RESOURCE
ATLAS
EXTENSION
c.OMLWA.U(it9 t
OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
NATURAL
HUMAN
ECONOMIC
PUBLIC
PROJECT
Union County, Oregon
NATURAL
RESOURCE
ATLAS
HUMAN
ECONOMIC
PUBLIC
August 1973
Oregon State University Extension Service
Prepared by Gary Valde, Research Assistant,
Under the supervision of:
Robert 0. Coppedge,
Extension Economist, and Russell C. Youmans,
Extension Resource Economist,
Department of Agricultural Economics
For sale by the Extension Business Office, Extension Hall 118,
$2.50 per copy.
Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331.
M I L ES
0
5
tO
15
20
UNION
COUNTY
UNION
COUNTY
LEGEND
PRiMARY HIGHWAYS
SECONDARY HIGHWAYS
COUNTY ROADS
INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS
Contents
General Description
............
Physical Aspects
Climate
Soils
Soil Characteristics and Land Capability
Land Ownership and Land Use
Agricultural Land
Forest Land
Water
Water-based Recreation
Minerals
Wildlife
Human Resources
Page
1
2
........................2
5
8
10
12
13
15
19
19
20
..................21
Population......................21
Employment
Income
Education
Health and Vital Statistics
Public Welfare
Housing
The County's Economy
Agriculture
Logging and Wood Products
Manufacturing
Mining - Mineral and Metal Industries
Outdoor Recreation
Business
....................
...................
................
Public Services
Transportation
Communication
Library Facilities
Utilities
25
32
......................35
.............38
42
43
45
45
51
53
54
55
57
58
58
60
61
62
......
64
Selected List of Agencies
69
Selected Bibliography
71
Public Finance
...........
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Union County is located in northeastern Oregon and has an area of about
2,000 square miles. The county is bordered on the northeast by Wallowa
County, the southeast by Baker County, the southwest by Grant County and on
the northwest by Umatilla County.
In 1972 Union County ranked 21st in Oregon in population with 20,660
people. La Grande, its largest town and county seat, had a population of
10,300.
Agriculture and forestry are the principal contributors to the county's
economy. Gross agricultural sales have ranged from 10 to 20 million dollars in
recent years.
Commercial forests cover nearly 800,000 acres. Recreation is
also an important part of the county's economy. Hunting, fishing, and camping
are all popular.
The growing season and amounts of precipitation vary considerably within
In the major agri-
the county.
Rainfall varies from 10 to nearly 30 inches.
cultural valleys the growing season is about 160 days.
Union County was established in 1864.
In 1887 the state legislature
created Wallowa County from Union's eastern portion.
A brief summary of the major facts for the county are noted below.-'
Area:
2,034 square miles
1,301,760 acres
Elevation at La Grande:
Average Temperature:
Summer - 66.8
Winter - 34.4
County Seat:
1/
Population:
2,788 feet
20,660
(July 1, 1972)
True Cash Value:
$196,126,945
(July 1, 1972)
Principal Industries:
Agriculture, Lumbering,
Education
La Grande
Coppedge, Robert 0., Agriculture in Oregon Counties - Farm Sales and
General Characteristics, Special Report 330, Oregon State University
Extension Service, Corvallis, Oregon, 1971.
Oregon State Executive Department, Clay Meyers, Secretary of State,
Oregon Blue Book, 1973-74, January 1973.
PHYSICAL ASPECTS
Union County has three distinct physiographic areas:
in the west, the
Blue Mountain Range; in the center, the Grande River Valley; and on the east,
the Wallowa Mountains.
Elevations in the Grande Ronde Valley range from 2,700 to 3,000 feet.
The Blue Mountains reach over 6,000 feet in the county, and Eagle Cap in the
Wallowas is 9,675 feet in elevation.
Most of the county is drained by the Grande Ronde River Basin.
Climate
Union County is sheltered by the Rocky Mountains and outlying ranges on
the east and north, so that the cold waves which sweep down across the central
plains from Canada are less severe here.
In the west, the Cascade Mountains
effectively shut off most of the moisture-laden winds which blow inland from
the Pacific Oce.ni, causing he rainfall of most of the county to be scant.
However, the precipitation in Union County is greater than in most of central
and eastern Oregon because the cooUng of the winds passing over the Bi
lYiountains reduces thr moisture-hoidi'-'g capacity.
Average annual rainfall in
the county varies from location to location with the areas just east of the
Blue Mountains receiving an average annual rainfall of just below 20 inches,
whereas areas further east have averages varying from 11 to 14 inches. A high
proportion of the rain and snowfall occurs in the winter and spring months
with little rainfall recorded during the summer growing season. Consequently,
water flow in the major streams may vary from a high of as much as 50 percent
of the annual stream flow occurring during the two months of April and May to
a low in August and September when stream flow per month may drop to less than
1 percent of the annual flow.
Temperatures have a maximum range of close to 140°F.
The absolute maximum temperatures are just above 100°F., and the absolute minimum teIperatures
are about -35 F. Average mean temperature in La Grande is about 50 F., with
mean temperatures for other locations in the county varying from this value
depending largely on elevation.
The average date for the last killing frost
is April 24 and that of the first killing frost is October 2, so that a growing
season of up to 160 days can be expected.
Oregon State Water Resources Board, Grand Ronde River Basin, 1960.
Table 1.
Weather Stations, Elevation, and Years of Record, Union County
Station
Cove 1ENE
Elgin
La Grande
Union
SOURCE:
Table 2.
Years of Record
El evat ion
3,100 ft.
2,670
2,805
2,765
45
20
73
54
U.S. Department of Commerce, Weather Bureau, Decennial Census of U.S.
Climate, Supplement for 1951 through 1960, Oregon No. 86-31, 1965.
Temperature and Precipitation, Union County, By Month, 1951-1960 Averages
Station
Jan. Feb.Mar. Apr. May
JuneJu1yAug. Sep. 0ct. Nov. Dec. Ann.
Aver age
Temperature
Cove 1ENE
Elgin
La Grande
Union
!I
degrees Farenheit
29.7
29.7
31.5
31.0
33.1
33.3
34.7
34.3
37.7
37.7
39.1
38.7
46.2
46.6
48.0
46.6
52.7
53.3
55.4
53.3
58.8
59.5
61.9
59.1
Total
Precipitation
Cove 1ENE
Elgin
La Grande
Union
1/
!::/
67.2
67.2
71.0
66.6
63.6
64.2
68.1
64.2
58.6
58.4
61.6
58.5
48.4
48.7
50.8
49.1
37.3
36.9
39.2
38.3
32.4
32.5
34.5
33.6
47.1
47.3
49.7
47.8
1.14
0.69
0.89
0.93
1.18
1.06
0.95
0.78
2.15
2.23
1.65
1.33
2.30
2.87
2.13
1.33
2.57
3.06
2.59
1.52
23.98
23.49
20.61
15.28
inches
2.26
3.07
2.10
1.07
1.84
2.37
1.97
0.98
2.24
2.40
1.93
1.36
1.98
1.72
1.90
1.28
3.51
2.08
2.57
2.57
2.11
1.42
1.38
1.62
0.70
0.52
0.55
0.51
Some months are for less than the 1951-1960, ten year period.
U.S. Department of Commerce, Weather Bureau, Decennial Census of U.S.
Climate, Supplement for 1951 through 1960, Oregon No. 86-31, 1965.
SOURCE:
The following table indicates an average day time high and low for each
month over the years 1951-1960. The low temperature is considered a night time
figure.
Table 3.
Station
Mean Daily Maximum and Minimum Temperatures, Union County,
By Month, 1951 - 1960 Averages
June July Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Ann.
Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May
Mean Daily
Maximum Temp.
Cove 1ENE1/
Elgin 1/
La Grande
Union
degrees Farenheit
37.3
37.7
38.7
37.4
41.8
42.6
43.0
42.3
48.2
49.1
49.6
49.1
59.4
61.0
60.8
59.6
66.6
68.9
69.2
66.8
Mean Daily
Minimum Temp.
Cove 1ENE 1/..
Elgin
La Grande
Union
1/
74.0
76.0
76.3
73.6
86.0
88.5
87.8
84.8
82.1
85.6
84.2
81.9
77.0
79.4
77.8
75.9
63.9
65.2
63.7
62.9
47.4
48.0
48.5
47.7
40.4
41.0
41.9
40.5
60.3
61.9
61.8
60.2
degrees Farenheit
22.1
21.6
24.2
24.6
24.3
23.9
26.3
26.3
27.2
26.2
28.6
28.2
33.1
32.3
35.2
33.5
38.7
37.7
41.6
39.7
43.5
43.0
47.4
44.5
48.4
45.8
54.1
48.5
45.0
42.9
52.0
46.4
40.1
37.3
45.5
41.1
32.7
32.2
37.8
35.3
27.1
25.8
29.9
29.0
24.4
24.0
27.0
26.7
33.9
32.7
37.5
35.3
Some months are less than the 1951-1960, 10 year period.
U.S. Department of Commerce, Weather Bureau, Decennial Census of U.S.
Climate, Supplement for 1951 through 1960, Oregon No. 86-31, 1965.
S3URCE:
For current climatological data on Union County, see: U.S. Department of
Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Environmental Data
Service, Climatological Data, Annual Summary, 1971, Vol. 77, No. 13, 1971.
Table 4.
Station
Freeze Data for Union County, 1951 - 1960
Mean Number of DaLs with Temperature of 32°F or Below
Jan.Feb.) Mar .1 Apr.IMay I JuneJuly Aug.$ Sep.I0ct.INov.Dec.I Ann.
days
Cove 1ENE 2/
Elgin
La Grande
Union
26
25
25
24
23
23
21
21
25
25
22
23
15
14
10
14
5
6
3
5
1/
0
1/
1/
1/
0
1
0
3
1
0
1/
3
8
1
17
17
7
12
18
22
18
19
27
25
24
25
Less than 0.5 days.
Some months are for less than the 1951-1960, ten year period.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, WeatherBureau, Decennial Census of U.S.
Climate, Supplement for 1951 through 1960, Oregon No. 86-31, 1965.
1/
2/
-4-
159
167
131
146
Soils
The main topographic features of Union County are the Blue Mountains
in the west, the Grande Ronde and smaller Elgin Valleys, and the bordering
Wallowa Mountains in the east. The mountainous uplands have mostly shallow
topsoils, formed generally as end products of weathering of rock-like granite or basalt. There are areas of wind deposited volcanic ash on dissected
ridges in the north and northwest part of the county. The crop-producing
areas occur on the alluvial and lacustrine deposits of the various valleys.
There are other important cropland soils formed in bess deposits on Cricket
Flat east of Elgin and on the south side of Pumpkin Ridge between the Elgin
and Grande Ronde Valleys.
The following is a more detailed discussion of the soils in the county,
based on unpublished material from the Soil Conservation Service and Oregon
State University Department of Soils.
Sand ridge soils - local wind laid deposits of fine sand and silt.
Soil series: Imbler and Alicel
Area:
4 percent of county area.
Description: Well drained, grayish brown to dark gray, loams to sandy
barns.
Use:
Dry land crops, including winter wheat, peas, and grass seed with
smaller acreages of alfalfa.
Old alluvial bottom land soils derived mainly from volcanic ash.
Soil series: Hoodoo and Hot Lake
Area:
6 percent of county area.
Description: Imperfectly to poorly drained, gray silt barns to silty
clay barns with a frequently strongly cemented hardpan. Moderately
to strongly affected by saline and alkali.
Subject to high seasonal
water tables and spring flooding.
Use:
Small grain, alfalfa, peas, and grass seed.
Old alluvial fan and bottom land soils derived mainly from lacustrine
materials, water worked volcanic ash and gravels of mixed origins.
Soil series:
Conley, La Grande, and Phys.
Area:
4 percent of county area.
Description:
Imperfectly to poorly drained, dark gray to black silt
barns to silty clay barns. Subject to a seasonal high water table
and moderate to severe erosion hazard on the steeper slopes.
Use: Wheat, peas, grass seed, and alfalfa grass hay.
Old alluvial terrace soils from mixed sources, mainly basalt, granite
materials and bess.
Soil series: Orodell, Fanny, Emily, and College.
Area: 4 percent of county area.
Description: Moderately well to well drained, dark gray gravelly loam
to silty clay loam.
Use:
Pasture, small grain, hay, grass seed, and ponderosa pine.
Recent alluvial soils from mixed sources, mainly basalt, granitic materials and bess.
Soil series: Catherine
Area:
3 percent of county area
Description: Poorly to well drained, dark grayish brown barns to dark
gray silty clay barns.
Use:.
Cultivated crops, hay and pasture.
Upland soils from bess, basalt and volcanic tuff.
Soil series: Waha, Pabouse, Ukiah, Rock Creek
Area:
3 percent of county area.
Description: Well drained, dark brown to very dark grayish brown silt
barns to silty clay barns. The soils may be stony to very stony.
Use:
Dryland hay, small grain, grass seed, green peas, native range,
and pasture land.
Upland soils from volcanic ash, bess, volcanic tuff, and basalt.
Soil series: Waha, Rock Creek, Tobo Klicker, Ukiah, and Snipe.
Area:
7 percent of county area.
Description: Well drained, brown to dark grayish brown silt loam to
silty clay loam. May be stony.
Use:
Hay, small grain, native pasture and range land, Douglas fir and
ponderosa pine.
Upland soils from volcanic ash, bess, and old water deposited sediments.
Soil series: Tobo and Couse
Area: 4 percent of county area.
Description: Moderately well drained, dark grayish brown silt barns;
slopes range from 2 to over 60 percent.
Use:
Mainly timber (Douglas fir, white fir, western larch, and ponderosa
pine), 20 percent dryland cropland (small grain and hay), range and
pasture.
Upland soils from andesite and bess.
Soil series: Crib and Chop
Area
4 percent of county area
Description: Well drained, dark grayish brown stony barns to silty clay,
boams.
