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fuckyeahghosttowns: Whitney, Oregon (via flickr) Whitney is an unincorporated community, located in Baker County, Oregon, United States, on Oregon Route 7 southwest of Sumpter. It is on the North Fork Burnt River, near the Blue Mountains and Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Founded as a logging town and platted in 1900, Whitney was the primary station on the narrow gauge Sumpter Valley Railway. Logging railroads were built in all directions out of Whitney during the next 20 years. Nibley Lumber Company set up a large sawmill (pictured) south of town in 1911 as loggers cut down the large stands of yellow pine nearby. This large sawmill is three floors high and was the heartbeat of Whitney in the early 1900’s. The purpose was to supply the lumber needed for the gold mining camps in the towns all around Whitney. Once seventy-five people were employed here. Some reports claim the sawmill was the victim of a fire in 1918 which partly caused the town close down. Today, the sawmill is seriously damaged, and is located way out in the middle of a field with “No Trespassing” signs at the fences. At one time over 150 people called Whitney their home. Logging declined in the area in the 1940s, which caused the town and the railroad to fade.

posted : Friday, January 29th, 2010

tags : reblog

reblogged from : fuckyeahghosttowns