Visited 3-26-14
Several buildings still exist. Some are worse off than pictured here and several have collapsed completely.Appears to be at least one resident maybe 2-3. Sign marks entrance. Jason Culp

Located about a 1/2 mile south of Highway 7 between Austin and McEwan, Whitney was the prime station on the 80 mile long, narrow-gauge Sumpter Valley Railroad. 14 rail crews were stationed in town and 75 people were employed at the local saw mill which supplied lumber for the surrounding gold mining camps. Even with all this activity, the population never rose above 100. The town began its decline after the fire at the saw mill in 1918. Submitted by Darren Bernaerdt from Deserted Lands. Whitney was one of those towns that was not a mining camp but was in the middle of those that were. It was strictly a logging town and somewhat on the boisterous side. A killing here and there, now and then. Miss Erma Cole taught school in Whitney in the winter of 1919-1920. She reports the temperature during that winter reached 55 degrees below zero and stayed there for a short time before it warmed up to 50 degrees below zero. The narrow gauge Sumpter Valley Railroad ran between Sumpter and Whitney and had to cross a deep canyon. It is said the trestle crossing was the second highest in the world, surpassed only by one in the Bavarian Alps. Due to its height, it was too shaky and dangerous and was removed in 1915. Today, there is no school, depot, hotel or saloon but other weathered buildings including an imposing sawmill the height of a three-story building. Submitted by Henry Chenoweth. Whitney Courtesy Dolores Steele Whitney Courtesy Dolores Steele Whitney Courtesy Dolores Steele Whitney Courtesy Dolores Steele Whitney Courtesy Dolores Steele Whitney Courtesy Dolores Steele Whitney Courtesy Dolores Steele Whitney Courtesy Tom McCurnin Whitney Courtesy Tom McCurnin Whitney Courtesy Tom McCurnin Whitney Courtesy Adam Ress Whitney Courtesy Adam Ress	Whitney Courtesy Darren Bernaerdt Whitney Courtesy Darren Bernaerdt Whitney Courtesy Darren Bernaerdt Whitney Courtesy Dolores Steele Whitney Courtesy Dolores Steele Whitney Pond House Courtesy Dolores Steele Whitney Courtesy Dolores Steele Whitney Mill - on private property Courtesy Dolores Steele Whitney Courtesy Dolores Steele Whitney Courtesy Dolores Steele Whitney Courtesy Tom McCurnin Whitney Courtesy Tom McCurnin Whitney Courtesy Tom McCurnin Whitney Courtesy Adam Ress Whitney Courtesy Adam Ress

Located about a 1/2 mile south of Highway 7 between Austin and McEwan, Whitney was the prime station on the 80 mile long, narrow-gauge Sumpter Valley Railroad. 14 rail crews were stationed in town and 75 people were employed at the local saw mill which supplied lumber for the surrounding gold mining camps. Even with all this activity, the population never rose above 100. The town began its decline after the fire at the saw mill in 1918. Submitted by Darren Bernaerdt from Deserted Lands.

Whitney was one of those towns that was not a mining camp but was in the middle of those that were. It was strictly a logging town and somewhat on the boisterous side. A killing here and there, now and then. Miss Erma Cole taught school in Whitney in the winter of 1919-1920. She reports the temperature during that winter reached 55 degrees below zero and stayed there for a short time before it warmed up to 50 degrees below zero. The narrow gauge Sumpter Valley Railroad ran between Sumpter and Whitney and had to cross a deep canyon. It is said the trestle crossing was the second highest in the world, surpassed only by one in the Bavarian Alps. Due to its height, it was too shaky and dangerous and was removed in 1915. Today, there is no school, depot, hotel or saloon but other weathered buildings including an imposing sawmill the height of a three-story building. Submitted by Henry Chenoweth.

Whitney
Courtesy Dolores Steele