Rock outcrops occupy about 5 percent of the area.
Slopes
vary from 2 to 60 percent.
Use: Hay, small grains, pasture and native range.
Upland soils from bess, volcanic ash and andesité
Soil series: Hall Ranch and Tobo
Area:
4 percent of county area.
Description: Well drained, dark grayish brown silt barns to stony loans.
Five percent of the area is occupied by rock outcrops and very
shallow soil. Slopes vary from 2 to 60 percent.
Use:
Timber production (ponderosa pine, white and Douglas fir) with
some grazing.
Upland soils mainly from volcanic ash with some bess and basalt.
Soil series: Tobo, Klicker, Couse, Rock Creek, and Snipe.
Area: 22 percent of county area.
Description: Well drained, brown to dark grayish brown, stony barns to
silt barns.
Rock outcrops cover about 2 percent of the areas.
Slopes range from 2 to 35 percent.
Use:
Seventy-five percent is timbered (Douglas fir, white fir, western
larch, and ponderosa pine); the remainder is steep range land.
Upland soils from basalt, bess, and volcanic ash on north and east
slopes.
Soil series: Klicker, Tobo, Rock Creek, and Snipe.
Area: 12 percent of county area.
Description: Well drained, brown to dark grayish brown stony barns to
stony silty clay barns. Rock outcrops and talus slopes occupy
about 5 percent of the area. Slopes vary from 2 to 65 percent.
Use:
Eighty percent is timbered, the rest (scabland, ridge tops, and
steep slopes) provides fair to good grazing.
High elevation soils from andesite, bess, and volcanic ash.
Soil series: Unclassified at the present time.
Description:
It occupies high dissected ridges which slope toward the
north and east front the Elkhorn ridge. The area (about 6 percent
of county area) is mainly high altitude timbered soils, almost
entirely lying within the National Forest, and is used for timber
production, grazing and recreation.
High elevation soils from granitoid rocks and related materials.
Soil series: Unclassified at the present time.
Description: The area constitutes about 6 percent of the county area.
It includes the high mountain areas of the Walbowas and Blue
Mountains. The area is used for recreation, wildlife, watershed,
and limited grazing.
Alluvial bottomland soils of mixed origin.
Soil series: Haines
Area:
1 percent of county area (North Powder River bottomlands)
Description:
Imperfectly to poorly drained, dark grayish brown silt
loam.
The pH at the surface is about 8.8 to 9.0 and decreases
to about pH 8.0 with depth.
Use:
Native salt grass pasture, hay, small grain.
Alluvial soils formed on old high terraces.
Soil series: No final name given yet.
Area:
3 percent of county area.
Description: Well drained, very dark brown to light brownish gray barns
to silt loams. The soils, white neutral in the surface, may have
lime accummulations and lime pans or a silica cemented hardpan in
the substratum.
Use:
Irrigated small grain, hay and pasture.
Upland soils from basalt with small areas of high terrace soils included.
Soil series: No final name given yet.
Area:
5
percent of county area.
Description: Well drained, light brownigh gray to dark yellowish brown
very stony barns to silt barns.
There may be lime accummulations
and lime pans in the substratum.
Use: Mainly range land with small areas of dryland small grain production.
For more information on Union County soils, see:
Simenson, G. H.,
E. G. Knox, H. W. Hill, and R. W. Mayko, General Soil Map Report with
Irrigable Areas, Grande Ronde Drainage Basin, Appendix 1-8 of Oregon's
Long-Range Requirements for Water; Oregon State University Agricultural
Experiment Station and U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service, in cooperation
with Oregon State Water Resources Board, 1969.
Soil Characteristics and Land Capability
Table 5.
Land Area and Use of Inventory Acreage, Union County, 1967
Use
Acres
Inventory Acreage
Cropland
Pasture
Range
Forest and woodland
Other land
185,000
6,000
166,885
Total inventory acreage
654,885
Percent of total land area in
inventory
284 , 000
2J
130,000
50%
Non-Inventory Acreage
Federal land, non-cropland
Urban and build-up areas
Water areas
624,079
18,616
5,000
Total non-inventory areas
645 ,.95
Total land area
SOURCE:
1,300,480
Oregon Conservation Needs Committee, Oregon Soil and Water Conservation Needs Inventory, U.S. Soil Conservation Service and Oregon
State University Extension Service, 1971.
An interpretive grouping of soils into "Land Capability Classification"
has been developed by the Soil Conservation Service. This grouping shows,
in general, how suitable soils are for most kinds of farming.
Soil characteristics such as depth, texture, wetness, slope, erosion hazard, overflow
hazard, permeability, structure, reaction, waterholding capacity, inherent
fertility and climatic conditions as they influence the use and management
of land are considered in grouping soils into eight land capability classes.
These eight classes are designated by Roman numerals. The hazards and limitations of use of the groups increase as the class number increases. Class
I land has few hazards or limitations, whereas Class Vililand is so limited
that it is unfit for cultivation and grazing. This land can be used only
for recreation, wildlife habitat or water supply.
Table 6
Use of Union County Inventory Acreage by Capability Class and
Type of Limitation, 1967
Capability Class
and Limitation 1
Cropland
I
Pasture-Range
0
0
478
63,021
3,952
5,047
Use in Acres
Forest I Other Land
0
Total
0
II
E
w
S
III
E
0
0
0
0
0
478
80,068
3,952
0
0
0
87,882
3,523
478
0
0
0
0
20,629
20,890
0
0
0
231,641
2,485
4,918
80,485
3,523
478
3,462
3,935
0
0
0
0
w
12,936
18,215
7,693
1,200
1,475
S
0
0
0
0
0
47,277
2,485
182,452
0
4,918
O
O
0
20,004
84,913
0
0
0
85,717
4,918
92,024
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
w
S
IV
E
V
VI
0
E
1,912
W
O
0
S
0
0
0
0
VII
E
W
S
104,917
VIII
E
W
S
Limitations:
SOURCE:
0
0
0
0
0
0
1,000
1,000
E - Main limitation is erosion.
W - Water in soil interferes with plant growth.
S - Soil is shallow, droughty, or stony.
Oregon Conservation Needs Committee, Oregon Soil and Water Conservation
Needs Inventory, U.S. Soil Conservation Service and Oregon State University Extension Service, 1971.
Table 7.
Conservation Treatment Needs, Union County, 1967
Classification
ALL CROPLAND
Cropland needing treatment
Type of treatment needed:
Residue cover
Sod in rotation
Drainage
Management practices
Other
ALL PASTURE AND RANGE
Pasture and range needing treatment
Type of treatment needed:
Vegetation improvement
Reestablishment of vegetation
ALL FOREST LAND
Forest land needing treatment
Type of treatment needed:
Establishment
Timber stand improvement
ALL OTHER LAND
Other land needing treatment
SOURCE:
Acreage
185,000
111,239
47,937
28,946
7,259
7,777
19,320
172,885
87,636
69,096
18,540
284,000
220,680
4,000
216,680
13,000
1,320
Oregon Conservation Needs Committee, Oregon Soil and Water Conservation Needs Inventory, U.S. Soil Conservation Service and Oregon
State University Extension Service, 1971.
Land Ownership and Land Use
In this publication land ownership is classified as public lands, including
federal, state, and county; or as private lands. Nearly half of the county
is publicly owned, and over 48 percent of the county's land is owned by the
federal governnient.
Most of the federal land is administered by the U.S. Forest
Service.
Over 95 percent of the county's land is used for either forestry or agriAbout 66 percent is in forests alone. Much of the agricultural land
is in grazing or dryland farming as opposed to intensive agriculture.
culture.
Table 8.
Land Use and Ownership, Union County, 1964
Union County
Acres 1/
Percent
I
Item
Total land area
1,300,480
Land Use
Urban
Industrial
Military
Intensive agriculture
Dryland farming
Forests
Parks
Conservation
Grazing
Non-productive land
6,892
NA*
1,040
27,960
126,146
1,187
53,449
228 ,364
Oregon
Per cent
100.00
100.00
0.53
0.49
0.16
0.10
0.52
3.33
44.84
0.32
2.25
41.50
0.49
0.08
2.15
9.70 /
65.87
0.09
4.11
17.56
NA
Land Ownership
Total private land ownership
Total public land ownership
Federal
State
Local
654,267
646,213
628,904
11,032
6,277
50.31
49.69
48.35
0.84
'0.48
/
44.20
55.80
51.80
2.90
1.10
Total of use categories may not equal total land area due to overlapping
use of some areas.
*NA - not available.
SOURCE: Oregon Department of Planning and Development, Resources for
Development, 1964.
1/
Table 9.
Inventory of State-Owned Real Property, Union County, 1970
Agency
Acres
Land
Value
Improvement
Value
Total
Value
Annual
Rental
Income
Department of Forestry
Game Commission
Eastern Oregon College
Oregon State
University
Division of State
Lands
Military Department
Highway Division
Parks
Office and
Maintenance
88.67
2,635.78
82.93
1,051
351,790
479,820
2,600.11
220,040
288,628
508,668
1,188.34
3.22
121,700
8,000
245,310
121,700
253,310
886.89
5,421
117,357
122,778
19.02
7,401
184,810
192,211
300
Totals
7,504.96
$1,195,223
$11,605,440
$12,800,663
$19,600
SOURCE:
$
150,121
149,070 ' $
148,530
500,320
10,471,735
10,951,555
732
464
$
17,324
780
Legislative Fiscal Committee, Inventory of State-Owned Real Property, By
County, Sec. 7, 115 State Capital, Salem, Oregon, 1970.
Table 10.
Land Area in Highways, Streets, and Roads, Union County
Ownership
Acres
Per cent
State highways
County roads
City streets
4,550
4,445
550
47.67
46.57
5.76
Total
9,545
100.00
SOURCE:
Oregon State Department of Revenue and Oregon State Highway Division,
unpublished data.
Agricultural Land
In 1969 about 480,000 acres or 37 percent of Union County's area was
in farm land. About 36 percent of this farm land was cropland. The remaining land was used for pasture or grazing or was waste land.
Cropland
was used largely for small grains and hay.
Table 11.
Land in Farms, Union County, 1964 and 1969
1969
1964
Item
Total land area
Proportion in farms
Acres in farms
Cropland harvested
Cropland pasture
Other cropland
Woodland including
woodland pasture
Other land
Irrigated land
SOURCE:
Acres
Percent
Acres
Percent
1,300,450
100.0
40.4
1,300,480
100.0
37.2
526,345
106,075
16,866
42,834
100.0
20.2
3.2
8.1
483,709
102,793
28,744
45,721
100.0
21.3
5.9
9.4
190,942
169,621
36.3
32.2
l3l,635
174,816
27.2
36.1
39,431
7.5
41,040
8.4
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Agriculture, 1969, Vol. 1,
Area Reports, Part 47, Oregon, U.S. Government Printing Office,
Washington, D.C., 1972.
Forest Land
About 820,000 acres of land in Union County, constituting 65 percent of
the county's total land area, is forest land. Nearly 90 percent (770,000
acres) of the total forest lands are classed as commercial available for and
capable of producing marketable timber.
Ponderosa pine is the predominant species in the area and the chief
source of sawmill timber. It is found growing from the "dry timber line"
bordering the grass and sagebrush areas to an elevation of about 5,500 feet,
changing according to the direction of the slope from pure stands to a mixture with other pines. Ponderosa pine covers an area of about 250,000 acres
or about 32.5 percent of the commercial forest lands. At the higher elevations,
ponderosa pine gives way to white fir, lodgepole pine, western larch, and
other species. Douglas fir also occupy some areas.
More current data on forest lands for Union County will be available
after August 1, 1973 from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest
Forest and Range Experiment Station, P.O. Box 3141, Portland, Oregon, 97213.
Table 12.
Forest Acreage, Ownership and Use, Union County, 1958
Item
LAND
Total land
Forest land
Commercial
Noncommercial
Productive - reserved
Unproductive
Nonforest land
OWNERSHIP
All commercial forest land
Private
State
County
Federally owned or managed
Bureau of Land Management
National forest
Indian
Acres
1,300,480
822,020
Percent
100
63 t
60 5
3 3
3
778,630
43,390
10,050
33,340
478,460
37
778,630
100
277,05t1
l,45O
498,310
4,140
492,510
1,660
1
2
36
1/
-
64
1
63
r7.1
1/
Less than .5 percent.
SOURCE: U.S. Forest Service, Forest Statistics for Umatilla and Union
1/
Counties, Forest Survey Report 135, Pacific Northwest Forest and
Range Experiment Station, 1960.
Table 13.
Volume of All Growing Stock and Sawtimber by Ownership,
Union County, 1958
Item
Total Commercial
Growing Stock
million
cubic ft.
Total Commercial
S awt irnber
million
percent
board f t.-
percent
100.0
25.8
0.2
0.2
73.9
70.3
0.4
0.2
6,167
1,287
100.0
20.9
0.1
0.2
78.8
78.3
OWNERS HIP
All ownerships
Private
State
County
Federally owned or managed
National forest
Bureau of Land Management
Indian
1,893
488
3
3
1,399
1,387
8
4
8
10
4,862
4,830
23
0.4
0.1
9
Scribner log rule.
SOURCE
U S Forest Service, Forest Statistics for Umatilla and Union Counties,
Forest Survey Report 135, Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment
Station, 1960.
1/
Table 14.
Volume of All Growing Stock and Sawtimber on Commercial Forest
Land by Species, Union County, 1958
I tern
Total Commercial
Growin: Stock
million
cubic ft.
All species
Softwoods
Douglas fir
Ponderosa pine
Lodgepole pine
White fir
Western larch
Engleman spruce
Other softwoods
Hardwoods
1,893
1,892
315
377
276
425
262
138
99
2/
percent
Total Commercial
Sawt imber
million
1/
board ft.-
percent
100.0
99.9
16.6
19.9
14.6
22.5
13.8
7.3
5.2
6,167
6,165
1,247
1,226
545
234
100.0
99.9
20.2
19.9
4.2
25.1
17.9
8.8
3.8
0.1
2
0.1
257
1,551
1,105
Scribner log rule.
Less than 0.5 million.
SOURCE: U.S. Forest Service, Forest Statistics for Umatilla and Union Counties,
Forest Survey Report 135, Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment
Station, 1960.
1/
2/
Table 15.
Forest Type
Ponderosa pine
White pine
Lodgepole pine
Douglas fir
Western larch
Fir - spruce
Hardwood
Nons tocked
Total
SOURCE:
Area of Commercial Forest Land in Union County
By Major Forest Type, 1958
Acres
Percent of Total
253,180
720
102,040
137,690
109,320
168,500
970
6,210
32.5
778,630
100.0
.1
13.1
17.7
14.0
21.7
.1
.8
U.S. Forest Service, Forest Statistics for Umatilla and Union
Counties, Forest Survey Report 135, Pacific Northwest Forest and
Range Experiment Station, 1960.
Water
The major portion of Union County is drained by the Grande Ronde River
Basin with a small area in the southern part of the county drained by the
North Powder River Basin.
The Grande Ronde River Basin is sub-divided into
five sub-basins, two of which are almost entirely contained in Union County
(Upper and Middle Grande Ronde Sub-Basins) and a third (the Lower Grande
A
Ronde Sub-Basin) of which approximately 13 percent is in the county.
fourth sub-basin, the Wallowas sub-basin, of which only a very small part
is in Union County, drains the eastern edge of the county. Approximately
85 percent or 1,116,800 acres of Union County is drained by the Grande
Ronde Drainage Basin.
The drainage basin of the 192 mile long Grande Ronde River extends over
an area of 1,745 square miles of wooded and mountainous country in Union
County. Major streams originate in either the Blue Mountains which form
the western boundary of the Basin or the Wallowa Mountains in the east and
The major streams vary in length from 192 miles for
southeast sections.
the Grande Ronde River to 30 miles for Catherine Creek. Many of the smaller
tributaries are less than two miles in length and flow intermittently, carrying water only during spring snowmelt runoff or following heavy rains.
Most of the important streams head in the higher elevations of the Blue or
Wallowa Mountains and have very steep gradients in their upper reaches.
The annual yield of water in the Basin is sufficient to meet existing
needs with the possible exception of pollution abatement. The Grande Ronde
River discharges, in an average year, about 2,415,000 acre-feet of water
into the Snake River; however, the distribution of the annual yield is such
that all needs cannot be satisfied during periods of low flow and high demand.
The percent distribution of yield by months shows a large percentage of
runoff occurs in the spring and early summer months. Approximately 67
percent of the Grande Ronde drainage proper runoff occurs in the period
March through June. The percentage is even more condensed in regions which
have substantial portions of their area at elevations greater than 5,000
feet mean sea level. Low flows for most of the streams occur during the
critical summer months when the level of water use is at or near its highest.
On the other hand, large quantities of water pass out of the county
unused during periods of high flow. This maldistribution is indicative of
the problem of modifying resources availability to meet resources needs.
Table 16.
Annual Yield of Representative Streams, Union County
Stream and
Location
Mean Annual
Yield
I
Drainage Area
square miles
Grande Ronde at Hilgard
Grande Ronde at La Grande
Grande Ronde near Elgin
Catherine Creek near Union.
acre-f eet
NA*
276,000
624,000
NA
555
668
1,400
105
*NA - not available.
1/
Annual yield of surface water is the net yield, or quantity of water,
leaving a drainage area during the hydrologic, or water year, which
extends from October 1 of one year to September 30 of the following
year.
Net yield is the precipitation on the area minus evaporation,
Average or mean
transpiration, and net underground percolation.
annual yield actually reflects a composite of constantly changing
conditions due to withdrawals from stream flow and changes in watershed characteristics.
2/
An acre-foot equals the quantity of water (43,650 cu. ft.) that covers
one acre to a depth of one foot.
SOURCE:
Oregon State Water Resources Board and U.S.D.A. cooperating,
Grande Ronde River Basin, 1960.
Table 17.
Extremes of Discharge at Selected Stations, Union County
Stream and
Location
Grande Ronde at Hilgard
Grande Ronde at La Grande
Grande Ronde near Elgin
Catherine Creek near Union.
Maximum Discharge
Year
Flow (cfs).J
1968
1965
1965
1948
1,820
14,100
6,480
1,740
Minimum Discharge
Flow (cfs)/
Year
1967
1940
1966
1955
12
2/
3.9
3.4
6.5 _/
cfs - cubic feet per second.
2/ Minimum flow due to freeze up.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Interior, Geological Survey, Water Resources
Data for Oregon, Part 1 Surface Water Records, 1968.
1/
- 16 -
Municipal water supply systems in the county are located at La Grande,
Union, Elgin, North Powder, and a privately-owned system at Cove.
La Grande, the largest municipal water user in the county, obtains its
supply from Beaver Creek with supplementary water from wells. Water rights
totaling 8.5 cubic feet per second held by the city on Beaver Creek permit
use of over 5.5 million gallons per day. Estimated yield to present reservoir in a low flow year is 7,000 acre-feet. The supply can be increased by
tapping other tributaries of Beaver Creek and greater utilization of ground
water.
Catherine Creek supplies Water to the city of Union; this city is the
only one relying entirely on surface water. Elgin's water comes from wells
and no quantity problems are known to exist. The private system at Cove
obtains its water from springs of 6,000 gallons per day capacity. North
Powder obtains its water from wells, but no inforniation is available on
system capacity.
Table 18.
City
La Grande
Union County Municipal Water Supplies, 1973
Population 1972
10,300
Water Source
Treatment
Beaver Creek,
Disinfection
Wel is
Union
Elgin
North Powder
Cove (private system).
SOURCES:
1,710
1,46.0
410
370
Catherine Creek
Wells
Wells
Springs
Disinfection
None
None
None
Oregon State Water Resources Board and U.S.D.A. cooperating,
Grande Ronde River Basin, 1960.
Oregon State Health Division, Community Drinking Water Systems
Office, unpublished data, telephone interview, 1973.
Irrigation is by far the largest use of water in the county. In 1969
the U.S. Census of Agriculture reported approximately 41,000 acres under
irrigation. Approximately one-half of this area was supplied by water from
Catherine Creek, while about a third was dependent on the Grande Ronde. The
remaining area was served by several smaller streams. According to the Bureau
of Reclamation, only approximately 10 percent of the lands classified as irrigated have an adequate water supply.
Low streamflow during the height of the
irrigation season is the main problem.
A comparison between average monthly flows during
and existing irrigation rights illustrates the shortage
full irrigation. Average flows in Catherine Creek near
July, and August, the months of high irrigation demand,
cfs (cubic feet per second), respectively, while total
the irrigation season
In water required for
Union during June,
are 283, 83, and 34
irrigation rights on
Catherine Creek are 500 cfs.
Since flows are measured above the areas of
diversion, it is obvious supplies are not adequate to meet all rights simultaneously. Similarly, average flows in the Grande Ronde at La Grande for
the same months are 462, 105, and 29 cfs respectively, and irrigation rights
on the main Grande Ronde total over 300 cfs.
Inadequacy of streamflow to satisfy irrigation needs has restricted
irrigation development.
Annual runoff is more than adequate, but storage
is required to supply additional irrigation needs.
Industrial activity in the county is limited to processing of local
products.
The greater part is devoted to lumber and timber products and
occupies a significant position in the economy of the area. Present industrial water use is mainly for mill ponds and boilers.
Economic mining deposits are generally lacking in the county, and mining
water needs are therefore small. The use of water in most mining operations
is nonconsumptive and the water becomes available for further use at downstream locations. Although mining creates a temporary pollution problem by
rendering the streams turbid, the sediments eventually settle out.
Consumptive ilater needs of wildlife are relatively small in quantity,
and existing supplies are adequate.
High and low streamf low can be detrimental to fish life. Floods often
remove eggs from gravel beds and fry from stream channels entailing heavy
losses to both.
Inadequate streamflow harms fish life by limiting the production of aquatic food and reducing living space. Low flows create temperature, spawning, and pollution problems. Low streamfiows occur annually in
many parts of the county, particularly in the Grande Ronde Valley region.
Table 19.
Location
Elgin
Island City
La Grande
North Powder
1/
Year
Built
Sewage Treatment Plants, Union County
1/
Type
Design
Flow
MGD -
Design
Population
1965
L
.205
2,050
New plant under construction
L
1926,
3.600
12,000
1963,
1970
1971
L
.005
510
Population
Served
Receiving
Stream
1,330
Grande Ronde R.
9,500
Mill Creek
400
North Powder R.
L - lagoon.
2/ MGD - million gallons per day.
Oregon State Board of Health, State Sanitary Authority, Water Quality
Control In Oregon, Volume I of a Report on Oregon's Water and Air
Quality Programs for Calendar Years 1966-67. Updated by telephone
interview with Oregon State Department of Environmental Quality,
Portland, Oregon, 1973.
SOURCE:
Water-based Recreation
Recreational use of water resources includes water-based sports such
as boating, water skiing, swimming andfishing. Outdoor facilities including city, county, state, and federal parks and campgrounds alsoutilize
water, but use is small.
Lakes and reservoirs in the county are few in number and generally
small in surface area.
Table 20.
Area of Lakes and Reservoirs, Union County
Lake or Reservoir
Grande Ronde Lake
La Grande Reservoir
Beverage Reservoir
Spence Reservoir
Morgan Lake
Ac rés
6
50
2
7
90
Con±ey-L-ake
Langdon Lake
Prospect Lake
Glacier Lake
Tombstone Lake
Diamond Lake
Thief Valley Reservoir
SOURCE:
163
18
50
22
11
980
C' \
Oregon State Water Resources Board and U.S.D.A. cooperating,
Grande Ronde River Basin, 1960.
Minerals 1/
Minerals play a minor part in the economy of Union County.
Stone,
sand and gravel, and clays are the only minerals of economic significance.
There are occurrences of gold, silver, tungsten, scoria diatomite, and
molybdeum, but none of these are presently produced on a large scale.
There
are some part-time small scale producers of gold.
Oregon State Water Resources Board and U.S.D.A. cooperating, Grande
Ronde River Basin, 1960.
Wildlife
The most numerous big game animals in Union County are mule deer and
Rocky Mountain elk. Hunting pressure is variable depending on accessiblity.
Table 21.
Game Management
Unit 2/
Mule Deer
Starkey
Catherine Creek
Rocky Mountain Elk
Starkey
Catherine Creek
Big Game Population Trends, Union County
Miles
Traveled
1971
Animals
Observed
1971
1971
Animals Per Mile
5 year average*
I 1970
76
22
599
726
8.0
33.0
8.2
31.0
8.6
37.2
106
125
1,584
324
14.9
2.5
10.0
9.8
2.8
3.0
*5 year average:
1966-1970.
Oregon State game management Units may not completely cover the county
1/
or be contained within its borders.
SOURCE: Oregon State Game Commission, 1971 Annual Report, Oregon State
Game Commission.
There are several game bird species in Union County including pheasants,
valley quail, Hungarian partridge, blue grouse, and ruffed grouse.
The county also has a number of furbearing animals such as beaver, mink,
muskrat, raccoon, weasel, and wildcat.
Spring chinook, silver salmon, and steelhead trout migrate into the
county annually to spawn. Resident species include rainbow trout, eastern
brook trout, cutthroat, Dolly Varden, and golden trout. Fish population is
sufficient to support appreciable sports fishing activity. The county's
streams also provide spawning beds for fish caught by commercial fishermen
on the Columbia River.
For additional information on wildlife in Union County, see Outdoor
Recreation under the County's Economy division of this publication.
HUMAN RESOURCES
Population
Union County's population was about 20,660 in 1972 or about 10.2
persons per square mile.
Slightly over half of the county's population
lives in rural areas. La Grande, the county seat, is the largest town
with a 1972 population of 10,300.
Table 22.
Number of Persons by Racial Group for Union County, 1970
Racial Group
Number of Persons
Total
Caucasian
Spanish Language
Black
American Indian
Other
SOURCE:
19,377
18,918
160
75
84
139
Valde, Gary R. and Robert 0. Coppedge, Income and Poverty Data for
Racial Groups: A Compilation for Oregon Census County Divisions,
Special Report 367, Oregon State University Extension Service,
COrvallis, Oregon, 1972.
Table 23.
Union and Bordering Counties, Population and Rank Order
in Oregon, 1960 and 1972
Rank
County
UNION
Baker
Grant
Umatilla
Wallowa
SOURCE:
1960
23
24
28
11
31
I
1972
21
24
29
12
32
Population
1960
1972
18,180
17,295
7,726
44,352
7,102
20,660
15,200
6,910
45,450
6,210
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population:
1960 General
Population Characteristics, Final Report PC(l) - B39, Oregon,
U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1961.
Center for Population Research and Census, Population Estimates
of Counties and Incorporated Cities of Oregon, Portland State
University, July 1972.
Table 24.
Land Area and Population Density, Union and Bordering Counties,
1950, 1960, and 1970
County and State
Land Area
- square miles -
State of Oregon
UNION
Baker
Grant
Umatilla
Wallowa
SOURCE:
96,248
2,032
3,062
4,532
3,222
3,178
Population Density
1950
1960
1970
- persons per square mile 15.8
8.8
5.2
1.8
12.9
2.3
18.4
8.9
5.6
1.7
13.8
2.2
21.7
9.5
4,9
1.5
13.9
2.0
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population: 1950, 1960, and
1970 General Population Characteristics, Final Report PC(l) - B39,
U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1951, 1961, 1971.
After 1900, Union County's population remained fairly stable and actually
declined in some periods. Bowever, more recently the population has begun
to increase significantly.
Table 25.
Year
1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1965
1970
1972
J
)J
Population Growth, Union County
Population
16,070
16,191
16,636
17,492
17,399
17,962
18,180
17,800
19,377
20,660
% Increase or Decrease
Period
Percent
1900-1910
1910-1920
1920-1930
1930-1940
1940-1950
1950-1960
1960-1965
1965-1970
19 70-197 2
0.7
2.7
5.1
(0.5)
3.2
1.2
(2.1)
8.8
6.6
Population figures from Center for Population Research and Census,
Population E3timates of Counties and Incorporated Cities of Oregon,
Portland State University, July 1972.
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population: 1970 General
Population Characteristics, Final Report PC(1) - B39, Oregon,
U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, 1971.
1/
Table 26.
Components of Change in Union County's Population, 1940-1970
Years
1940-1950
1950-1960
-1,399
-1,768
126
Urban and Rural Population, Union County, 1950-1970
Urban
Percent Change
Year
Rural
Population f Percent Change
Population
1950
1960
1970
8,635
9,014
9,645
9,327
9,166
9,732
4.4
7.0
-1.7
6.2
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population: 1960 and 1970
General Population Characteristics, Final Report PC(l) - B39,
Oregon, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1971.
Table 28.
Population Estimates of Incorporated Citis, Union County,
1960, 1965, 1971, and 1972
City and County
Union County
Cove
Elgin
Imbler
Island City
La Grande
North Powder
Summerville
Union
Incorporated area
Unincorporated area
1/
Net
Migration
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population, General Demographic
Trends for Metropolitan Areas, 1960 to 1970, Final Report PHC(2)-39,
U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1971.
Oregon State Board of Census, Population Bulletin, "Components of
Population Growth, State of Oregon, 1940-1960"., Portland State
College, 1961.
Table 27.
SOURCE:
1,962
1,986
1,071
563
218
1,197
19 60-197 0
SOURCES:
Natural
Increase
Net. Change
1960
1965
1971
1972
18,180
17,800
360
1,318
19,600
370
1,420
20,660
370
1,460
140
413
10,300
410
311
1,315
137
158
9,014
399
167
168
9,700
355
76
63
1,490
12,900
5,280
1,440
13,571
4,229
139
290 1/
9,850 1/
400
80
1,620 1/
14,169
5,431
85
1,710
14,888
5,772
Includes areas annexed during 1970-71.
Center for Population Research and Census, Population Estimates
of Counties and Incorporated Cities of Oregon, Portland State
University, various years.
SOURCE:
In 1970, about 37 percent of Union County's population was under 18
years of age and about 12 percent were 65 years and over. The median age
decreased from 31.0 years in 1960 to 28.5 years in 1970.
Females outnumbered males by 710 in 1970.
Table 29.
Population by Age and Sex, Union County, 1960 and 1970
Male
Age Group
Total population.
Under
5
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54.
55-64
65 and over
Median age
SOURCE:
1970
Female
1960 J 1970
9,087
939
919
897
740
550
902
1,035
1,162
851
1,092
9,574
776
876
957
1,043
801
1,070
974
1,006
1,004
1,067
9,093
868
903
890
769
524
975
1,125
1,102
819
1,118
9,803
732
821
939
1,064
854
1,076
982
1,126
938
1,271
18,180
1,807
1,822
1,787
1,509
1,074
1,877
2,160
2,264
1,670
2,210
19,377
1,508
1,697
1,896
2,107
1,655
2,146
1,956
2,132
1,942
2,338
30.8
27.9
31,2
29.2
31.0
28.5
1960
I
Total
1960
1970
Percent
1960
1970
I
100.0
9.9
10.0
9.8
8.3
5.9
10.3
11.9
12.5
9.2
12.2
100.0
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population: 1960 and 1970 General
Population Characteristics, Final Report PC(l) - B39, Oregon, U.S.
Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1961, 1971.
Table 30.
Population of Selected Cities by Age and Sex, Union County,
1960 and 1970 1/
La Grande
Age Group
Under
1960
1970
NA*
5
'I
731
1,544
2,274
1,036
912
1,042
890
1,216
9,014
4,425
4,589
9,645
4,659
4,986
I!
5-14
15-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65 and over
It
It
I,
I,
'I
Total population
Male
Female
NA - not available.
Li Grande is the only city in Union County with sufficient population
to be reported by the U.S. Census of Population by age and sex.
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population: 1960 and 1970
General Population Characteristics, Final Report PC(l) - B39,
Oregon, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1961,
1/
1971.
- 24 -
7.8
8.7
9.8
10.9
8.5
11.1
10.1
11.0
10.0
12.1
Employment
The Oregon State Department of Employment reported in 1971 that the
average annual civilian labor force in Union County was 8,730 or 44 5 percent of the total population. At that time, the unemployment rate
was 6.5
percent of the total labor force or about 570 persons
The 1970 Census of Population shows that 6,501 people were employed
in the county out of a total labor force of 7,199
About 14 percent of
those employed worked in lumber and wood products manufacturing
Over 17
percent were employed in retail trade. Other important industries were
agriculture and forestry, 9.3 percent; education, l27 percent; transportation, 7.6 percent; and construction, 5.6 percent.
Table 31.
Employment Status, Union County and La Grande, 1960 and 1970
Sub ect
Union County
1970
I
1960
Total males, 14 years and over
Total labor force
Armed forces
Civilian labor force
Employed
Unemployed
Not in labor force
Inmate of institution
Enrolled in school
Other
6,483
4,782
Total females, 14 years and over
Total labor force
Employed
Unemployed
Not in labor force
Inmate of institution
Enrolled in school
6,593
'Other
Married (husbands present)
6,832
/'4,821
4,782
4,358
424
1,701
34
684
983
,4,821
i'/4,36;6
/
'
455
2,011
43
(1
805
1,163
\ 7,088'
2,055 K2,378
1,896
159
4,358
'' 2,135
243
4,710
37
79
633
1,027
2,661
665
3,966
4,625
La Grande
1970
I
!LJ 1960
3,199
2,324
3,432
2,330
2,324
2,127
197
875
NA*
NA
NA
2,330
2,168
162
1,102
3,403
1,312
1,214
98
2,091
NA
NA
NA
NA
3,799
1,473
1,294
NA
NA
179
2,326
NA
NA
NA
NA
*NA - not available.
1/
16 years and over.
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population:
1960 and 1970
General Social and Economic Characteristics, Final Report PC(l) C39, Oregon, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.,
1962, 1972.
/
ab1e 32.
Percent of Age Group in Labor Force, Union County, 1970
Union Count
Age Group
Male
Years
14-15
16-17
18-19
20-21
22-24
25-34
35-44
45-64
65 and over
SOURCE:
1V
Female
9.1
18.3
49.9
51.7
42.2
28.4
45.2
40.0
6.9
10.6
20.7
49.6
61.6
73.2
91.5
97.5
88.9
22.3
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population: 1971 General
Social and Economic Characteristics, Final Report PC(1) - C39,
Oregon, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1972.
Table 33.
Industry Group of Employed, Union County, 1960 and 1970
Indus try
Agriculture
Forestry and fisheries
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Lumber and wood products
Food and kindred products
Other
Transportation
Communication
Wholesale trade
P.etail trade
Business services
Personal services
Hospitals
Educational services
Professional and related services
Public administration
Utilities and sanitary services
1q5o
I
Number' Employed
1970
1960
I
977
50
376
821
588
113
120
653
44
193
1,064
181
306
152
522
197
235
63
3tf.
SOURCE:
,p
602
364
1,182
923
43
216
493
90
207
1,143
315
288
191
825
236
285
75
12-(o
1960 and 1970
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population:
General Social and Economic Characteristics, Final Report PC(l) C39, Oregon, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.,
1962, 1972.
Table 34.
Union County Occupations, 1970
Number Employed
Female
I
Occupation
Male
Total employed, 16 years and over.
Professional, technical, and
kindred workers
Engineers
Physicians and related
practitioners
Other health workers
Teachers
Technicians, except health
Other professional workers
Managers and administrators
Sales workers
Clerical and kindred workers
Craftsmen and kindred workers
Operatives except transport
Transport
Laborers except farm
Farmers and farm managers
Farm laborers
Service workers
Cleaning service
Food service
Health service
Personal service
Protective service
Private household workers
4,366
2,135
6,501
560
359
919
Total
NA *
69
52
169
6...........................58
3j527
175
249
841
567
399
347
94
185
723
621
360
972
43
300
206
274
126
5
538
884
572
404
352
305
212
812
29
34
5
5
5
6
51
0
.................. 122
50
4.4
0
88
0
.94....
47
88
*NA - not available.
SOURCE:
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population: 1970 General
Social and Economic Characteristics, Final Report PC(1) - C39,
Oregon, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1972.
.
Table 35.
Number of Hired Seasonal Workers in Agriculture by Type of Worker,
La Grande Area, 1965 and 1971, Midmonth Figures 1/
Intrastate
Month
Local
1965
May
June
July
August
September
October
85
45
330
45
35
15
I
1971
160
180
310
265
185
105
Interstate
Migratory
1965
1971
I
Migrator y
1965
1971
I
260
65
10
20
5
Seasonal workers are those employed in agricultural jobs lasting less
than 150 days per year.
Data are for a single mid-month date and do
not necessarily show either peak or average employment for the month.
Seasonal worker employment may fluctuate widely.
SOURCES;
Oregon State Department of Human Resources, Employment Division,
1971 Annual Rural Manpower Report, 1972.
Oregon State Department of Employment, 1965 Oregon Farm Labor
Report, 1966.
1/
Table 36.
Median Earnings of Selected Occupation Groups,
Union County, 1959 and 1969
Union County
1969
I
Occupation Grou p
1959
Male, total with earnings
Professional, managerial, and kindred
workers
Farmers and farm managers
(Craftsmen, foremen, and kindred workers...
Operatives, including transport
Farm laborers
Laborers, excluding farm and mine
$4,389
$7,399
5,783
3,117
5,183
4,512
1,358
3,486
9,516
6,520
8,191
7,179
2,950
7,007
1,236
1,872
2,224
2,448
3,324
Female, total with earnings
Clerical and kindred workers
Operatives and kindred workers
SOURCE:
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population: 1960 and 1970 General
Social and Economic Characteristics, Final Report PC(l) - C39,
Oregon, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1962, 1972.
Table 37.
Number and Percent of Persons Unemployed in Union and Bordering
Counties, 1968 and 1971
Number of People
1968
1971
I
County
UNION
Baker
Grant
340
290
150
880
160
Uma t lila
Wallowa
SOURCE:
570
400
170
1,360
230
4.6
4.8
4.8
4.7
6.4
6.5
6.4
5.6
7.2
9.5
Oregon State Department of Human Resources, Employment Division,
Labor Force and Emplojment in Oregon by County 1968 and 1971,
publications, Research and Statistics Section, 1969, 1972.
Table 38.
Annual Average Labor Force in Union County, 1968-1971
Industr
Civilian labor force
Workers in labor management disputes
Unemployment
Percent of labor force
Employment
Agricultural
Nonagricultural
Self-employed, unpaid family
and domestics
Wage and salary workers
Manufacturing
Lumber and wood
Food products
Other manufacturing
Nonmanufacturing
Contract construction
Transportation, communication,
and utilities
Wholesale and retail trade
Finance, insurance and real
estate
Service and miscellaneous
Government
SOURCE:
Percent of Labor Force
1968
1971
I
1968
I
Number of Persons
1969 I
1970
I
1971
7,340
7,770
8,350
8,730
0
0
0
340
4.6
7,000
1,010
5,990
380
4.9
7,390
1,000
6,390
10
570
6.5
8,150
960
7,190
830
5,160
1,230
1,100
3,930
110
860
5,53
1,300
1,130
30
140
4,230
100
670
1,080
650
1,120
1,160
590
1,210
150
690
1,230
140
730
1,490
150
770
1,590
150
740
1,650
60
70
570
6.8
7,78O-.
980
6,800
9i0
(5,890
1,310
1,150
3
130
4,580.
270
64.0
960
6,230
1,380
1,200
30
150
4,850
510
Oregon State Department of Human Resources, Employment Division,
Labor Force and Employment in Oregon by County 1968 through 1971
publications, Research and Statistics Section, 1969, 1972.
Table 39.
Covered Payrolls and Employment by Industry,
Union County, 1970 and 1971
Industry
Agriculture, forestry, and
fisheries
Mining
Contract construction
Lumber and wood products
manufacturing
Food and kindred products
manufacturing
Other manufacturing
Transportation, communication,
electric, gas, and sanitary
services
Wholesale and retail trade
Finance, insurance and real estate
Services ar',d miscellaneous
Goverrment
Annual Payroll
1971
Average Employment
1971
1970
I
2,554
0
274
1,121
47
1/
453
$
167,666
1/
4,886,721
1,212
ll,Q53,62l
30
33
128
155
180,532
1,427,093
209
1,158
126
456
558
198
1,228
139
445
598
1,469,839
5,976,097
812,830
1,461,294
4,932,041
not published.
SOURCE: Oregon State Department of Human Resources, Employment Division,
1/
Oregon Cwered Employment and Payrolls, 1970 and 1971, Summary
Data, Research and Statistics Section, 1971, 1972.
Table 40.
Major Occupation Group of Unemployed, Union County, 1960 & 1970
Occupation Group
Professional, technical, and kindred workers
Farmers and farm managers
Managers, officials, and proprietors,
except farm
ClerIcal and kindred workers
Sales workers
Craftsmen, foremen, and kindred workers
Operatives and kindred workers
Service workers, including private household
rarm laborers
Labor' s,
xcept farm and mine
Number of Persons
1970
1960
I
20
9
20
19
32
40
129
411/
NA*
NA
5
131
83
66
21
38
140
124
77
Tucludes managerial workers.
NA
not available.
S0URC1: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population: 1960 and 1970
General Social and Economic Characteristics, Final Report PC(l)
C39, Oregon, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.,
!)62, 1972,
1/
Table 41.
Local Government Employees and Payroll, Union County,
October 1967
I tern
Employees and Earnings
Employees
Full-time only
453
Full-time equivalent employment
Education
Teachers only
Functions other than education..
Highways
Public welfare
Hospitals
Health
Police protection
Fire protection
Sewerage
Sanitation other than sewerage
Parks and recreation
Natural resources
Housing and urban renewal
Correction
Libraries
Financial administration
General control
Water supply
Other local utilities
Other and unallocable
315
130
92
185
44
October payroll
Education
Teachers only
Functions other than education
Average monthly earnings, full-time
employment
Teachers
Others
SOURCE:
296
5
29
15
3
3
4
5
16
30
10
20
$147,000
63,000
48,000
p34,000
$516
444
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Governments, 1967, Vol. 3,
No. 2, Compendium of Public Employment, U.S. Government Printing
Office, Washington, D.C., 1969.
Income
Table 42.
Net Effective Buying Income Estimates, Union County,
1967 and 1970 1/
Net Dollars
Are a
1967
I
1970
- - thousand dollars - Oregon
Union County
$5,224,888
37,749
$6,650,690
50,202
Per Household
1967
1970
- - dollars - $8,113
6,741
$9,440
7,606
Net effective buying income is wages, salary, interest, dividends,
profits, and property income minus federal, state, and local taxes.
SOURCE:
Bureau of Business and Economic Research, Oregon Economic Statistics
1969 and 1972, University of Oregon, 1969, 1972.
Table 43.
Year
Bank Debits and Deposits, Union County, 1965-1970
Bank Debits 1/
Bank Deposits
- - - - thousand dollars - - - 1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1/
$128,066
131,396
142,311
144,966
155,195
168,250
$25,450
26,338
31,577
32,829
35,067
37,544
Bank debits represent the dollar value of checks drawn against deposit
accounts of individuals and businesses. Included are debits to demand
deposit accounts of individuals, business firms, and state and other
political subdivisions, and payments from escrow or trust accounts.
Excluded are debits to U.S. government, interbank, time and savings
acconts and several other categories of accounts.
SOURCE:
Oregon State Department of Commerce, Banking Division, Annual
Report, various years, and Special Report, February 1971, taken
from Bureau of Business and Economic Research, Oregon Economic
StatistIcs, 1969 and 1972, University of Oregon, 1969, 1972.
The following table gives mean income distributions by race for Union
County. Also, data are given for persons and families in the county whose
incomes are below federally determined poverty levels.
For further definition of these poverty levels, consult the U.S. Census
of Population, 1970 General Social and Economic Characteristics, Oregon,
1971.
Table 44.
Income and Poverty Data for Racial Groups, Union County, 1970
Item
Mean Income
Families:
All races
Caucasian
Spanish Language
Black
Other
Unrelated individuals:
All races
Caucasian
Spanish Language
Black
Other
Families by Family Income Class
All races:
Under $3,999
Number
Percent
$9,566
9,590
6,805
8,544
7,050
2,794
2,857
1,150
2,459
950
743
555
2,348
1,365
5,010
14.83
11.08
46.87
27.22
100.00
738
555
2,300
1,364
4,957
14.89
11.19
46.40
27.52
100.00
5
15.62
27
84.38
32
100.00
$6, 000-$ll ,999
16
100.00
$12,000+
Total
16
100.00
$4, 000-$5 ,999
$6,000-$ll,999
$l2,000+
Total
Caucasian:
Under $3,999
$4, 000-$5 ,999
$6, 000-$ll, 999
$l2,000+
Total
Spanish Language:
Under $3,999
$4,000-$5,999
$6,000-$ll,999
$12,000+
Total
Black:
Under $3,999
$4,000.-$5,999
Table 44, cont.
Income and Poverty Data for Racial Groups,
Union County, 1970
Item
Number
Per cent
Other:
Under $3,999
$4, 000-$5 ,999
$6,000-$ll,999
5
100.00
5
100.00
371
371
100.00
100.00
$12, 000+
Total
Income below poverty level (bpl)
Families bpl
All races
Caucasian
Spanish Language
Black
Other
Persons in families bpl
Unrelated individuals bpl
Under 65
65 and over
Male family head, 14-64 yrs., bpl
Employed
Unemployed
Not in labor force
Femalr family head, bpl, in
labor force with children
below 6 years
Income source of families and
unrelated individuals bpl
Earnings
Railroad retirement or
social security
Public assistance or welfare
1,091
591
341
80
33
38
606
589
123
Blank spaces indicate a zero, suppressed data, or not applicable.
SOURCE:
Valde, Gary R. and Robert 0. COppedge, Income and Poverty Data for
Racial Groups: A Coi!pilation for Oregon Census County Divisions,
Special Report 367, Oregon State University Extension Service,
Corvallis, Oregon, 1972.
Education
Table 45.
Formal Education Facilities, Union County, 1969-70 and 1971
School District, Type School,
and Number of Each Type
La Grande School District #1
Elementary schools - 6
Junior high - 1
High school - 1
Grades
Included
Kg-6
1/
Enrollment 1969-70 1971
1,348
728
High School
Graduates
1971
10-12
624
1,413
165
752
Cove School District #15
Elementary - 1
High school - 1
1-8
9-12
99
107
138
83
20
Elgin School District #23
Elementary - 1
High school - 1
1-8
9-12
362
161
381
165
27
Imbler School District #11
Elementary - 1
High school - 1
1-8
9-12
168
69
150
North Powder School District #8J
Elementary - 1
High school - 1
1-8
9-12
91
31
94
37
Union School District #5
Elementary - 2
High school - 1
1-8
9-12
360
133
479
155
39
2,449
739
1,148
4,336
2,655
165
1,265
4,085
317
317
County totals
Elementary - 12
Junior high - 1
High school - 6
County grand total
1/
7-9
73
211
15
Enrollment - average daily membership. Enrollments may vary from year
to year partially because student loads were shifted from one district
to another.
SOURCES:
Oregon State Board of Education, School Finance and Statistical
Services, 1971-72 Oregon School-Community College Directory,
Summary of Pupil Personnel for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30,
1969; and 1971 Oregon Public High School Gradjates.
Table 46.
Racial and Ethnic Distribution of Public School Enrollment
by School District, Union County, 1972
District
White
La Grande
North Powder
Union
218
582
223
2,858
196
505
Total
4,582
Cove
Elgin
1mb ler
1/
Black
Spanish
Surname
American
Indian
1/
Other
--4
--
3
1
30
13
1
14
3
225
590
225
2,918
196
506
3
2
3
Total
1
14
4,660
20
37
7
Includes Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, and others.
Compiled from Oregon Board of Education reports by Oregon State
University Extension Service.
SOURCE:
Table 47.
Years of School Completed by Population 25 Years and Over,
Union County, 1970
Number
Males
Number
Females
Total, 25 years and over
No school years completed
Elementary: 1-4 years
5-7 years
8 years
High school: 1-3 years
4 years
1-3 years
College:
4 years or more
5,131
5,391
10,522
19
93
331
887
834
1,732
609
626
23
27
256
703
42
120
587
1,129
2,044
719
490
Median school years completed.
12.2
12.3
Education
*NA
Percent
Total
100.0
0.4
1.1
5.6
15.1
18.7
35.9
12.6
10.6
1,590
1,963
3,776
1,328
1,116
NA*
not available.
1970 General
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population:
Social and Economic Characteristics, Final Report PC(l) - C39,
Oregon, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1972.
SOURCE:
Table 48
Facility
Eastern Oregon
College
SOURCE:
Higher Education Facilities in Union County
Location
La Grande
Enrollment
Fall, 1971
Year
Established
1,628
1929
Special
Emphasis
Education,
Liberal Arts
Oregon Educational Coordinating Council, Post Secondary Enrollment
in Oregon, An Analysis of the Statewide Student Enrollment Data
Survey, 1972.
- 36 -
Table 49.
Union County Residents Enrolled in Higher Education
Institutions, Fall 1971
Institution
Number Enrolled
Total enrolled
Eastern Oregon College
Oregon College of Education
Oregon State University
Portland State University
Southern Oregon College
University of Oregon
Oregon Technical Institute
University of Oregon Dental School
University of Oregon Medical School
Total in private and independent
institutions
SOURCE:
677
561
5
55
12
2
26
13
1
2
7
Oregon Educational Coordinating Council, Post Secondary Enrollment
in Oregon, An Analysis of the Statewide Student Enrollment Data
Survey, 1972
Table 50.
Youth Organizations, Union County
Organization
Boy Scouts
4-H
Future Farmers
Girl Scouts
Camp Fire Girls
YMCA
YWCA
Member ship
598
1,169
172
356
15-20 1/
2/
2/
Currently organizing chapter.
No chapter in county.
SOURCES:
Boy Scouts of America, Blue Mountain Council, unpublished data
for l972; FFA - State Department of Education, unpublished data,
1972 figures; State Extension Office, 4-H Division, unpublished
data, figures for 1972; Girl Scouts, telephone interview, unpublished data as of October 1972; Young Men's Christian Association,
Portland, telephone interview, unpublished data, 1972; Young Women's
Christian Association, Portland, telephone interview, unpublished
data, 1972; Camp Fire Girls, Oregon Trail Council, Pendleton, telephone interview, 1973.
1/
2/
Although Union County operates no correctional institution of its owu,
it is served by four state correctional institutions in Marion County. These
include training schools for socially maladjustedboys between 12 and 18
years of age and girls between the ages of 12 and 21.
Table 51.
Felonies and Juvenile Delinquency in Union County, 1968
Number
Subj ect
Commitments to felony and correctional
institutions, 1967-68
Total commitments
Oregon State Penitentiary
Oregon State Correctional Institution.
MacLaren (boys' training school)
Hillcrest (girls' training school)
9
2
3
3 1/
1 1/
Juvenile court cases, 1968
All cases
Delinquency
Traffic
Other
266
190
60
16
1970 figures.
SOURCES:
Oregon State Department of Human Resources, Children Services
1/
Division, Adolescent Population and Commitment Data by County,
by Calendar Year 1967-1970.
Oregon State Executive Department, Program Planning Division,
District Facts, 1970.
Health and Vital Statistics
Table 52.
Number of Licensed Medical Personnel and Ratio of Population
Per Professional, Union County, 1969
Profession
Medical doctors and doctors of osteopathy
Dentists
Registered nurs&s
Licensed practical nurses
P armacists
1/
Union County
Number
Ratio'!
J
17
10
50
16
17
1,152
1,954
392
1,224
1,152
State
Ratio1!
770
1,412
276
1,002
1,375
Ratio figure equals population per professional in particular category.
Oregon State Executive Department, Program Planning Division,
District Facts, 1970.
SOURCE:
Table 53.
Existing Medical Facilities, Number of Existing Beds, and Number
of Beds Needed, Union County, 1971 1/
Category
Community
Number of Facilities
Number of Beds
Existing
Needed
Existing
Needed
General hospitals
La Grande
2
111
95
Long-term care facilities
La Grande
2
149
136
Diagnostic and treatment centers
La Grande
2
1/
Mental facilities:
the state plan of the Mental Health Division is made
a part of this plan by reference.
Tuberculosis hospitals: none.
Rehabilitation facilities
no facilities are programmed beyond the
services in area hospitals.
SOURCE:
Oregon State Board of Health, Oregon Plan for Construction and
Modernization of Hospitals, Public Health Centers and Medical
Facilities, 1971 Annual Revision, Health Facility Planning and
Construction Section, 1971.
For 1969-70, Union County allocated a total of $65,651 to its county
health department, or $3.35 per capita. This compares with $5.70 spen per
capita on the average by all counties in the state. 1/
Table 54.
Percent Occupancy of Existing Medical Facilities,
Union County, 1969
Name of Facility
Location
Total
Capacity
Percent of
Occupancy
General Hospitals
Grande Ronde Hospital
St. Joseph Hospital
La Grande
La Grande
52
59
52
64
Long-term Care Facilities 1/
Hot Lake Sanitarium
Valley View Manor
La Grande
La Grande
67
82
64
86
There are no convalescent hospitals or long-term care units of general
hospitals in this area.
SOURCE: Oregon State Board of Health, Oregon Plan for Construction and
Modernization of Hospitals, Public Health Centers and Medical
Facilities, 1971 Annual Revision, Health Facility Planning and
Construction Section, 1971.
1/
1/
Oregon State Executive
Facts, 1970.
Department, Program P1annin
- 39 -
Division, District
D[agnoHtic
Table 55.
or Treatment Center FacilIties, 1969
Outpatient Visits
During Year
Name and Location
Grande Ronde Hospital
La Grande
St. Joseph Hospit&l
La Grande
Service code, 1964 data:
SOURCE:
1/
Services -
3,173
A, H, I, J, K
3,558
A, H, I
General
J - Electrocardiogram
H - X-Ray
K - Medical
I - Clinical Laboratory
Oregon State Board of Health, Oregon Plan for Construction and
Modernization of Hospitals, Public Health Centers and Medical
Facilities, 1971 Annual Revision, Health Facility Planning and
Construction Section, 1971.
A -
Table 56.
Number of Admissions to State Psychiatric and Mental Health
Clinics and Ratio per 100,000 Population, Union County, 1969
Union County
Number
Ratio
I
Facility
Psychiatric hospitals
Mental health clinics
SOURCE:
State
Ratio
128
388
25
76
134
460
Oregon State Executive Department, Program Planning Division,
District Facts, 1970.
Although Union County's birth rate rose from 13.9 per 1,000 population
in 1968 to 15.8 in 1971, its death rate rose from 10.1 to 11.1 during the
same period
The county's illegitimate birth rate fell during this time
but remained above the overall state's rate.
Table 57.
Births and Deaths by Major Category, Union County,
1968 and 1971
Category
All births 1/
All deaths 1/
illegitimate births 2/
Immature births 2/
Inf ant deaths 2/
Accidental deaths 3/
Union County
Number
Rate
1968 I 1971
1968 I 1971
271
196
17
24
8
9
309
217
16
19
3
23
13.9
10.1
62.7
88.6
29.5
46.3
15.8
11.1
51.8
61.5
9.7
117.3
State
Rate
1971
15.6
9.4
78.1
57.4
18.4
61.3
Rates per 1,000 population.
2/
Rate per 1,000 live births.
Rate per 100,000 population.
SOUR'ES:
Oregon State Department of Human Resources, Oregon State Health
Division, Vital Statistics Section, Vital Statistics Annual Report,
1971: and 1968 Statistical Report, 1969.
1/
V
- 40 -
Table 58.
Health Statistics, Union County, 1970
I tern
Morbidity
Tuberculosis
Syphilis
Gonorrhea
Influenza
Hepatitis (infectious)
Measles (Rubeola)
Deaths from all causes
Malignant neoplasms (cancer)
Diabetus mellitus
Heart diseases
Cerebrovascular diseases
Arteriosclerosis
Other cardiovascular diseases
Influenza and pneumonia
Bronchitis, emphysema, asthma
Peptic ulcer
Cirrhosis of liver
Congenital anomalies
Certain infancy mortality causes
All other diseases
Accidents
Suicide
Homicides
Union County
Number
Rate
I
1
36
612
3 2/
9
217
29
1
88
24
2
9
5
10
1
1
2
2
17
23
2
!/
I
State
Rate
/
5.1
-183.7
3,122.4
14.5 2/
45.9
12.7
8.5
324.8
2,241.4
45.1
21.9 2/
11.1 3/
148.0
5.1
9.4 3/
168.4
13.3
349.6
110.9
44.1
122.4
10.2
45.9
25.5
51.0
5.1
5.1
10.2
10.2
86.7
117.3
10.2
21.2
17.3
26.4
26.9
4.3
15.8
8.2
14.7
76.9
61.3
14.9
3.8
Rate per 100,000 population.
1966-68 average, taken from Office of the Governor, Planning Division,
Health Facts, 1969.
Rate per 1,000 population.
3/
SOURCE: Oregon State Department of Human Resources, Oregon State Health
Division, Vital Statistics Annual Report, Vital Statistics Section,
1/
2/
1971.
Public Welfare
Table 59.
Public Welfare Payments for Assistance, Union and Wallowa
Counties, 1/ August 1972
Category
Cases receiving non-medical payments
Old Age Assistance
Aid to the Blind
Aid to the Disabled
Aid to Dependent Children
General Assistance
Foster Care
Number of Cases
Average Payments
129
$ 68.24
153.50
87.96
35.02
39.98
NA
4
62
544 2/
21
NA*
Physicians services 2/
48
FC
$ 17.38
23.75
32.09
15.19
30.75
7.71
Hospital payments 2/
OAA
$
1
AD
ABC
GA
AD
ABC
GA
27
118
4
5
8
343.79
238.73
0
FC
Drug payments 2/
O
133
3
AD
ABC
36
63
GA
3
FC
6
$ 17.04
6.11
27.06
5.63
9.27
6.89
Data are not reported monthly for Union County alone, although a
separate public welfare office is maintained at La Grande.
2/ Persons, not cases.
*NA - not available.
SOURCE: Oregon state Department of Human Resources, Oregon Public Welfare
Division, Public Welfare in Oregon, August 1972.
1/
Table 60.
Average Monthly Public Welfare Payments by Type of Service,
Union County, Fiscal Years 1968-69 and 1971-72 1/
Average Payment Per Case
1968-69
1971-72
I
Type of Service
Old Age Assistance
Aid to the Disabled
Aid to the Blind
General Assistance
Aid to Dependent Children 2/
UN3/
Basic 3/
$ 60.83
100.96
71.02
32.46
$ 67.82
142.93
83.28
58.64
27.10
38.42
40.29
45.80
Data are for Union and Wallowa Counties.
Payment per person, not case.
The UN figure represents payments to families where the male parent is
in the home but unemployed. The basic figure represents all others.
SOURCE: Unpublished data received from Sondra Lipman, Oregon Public Welfare
Division, Research and Statistics Section, May 1973.
1/
2/
3/
The State of Oregon operates three special schools for the handicapped,
all located at Salem in Marion County. The School for the Blind provides
special education for approximately 100 children with acute vision problems
in a boarding school situation. The School for the Deaf provides parallel
training for severely handicapped children from four years of age through
high school. Oregon Fairview Home provides in- and out-patient training
for mentally deficient minors and adults.
Housing
Table 61.
Housing Occupancy and Facilities for Places with Over 2,500
Inhabitants, Union County, 1970
La Grande
Subj ect
Number
Percent
Occupancy
All year-round housing units
Owner occupied
Renter occupied
Vacant year-round
3,488
2,103
1,211
174
100.0
60.3
34.7
5.0
Facilities
Telephone available
Air conditioning
2,851
369
81.7
10.6
Median gross rent of renter occupied 1/
1/
$98
Excludes one-family homes on 10 acres or more.
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Housing: 1970 Detailed
Housing Characteristics, Final Report HC(l) - L39, Oregon, U.S.
Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1972.
SOURCE:
- 43 -
Table 62.
Housing Occupancy and Facilities, Union County, 1970
Subject
Occupancy
All housing units
Vacant - seasonal or migratory.
Owner occupied
Renter occupied
Vacant year-rcund
Population in housing units
per unit
Owner occupied
Renter occupied
Persons per room
All occupied units
1.00 or less
1.01 to 1.50
1.51 or more
Facilities
Lacking some or all plumbing
facilities
Telephone available
Air conditioning
Median number of rooms
Median value 1/
Median gross rent 2/
Union County
Number Units I Percent
7,116
210
4,445
1,982
479
100.0
2.9
62.5
27.9
6.7
State
Percent
100.0
1.3
61.3
31.5
5.9
2.9
2.9
6,427
6,042
326
59
100.0
94.0
5.1
0.9
100.0
94.7
353
5.5
84.8
11.2
3.6
89.5
10.3
5,451
722
4.2
1.1
- number -
- number -
4.8
$11,300
5.0
$11,300
$107
$89
Specified owner occupied. Limited to one-family homes on less than 10
acres and no business on property.
Excludes one-family homes on 10 acres or more.
Specified renter occupied.
2/
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Housing: 1970 Detailed Housing
Characteristics, Final Report HC(l) - B39, Oregon, U.S. Government
Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1972.
1/
THE COUNTY'S ECONOMY
Union County's economy is largely based on forestry, wood products
manufacturing, and agriculture.
The value of farm products raised in the
county in 1972 was nearly $12 million, while the value added by Union
County's manufacturers in 1967 was over $14 million.
Employment in lumber and wood products had increased in recent years,
while employment in agriculture has decreased.
Agriculture
Agriculture in Union County is centered around raising cattle and
calves and producing small grains
Wheat is a major income crop in the
county.
Over 40 percent of the county's land area is in farms. Average farm
size is relatively large, reflecting the type of land and farming in the
county
Much of the land is used for producing hay crops and for grazing
Seed crops of alfalfa, bluegrass, and fescue are also grown.
Table 63.
Farm Size and Value, Union County, 1959, 1964, adl969
Subj ect
Approximate acres of land area
Proportion in farms
Total number of farms
Acres in farms
Average size of farms
Value of land and buildings
Average per farm
Average per acre
SOURCE:
1959
1964
1969
1,300,480
40.6%
873
527,355
604.1
1,300,450
40.4%
$52,966
$88.56
$70,098
l07.60
802
526,345
656.3
1,300,480
37.2%
7o5
678
483,709 4?crt
713.4
$100,043
$140.22
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Agriculture, 1959 and 1969,
Vol. 1, Area Reports, Part 47, Oregon, U.S. Government Printing
Office, Washington, D.C., 1972.
/,7<Z3
In keeping with the national trend, the numbers and proportion of small
About 38 percent of all farms
farms in Union County have been decreasing.
were over 260 acres in size in 1969.
Table 64.
Number and Percent of Farms by Size, Union County,
1959, 1964, and 1969
Size
1959
I
Number
1964
I
Percent
1964
1959
1969
I
1969
'l
Less than 10 acres
10 to 49 acres
50 to 69 acres
70 to 99 acres
100 to 139 acres
140 to 179 acres
180 to 219 acres
220 to 259 acres
260 to 499 acres
500 to 999 acres
1,000 to 1,999 acres
2,000 acres or more
Total farms
SOURCE:
63
162
(22
46
75
176
21
61
33
50
34
31
19
15
8.6
20.2
2.4
7.0
3.8
5.7
3.9
3.5 2
13.6
38
121
(27
\35
i13 '33
49
(37
i'
148)
c25
/')28 ,?28
L02
(86.)
138
123
74
61
76
60
106
66
873
802
q4 15.8
5. 7tt
q .2
2°
I
.
.
7.11
6.
4.6')
3.5?"
(3.7
zc41
12.7)
62.7 )
15.6
9.7
9.6
100.0
65
8.5
7.0
15.3
9.5
7.5
678
° 5 100.0
100.0
'1
5.6
17.8
7.9
20.2
2.7
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Agriculture, 1959 and 1969,
Vol. 1, Area Reports, Part 47, Oregon, U.S. Government Printing
Office, Washington, D.C., 1960, 1972.
Classification of farms by economic class considers only those classified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as "Commercial Farms".
In general, all farms with a total value of products sold amounting to
Farms with sales of $50 to
$2,500 or more are classified as commercial.
$2,499 are classif led as commercial if the farm operator was under 65 years
of age and 1) he did not work off the farm 100 or more days during the year
and 2) the income received by the operator and members of his family from
nonfarm sources was less than the value of all farm products sold.
In 1969 Union County had 497 commercial farms, but only 152 had sales
The number of farms in the Class I and II categories
of over $20,000.
increased from 1959 to 1969, although numbers in the other categories
generally decrea3ed.
13,3
7,2
Table 65.
Farms by Economic Class, Union County, 1959, 1964, and 1969
Economic Class
1959
c2-I
Commercial farms
Class I (sales of $40,000
or more)
Class II (sales of $20,000
to $39,999)
Class III. (sales of $10,000
to $19,999)
Class IV (sales of $5,000
to $9,999)
Class V (sales of $2,500
to $4,999)
4
Number
1964
1969
1959
5.97
\t,o.5
\4
4- 2
#c
4
I
Percent
1964 I
c-.j
&4-5
42
61
82
70
91 '3 I 9-5
-&7
156
116
88
l8l
14-.5
126
117
129
]4-6
121
113
100
014.1
Other farms
Part-time
Part-retirement
Abnormal
307
221
85
1
285
199
85
181.,
1
2
0 1
0.1
Total farms
861
802
678
100.0
100.0
149
30
9..-O
ic
36.7
25.7
-r4
13
14i6
1)4,7
l4rl
]9-O
35.5
26.7
22.0
24'.
1.47.
44
106
100.0
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Agriculture, 1959 and 196.9,
Vol. 1, Area Reports, Part .47, Oregon, U.S. Government Printing
Office, Washington, D.C., 1960, 1972.
Table 66.
Farm Operators by Age and Years of School Completed,
Union County, 1959, 1964, and 1969
Subject
Average age, years
Farm operators 65 years and over
By years of school completed:
Elementary - 0 to 4 years
5 to 7 years
8 years
High School- 1 to 3 years
4 years
College
- 1 to 3 years
4 years or more
SOURCE:
79-3
/'7(
t,'1
13,0
36
SOURCE:
1969
1959
1964
1969
51.9
169
51.9
52.2
---t6O
1 23
NA*
13
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
29
148
130
235
175
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
73
NA.
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of AgrIculture, 1959 and 1969,
Vol. 1, Area Reports, Part 47, Oregon, U.S. Government Printing
Office, Washington, D.C., 1960 and 1972.
'2q
7
I,'7
p7,3
Most farm operators in Union County are classified as full owners by
About 60 percent are full owners, 30 percent part
the U.S. Census Bureau.
owners, and the remaining 10 percent are tenants. Total number of farm
operators has decreased steadily.
Table 67.
Farm Operators by Tenure, Union County, 1959, 1964, and 1969
Tenure
J
j
Full owners
Part owners
Managers
Tenants
570
224
Total operators
SOURCE:
1969
1964
1959
2L
502 (
407Lf
229
202
3
6
76
65
69
873
802
678
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Agriculture, 1959 and 1969,
Vol. 1, Area Reports, Part 47, Oregon, U.S. Government Printing
Office, Washington, D.C., 1960, 1972.
Table 68.
Acres of Crops Harvested, Union County, 1969 and 1970
Crops Harvested
Corn for grain
Small grains
Wheat
Oats
Barley
Hay crops
Field seed crops
Bluegrass
Alfalfa seed
Red fescue
Vegetables
Green peas
Tree fruits, nuts, and grapes 2/
1969
1970 1/
37,000
2,500
14,000
41,400
34,000
550
380
1,800
700
390
2,000
5,700
1,142
4,000
NA*
3,cYOO
16,000
39,400
preliminary.
*Nk_ not available.
1/
2/
U S Bureau of the Census, Census of Agriculture, 1969, Vol 1, Area
Reports, Part 47, Oregon, U S Government Printing Office, Washington,
D.C., 1972.
SOURCE: U.S.D.A. and Oregon State University Extension Service cooperating,
"Oregon Commodity Data Sheets", Oregon State University, 1971-72.
t
Income from the sale of crops and livestock in Union County in 1970
was estimated at about $12 million.
During 1970 income from the sale of crops accounted for 55 percent of
the county's agricultural income, while livestock accounted for 45 percent.
Grain contributed over 27 percent of the total county agricultural income
with wheat alone accounting for almost 22 percent. Cattle and calves were
the most important sale category with 36 percent
Other important products
were: seed crops, 10 percent; tree fruits and nuts, 6 percent; hogs, 6
percent; barley, 5 percent; and vegetables, 4 percent.
Table 69.
Value of Farm Products Sold,-' Union Co1nty, 1966-1970
Product
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970 2/
thousand dollars - -
All crops, livestock and
livestock products
All crops
All grain, hay and seeds
All seed crops
All grain and hay
All hay
All grains
Wheat
Barley
Vegetables, fresh and for
processing
All berries
All tree fruits and nuts....
Specialty field crops
Specialty horticultural
crops
-
All livestock and livestock
products
Dairy products
Poultry products
Cattle and calves
Sheep and lambs
Hogs
9,74-2
10,622
10,462
10,725
11,761
4,822
3,663
5,824
4,079
803
3,276
5,212
3,657
367
2,909
2,658
204
291
2,720
2,423
261
5,714
3,973
708
3,265
272
2,993
2,554
394
6,473
4,764
1,217
3,547
311
3,236
2,570
579
670
689
1,002
919
525
3
2
2
2
6
155
202
660
247
102
348
306
364
745
324
44
39
38
38
40
4,920
4,798
273
5,250
5,011
5,288
194
176
29
232
31
33
27
3,694
4,214
4,044
4,280
787
2,876
422
2,454
1,940
457
297
38
3,617
66
589
646
3,011
57
71
79
83
503
510
592
671
Crop year includes quantities sold or held for sale.
preliminary.
SOURCE
U S D A and Oregon Stat? University Extension Service cooperating,
"Oregon Commodity Data Sheets", Oregon State University, 1971-72
1/
2/
The number of dairy cattle in Union County has decreased steadily since
During the same time, however, the total number of cattle and calves
has increased nearly 65 percent.
1950.
Livestock and Poultry Numbers, Union County,
1950, 1960, 1969, and 1970
Table 70.
Category
1950
:/
All cattle
Dairy cattle
Sheep and lambs
Hogs
Chickens
Turkeys raised
27,300
4,400
3,000
8,300
NA
NA
1960
1969
42,000
2,500
8,500
10,400
NA
NA
45,000
I
I
1970 ?_/
45,000
800
4,500
NA*
8,000
900
4,300
9,000
9,000
50
*NA - not available.
Numbers are as of January 1, unless otherwise indicated.
1/
2/
preliminary.
SOURCE:
U.S.D.A. and Oregon State University Extension Service cooperating,
"Oregon Commodity Data Sheets", Oregon State University, 1971-72.
Table 71.
Food and Kindred Products Manufacturing,
Union County, 1968 and 1970
Product Grou p
Meat products
Dairy products
Fluid milk
Canning and preserving fruits,
vegetables, and seafoods
Grain and mill products
Prepared feed for animals and fowls
Bakery products
Bread and other bakery products
Beverages
Bottled and canned soft drinks and
carbonated waters
Total
*NA - not available.
SOURCE: Oregon State
Directory of
Oregon State
Directory of
Number of Firms
1968 I 1970
Employment
1968 I 1970
NA*
1
0
10
3
3
0
0
14
14
12
12
31
41
1
Department of Commerce, Economic Development Division,
Oregon Manufacturers - 1968.
Executive Department, Economic Development Division,
Oregon Manufacturers - 1970.
Logging and Wood Products
Logging and wood products manufacturing is very important to Union
County's economy. More persons are employed in this sector than in any
other.
Table 72.
Lumber and Wood Products Manufacturing Excluding Furniture,
Union County, 1968 and 1970
Product Group
Logging camps and contractors
Sawmills and planing mills, general
Veneer and plywood
Millwork
Wood products not elsewhere classified
Total
SOURCE:
Oregon State
Directory of
Oregon State
Directory of
Table 73.
Number of Firms
1968
I 1970
Employment
1968
I 1970
4
15
64
6
5
1
O
O
1
1
1
439
460
215
413
300
0
0
81
11
23
963
1,017
8
Department of Commerce, Economic Development Division,
Oregon Manufacturers - 1968.
Executive Department, Economic Development Division,
Oregon Manufacturers - 1970.
Timber Harvest by Ownership, Union County, 1970
Ownership
Total timber harvest
Private 3/
Bureau of Land Management 4/
National forest 5/
State 3/
1
Production"
Percent of Total
130,280
54,434
101
74,095
1,650
100.0
41.8
O1
56.9
1.3
Includes volume removed as logs but not volume removed for poles,
piling, and woodcutting operations.
Scribner log rule - thousand board feet.
2/
Compiled by State Forestor.
3/
Compiled by Bureau of Land Management.
4/
Compiled by U.S. Forest Service.
5/
SOURCE: Wall, Brian R., "1970 Timber Harvest", U.S.D.A. Forest Service
Resource Bulletin PNW-38, U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest
Forest and Range Experiment Station, Portland, Oregon, 1971.
1/
In 1968 Union County used 84,582,000 board feet of its own log production and exported 127,506,000 board feet to other counties. At the same
time, it imported 23,422,000 board feet for processing.
Table 74.
Log Consumption in Thousand Board Feet by Species and Industry,
Union County, 1968 1/
Species
All species
Douglas fir
Hemlock
True firs
Spruce
Ponderosa and Jeffrey pines
Other softwoods
Hardwoods
Type of Wood-Using Industry
Veneer and
Shake and
Sawmills
P1 ood
Shinle
144,088
29,712
2/
41,196
2,091
62,475
8,614
Scribner log rule.
Figures not available for Union County separately.
SOURCE: Manock, Eugene R., Grover A. Choate, Donald R. Gedney, Oregon Timber
Industries, 1968, Wood Consumption and Mill Characteristics, Oregon
State Department of Forestry jointly with U.S. Forest Service, Salem,
Oregon, 1968.
1/
2/
Table 75.
Installed 8-Hour Capacity of Wood-Using Industries,
Union County, 1968
Industry
Sawmill - lumber
Veneer and plywood
Pulp and board mills
Capacity
368,000 1/
200,000 i/
250
Scribner log rule.
Square feet, 3/8 inch basis.
24 hour capacity in tons.
SOURCE: Manöck, Eugene R., Grover A. Choate, Donald R. Gedney, Oregon Timber
Industries, 1968, Wood Consumption and Mill Characteristics, Oregon
State Department of Forestry jointly with U.S. Forest Service, Salem,
Oregon, 1968.
1/
2/
3/
Over 228,000 tons of bark and wood residue were produced by Union County
wood-using industries in 1968. Of this quantity, about 180,000 tons were
consumed for such uses as pulp, particle board, or fuel.
Manufacturing
Table 76.
Value Added by Major Manufacturing Industries, Union County, 1967
Value Added
I tern
All manufacturing
1/
Percent
-
100.0
$14,600,00G
1/
Separate industry group data are shown for all industry groups with 450
employees or more within a county except those that would disclose figures
for individual manufacturers.
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Manufacturers, 1967, Area
Services: Oregon, MC 67(3) - 38, U.S. Government Printing Office,
Washington, D.C., 1970.
Table 77. Manufacturing, Other than Lumber and Wood Products; Food and
Kindred Products and Mineral, Metal, and Related Products Manufacturing,
Union County, 1968 and 1970
Major and Subgroups
Number of Firms
1968
1970
I
Emp loym ent
1968
I
1970
Chemicals and allied products
Fertilizers, mixing only
Printing, publishing, and allied
indus tries
Newspapers, publishing, and printing
Commercial printing, except
lithographing
Miscellaneous tranportation equipment
Trailer coaches
Miscellaneous machinery, except
electrical
Miscellaneous manufacturing industries
Signs and advertising displays .......
Total
*NA - not available.
SOURCE: Oregon State
Directory of
Oregon State
Directory of
9
27
28
4
4
0
NA*
9
9
2
2
44
45
Department of Commerce, Economic Development Division,
Oregon Manufacturers - 1968.
Executive Department, Economic Development Division,
Oregon Manufacturers - 1970.
Mining - Mineral and Metal Industries
Most of the income from mineral production in Union County is derived
from stone and sand and gravel.
Production varies from year to year depending on construction activities.
Table 78.
Mineral, Metal, and Related Manufacturing, Union County,
1968 and 1970
Major and Subgroups
Number of Firms
1968
I 1970
Employment
1968
1970
Petroleum refining and related
indus tries
Stone, clay and glass products
Concrete products
Ready-mix concrete
Primary metal industries
Fabricated metal products
Total
SOURCE:
Oregon State
Directory of
Oregon State
Directory of
Table 79.
Year
1963
1965
1967
1970
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
11
11
9
9
0
0
0
0
0
O
0
2
2
20
20
0
Department of Commerce, Economic Development Division,
Oregon Manufacturers - 1968.
Executive Department, Economic Development Division,
Oregon Manufacturers - 1970.
Value of Mineral Production, Union County, Selected Years
Value
$378,000
632,000
445,000
632,000
Minerals Produced in Order of Value
NA*
Stone, sand and gravel
Stone, sand and gravel, clays
Stone, sand and gravel
*NA - not available.
SOURCE:
Bureau of Business and Economic Research, Oregon Economic Statistics,
University of Oregon, various editions.
Otitdoor Recreation
Union County contains a substantial amount of recreation resources,
such as rivers and mountains, including part of the Eagle Cap Wilderness
Area.
Forest Service camps and state parks provide a number of picnicking
and camping facilities.
Two National Forests provide an opportunity for
recreational pursuits such as sightseeing, camping, fishing, and hunting.
Table 80.
Union County Recreation Areas
Ownership & Area
U.S. Forest Service
Umatilla National Forest
Alpine Spring
Bear Canyon
Four Corners Picnic Ground.
Luger Spring
Squaw Spring
Timothy Spring
Woodland
Wallowa-Whitman National For
Acreage
Facilities & Activities 1/
l,O75,938?'
NA*
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
TC,H,Hi
TC,BP,F,H,Hi,St
PT , F ,H, St
TC , H ,Hi
TC,H
TC,BP,H,H1
TS ,H
2,492 ,4l6--
Gr andview
NA
TC ,PT,BP,H
Moss Springs
North Fork Anthony
North Fork Catherine Creek
Picnic Ground
River
NA
TC,PT,F,H
TC,F,H,St
NA
NA
NA
Bureau of Reclaimation
Thief Valley Reservoir
State Parks
Blue Mountain Forest Wayside
Catherine Creek State Park
Gangloff Wayside
Hilgard Junction State Park
Red Bridge State Park
State Fish and Game Agency
Ladd Marsh Game Mgt. Area
Morgan Lake Public
Fishing Area
PT,F,H,St
TC,F,H,St
980
483
160
2
233
37
PT
TC,PT,Fp,St,F
NA
TC,PT,Fp,St,F
PT ,F
1,464
100
Facilities and Activities:
F - fishing
Fp - fireplaces
TC - tent campsites
PT - picnic tables
H - hunting
TS - trailer sites
St - stoves
Hi - hiking
BP - berry picking
*NA - not available.
St - stream
2/
Only parts of national forest acreage is within Union County.
U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, National
SOURCES:
Forest Campground Directory, Oregon, Washington, U.S. Government
Printing Office, 1971.
Oregon State Department of Transportation, State Highway Division,
State Parks and Recreation Section, Oregon State Parks and Waysides,
1972; and State Park Acreages, 1972.
1/
55 -
Table 81.
Attendance at State Parks in Union County, 1968-72
Park and Use
1968-69
Catherine Creek State Park
Overnight camping
Hilgard Junction
Day attendance
Red Bridge
Day attendance
SOURCE:
Attendance
1969-70
1970-71
I
1971-72
2,246
2,898
3,545
4,702
107,684
110,994
121,672
132,612
34,080
34,511
39,948
38,502
Oregon State Department of Transportation, State Highway Division,
"Day Visitor Attendance" and "Overnight Camping by the Public",
State Parks and Recreation Section, 1972.
Each year a large number of both Union County residents and nonresidents hunt a variety of game animals in the county.
In 1971, more
hunters participated in the Rocky Mountain elk season than in any other
game season in he county. Over 48,000 hunter days were spent harvesting
nearly 10 perceat of the state total elk harvest in that year. Large
numbers also hunt mule deer, pheasants, and ducks in the county.
Table 82.
Game
Pheasant
Quail
Chukar partridge......
Hungarian partridge...
Blue and ruf fed grouse
Mourning dove
Ducks
Geese
Deer 1/
Elk 1/
Union County Game Harvest
Hunters
Percent of
Number
State Total
Harvest
Percent of
Number
State Total
1,717
285
311
254
273
6,354
983
1,025
678
431
177
6,210
40
2,180
991
23
1,150
260
6,290
7,040
2.38
1.09
1.88
4.95
3.53
0.14
2.06
0.92
2.25
9.44
2.61
0.62
0.89
4.26
2.56
0.09
1.09
0.06
2.48
9.64
Days
Hunted
6,752
767
807
908
511
49
6,440
1,390
NA*
48,020
*NA - not available.
1/
1971 figures for Starkey and Catherine Creek state game management units,
not Union County.
These units are not completely contained within Union
County nor do they cover all of the county area.
SOURCES: Oregon State Game Commission, "1966 Upland Game Questionnaire", 1967;
"Water Fowl Estimates, 1969-70 Season", 1970; and "Oregon State Game
Commission Bulletin", May 1972.
Sport fishery in Union County is also an important recreational attracSeveral varieties of trout inhabit the county's streams. Steelhead
ruid salmon are also caugit as they return to the county's streams to spawn.
Lion.
- 56 -
Business
Table 83.
Retail and Wholesale Trade, Union County, 1967
Number
Establishments
Kind of Business
Retail trade, total 2/
Lumber, building materials, hardware, equipment dealers
General merchandise group stores
Food stores
Automotive dealers
Gasoline service stations
Apparel, accessory stores
Furniture, home furnishings,
equipment stores
Eating, drinking places
Drug, proprietary stores
Other retail stores
Nonstore retailers
223
Number
Paid /
Employees
Sales
($1,000)
848
$29,881
19
10
3,096
1,934
6,911
5,550
3,262
1,282
27
12
30
11
11
45
37
1,634
1,989
1,734
2,302
13
187
8
Wholesale trade, total 3/
47
181
$20,119
1/
2/
Excludes active proprietors of unincorporated businesses.
Only counties with. 500 or more retail establishments are broken down into
kind of business
For other counties, only business groups without numbers
of paid employees are reported.
3/
Only counties with 100 or more wholesale establishments are broken down
into kind of business.
SOURCE:
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Business, 1967 Retail Trade:
Oregon, BC 67 - RA 39, and 1967 Wholesale Trade: Oregon, BC 67 WA 39, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1969.
Table 84.
Selected Services, Union County, 1967
Number
Kind of Business
Establish-
ments
Selected services, total 2/
Hotels, motels, tourist courts,
113
camps
Number
Paid J
Emilo ees
134
Receipts
$1 000)
$1,952
20
43
11
15
15
Personal services
Miscellaneous business services,
Auto repair, services, garages
Miscellaneous repair services
Motion pictures
Other amusement, recreation
services, exc. motion pictures.
1
8
Excludes active proprietors of unincorporated businesses.
Only counties with 300 or more establishments are broken down into kind of
business. For other counties, only business groups without number of paid
employees or receipts are repor ted.
SOURCE: U.S. Bureauof the Census, Census of Business, 1967 Selected Services:
Oregon, BC67 - SA39, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.,
1/
2/
1969.
57 -
PUBLIC SERVICES
Transportation
Union County is served by all types of transportation with the exception
of commercial water transportation and airline service. These include scheduled train, bus, commercial truck transport, and private airplane service.
The major highway is U.S. Route 80, which connects La Grande and Union
County to the population centers of the coast and the Columbia Basin to the
west and to the cities of southern Idaho to the east.
The remainder of the highways in the county are either state, county,
The major state highways are Route 82, which provides a
or Forest Service.
passageway from La Grande into the northern Grande Ronde Valley and to points
in Wallowa County, and Routes 237 and 203 (the old U.S. 30) which connect
La Grande to the eastern and southeastern part of the county. Movement to
points north is facilitated by State Route 204, which connects Elgin to Weston
To points south and west, State Route 244 provides a
in Umatilla County.
connection to U.S. Route 395 and further to the city of John Day.
Table 85.
Miles of Roadway in Union County, 1972
Agency
Federal agency roads
State agency roads
County and public usage roads 1/
City streets
Miles
879
244
628
103
1,854
Total
Public usage roads are roads under county jurisdiction but generally
privately maiptained.
Transportation Research Institute, Oregon State University,
SOURCE:
Functional Classification of Public Roads and Streets in Oregon,
1/
1970.
Rail service to Union County is provided by the Union Pacific Railroad
which connects the Northeast Oregon area with Portland and Ogden, Utah. At
Portland, the railroad interchanges with the rail network serving the entire
Pacific Coast, as well as providing access to ocean-going shipping. Rail
traffic directed to the east can follow the Union Pacific to Granger, Wyoming,
where it meets with the major east-west trunkline of the Union Pacific which
proceeds to Omaha, Nebraska. Access to all parts of the southern United States
is provided by connections at Salt Lake City and Denver.
At the present, Union County does not have regularly scheduled commercial
air service. The city of La Grande is served by two charter services and one
helicopter service from its municipal airport.
Bus service to Union County is provided by the Greyhound Bus Lines.
There are four trips daily in each direction along U.S. Route 30, spaced
approximately 6 hours apart.
Each bus makes scheduled stops at La Grande.
There are several trucking companies with terminals within the county.
They provide local and intrastate truck hauling, and on an interchange
basis with interstate carriers allow shipment on a nation-wide basis.
Table 86.
Motor Vehicle Registration, Union County, 1970 and 1972
Number of Vehicles
1970
1972
Vehicle
Passenger vehicles
Buses
Trucks
All trailers
Motorcycles
Recreational 1/
Snowmobiles
12,039
13,524
13
....
Total vehicles
1,191
773
631
879
NA*
15,526
2
1,422
464
738
1,295
465
17,910
*NA - not available.
1/
Includes campers and travel trailers.
SOURCES:
Oregon Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicles Division, two
page report, March 1971. Taken from Bureau of Business and Economic
Research, Oregon Economic Statistics 1972, University of Oregon, 1972.
1972 figures from Oregon Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicles
Division, unpublished data, telephone interview, 1972.
Table 87.
Number of Aircraft and Boats in Union County, 1968
Subj ect
Aircraft
Boats
SOURCE:
Number
33
402
Oregon State Executive Department, Program Planning Division,
District Facts, 1970.
Communication
In addition to the radio station located at La Crande, several other
stations located outside the county can be received within its borders.
There is one local television station in the county, and cable television
is also available. Four newspapers are published in the county.
Table 88.
Communication Facilities, Union County
Location
Network
Affiliation
Radio stations
KLBM
La Grande
ABC
Telephone
General Telephone Company of the
Northwest Inc., La Grande District....
Cove, Elgin, linbier,
Haines Telephone Company
La Grande, Union
Medical Springs
Television stations
KTVR
Other stations and networks available
through cable television companies
La Grande
e of Service
Newspapers
Elgin Recorder
Eastern Oregon Review
The Observer
The Union Republic
SOURCES:
NBC,
ABC
Elgin
La Grande
La Grande
Union
Oregon Association of Broadcasters, Directory of Radio and Television Stations for the State of Oregon, 1972.
Oregon State Executive Department, Clay Meyers, Secretary of State,
Oregon Blue Book, 1973-74, January 1973.
Pacific Northwest Bell, unpublished data.
Table 89.
Residential Communication Facilities, Union County,
1960 and 1970
Number of Housih
Facilities
Battery radio sets
Yes
No
NA*
NA
Telephone available
Yes
No..
Television sets
One
Two or more
None
UHF equipped television
Yes
No
Units
1970
5,136
1,383
4,239
1,560
5,451
4,199
131
1,469
5,217
715
587
NA
NA
3,286
2,646
976
*NA - not available.
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Housing: 1960 and 1970
Detailed Housing Characteristics, Final Report HC(l) - B39,
Oregon, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1962,
1972.
Library Facilities
Most financial support for Union County libraries is provided by the
the cities, but some funds are also contributed by the county. In the 1970
fiscal year, total funds provided were $48,813 while expenditures totaled
$45,894.
The county's overall circulation per capita of 7.6 and expenditure
per capita of $2.34 compares with state figures of 6.3 and $3.48.
In addition to the 54,000 volumes in city libraries, the Eastern
Oregon College at La Grande has over 70,000 volumes.
Table 90.
Union County Libraries, by City of Location, 1969-70 Fiscal Year
City
Volumes
Circulation
Circ./
Capita
La Grande 1/
Cove 1
Elgin :I
Union 1
Extension
Service
36,748
6,661
5,661
7,335
127 ,345
7,103
9,373
4,916
12.4
19.7
6.7
3.3
County total.
54,405
148,787
7.6
Eastern Oregon
College,
La Grande
72,940
Firs. Open
Operating
Per Week
Expend.
Expend.!
Capita
68
$40,821
830
2,026
2,217
$3.98
2.36
1.46
1.48
$45,894
$2.34
6
15
15
$184,839
NA
NA*
*NA - not available.
City libraries.
1!
SOURCE:
Nielsen, Alice M., Editor, Directory of Oregon Libraries, annual
statistics for the year ending June 30, 1970, Oregon State Library,
Salem, Oregon.
Utilities
Over 70 percent of the housing units in Union County were served by
public or private water companies. This was still below the overall state
average of about 80 percent.
About 55 percent of Union County housing units were on a public sewer.
This compares with 61 percent for the state average.
Table 91.
Housing Units by Water Supply and Sewage Disposal,
Union County, 1970
Subject
Union County
Number
Percent!!
Water source
Public system or private company
Individual well
Other or none
4,931
1,512
Sewage disposal
Public sewer
Septic tank or cesspool
Other or none
State
Percent!!
462
71.4
21.9
6.7
79.8
16.9
3.3
3,814
2,884
55.2
41.8
207
3.0
61.0
37.5
1.5
1/ Percent of all year-round housing.
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Housing:
SOURCE:
1970 Detailed
Housing Characteristics, Final Report HC(l) - B39, Oregon, U.S.
Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1972.
Table 92.
Housing Units by Water Supply and Sewage Disposal, for Places
with Over 2,500 Inhabitants, 1970
La Grande
Number
Percentl
Subject
Water source
Public system or private company
Individual well
Other or none
3,446
Sewage disposal
Public sewer .....
Septic tank or cesspool
Other or none.
1/
42
98.8
1.2
3,289
183
16
94.3
5.2
0.5
Percent of all year-round housing.
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Housing:
1970 Detailed
Housing Characteristics, Final Report HC(l) - B39, Oregon, U.S.
Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1972.
SOURCE:
Table 93.
Types of Fuels and Fuel Usage by Number of Housing Units,
Union County, 1960 and 1970
Type of Fuel
Home Heating
Fuel
1960 I 1970
Utility gas
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc
Coal or coke
Wood
Electricity
Bottled, tank, or LP gas
Other fuel
None
865
2,522
994
1,245
59
114
All occupied units
5,799
SOURCE:
2,936
2,422
410
320
227
162
42
Water Heating
Fuel
1960 I 1970
790
97
1,735
---
Cooking
Fuel
1960 I 1970
523
79
39
591
21
234
379
3,844
114
4,414
142
647
4,124
302
5,368
341
94
85
27
45
89
28
199
285
6,519
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Housing:
1960 and 1970
Detailed Housing Characteristics, Final Report HC(1) - B39,
Oregon, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1962,
1972.
There are no significant electric power generation plants in Union
County
California Pacific Utilities Company serves the county's communities
with electric power.
PUBLIC FINANCE
Table 94.
Selected Items of Local Government Finances, Union County, 1966-67
Union County
Total
Per Capita
Amount
Amount
I tern
dollars
- $1,000 -
General revenue, except interlocal
Intergovernmental revenue
From state government
From local sources
Taxes
Property
Other
Charges and miscellaneous
$4,548
1,404
1,383
3,144
2,727
2,654
73
417
Direct general expenditure
Capital outlay
Other
Education
Other than capital outlay
Highways
Other than capital outlay
Public welfare
Hospitals
Other than capital outlay
Health
Police protection
Fire protection
Sewerage
Other than capital outlay
Sanitation other than sewerage
Parks and recreation
Natural resources
Housing and urban renewal
Correction
Libraries
Financial administration
General control
General public buildings
Interest on general debt
Other and unallocable
4,720
327
4,393
2,753
2,650
670
607
108
25
177
138
137
44
14
29
106
General debts outstanding
Long term
Local schools
Other
SOURCE:
$239
$308
74
73
97
83
165
144
140
210
156
151
4
5
22
54
248
17
231
145
139
35
32
316
62
254
180
152
30
20
6
2
1
4
9
12
7
9
8
3
7
2
1
2
2
10
6
4
0.14
4
2
47
95
2
3
123
6
37
74
4
6
186
10
21
234
185
12
10
12
1,950
1,772
103
93
41
214
203
101
101
3
Water supply revenue
Water supply expenditure
State
Per Capita
Amount
785
987
5
2
52
3
13
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Governments, 1967, Vol. 4,
No. 5:
Compendium of Government Finances, U.S. Government Printing
Office, Washington, D.C., 1969.
- 64 -
Table 95.
Summary of 1971-72 Property Tax Levies and Assessments,
Union County
Item
Amount in Dollars
Levies
County
Cities
Community colleges
Elementary and secondary school districts
Intermediate county
Education joint
Elementary and unified
Union high
County unit
Total school districts
Special districts
Cemetery
Fire protection
Hospital
Park and recreation..
Port
Road
Sanitary
Water supply
Other
Total special districts
Total gross ad valorem levies
Special assessments
Fire patrol
Forest fee
Diking and drainage
Irrigation
Lighting
Other
Total special assessments
Total gross levies and assessments
Less property relief moneys
Senior citizens
Game commission
Total net ad valorem levies
Net ad valorem taxes by class
Real property
Personal property
Utility
property.......................
SOURCE:
$
668,654
491,035
1,546,640
2,605
1,551,106
3,100,411
58,237
26,907
1,720
19,790
2,005,353
37,596
37,596
4,406,082
(33,264)
4,335,222
3,074,667
635,960
624,595
Oregon State Department of Revenue, Summary of Assessment and Tax
Rolls for the 1971-72 Fiscal Year and 1969-70and 1970-71 Property
Tax Collections, Research and Special Services Division, 1972
Table 96.
City Valuation, Tax Rates, and Taxes Extended for 1971-72
Fiscal Year, Union County
Item
La Grande
Elgin
Union
Cove
f
Population
True cash value (T.C.V.)
Per capita TCV
City tax
Consolidated tax
Per capita tax
City
Consolidated
Percentage of total levy
County
City
School
Other
Average rate/$TCV basis
County
City
School
Other
Total
10,037
$51,763,012
5,157
1,420
$5,659,983
1,408,666
3,986
34,865
162,385
1,620
$6,744,545
4,163
48,358
213,465
370
$1,212,337
3,277
1,709
31,933
$ 39
140
$ 25
114
$ 30
132
$ 5
86
13.7
27.7
56.4
2.1
13.0
21.5
64.6
0.9
11.8
22.7
63.6
1.9
14.2
5.4
75.4
5.1
3.74
7.55
15.35
0.57
27.21
3.74
6.16
18.54
0.25
28.69
3.74
7.17
20.14
0.60
31.65
3.74
1.41
19.85
1.34
26.34
39081l
Item
Imbler
Island City
Population
True cash value (T.C.V.).
Per capita TCV
City tax
Consolidated tax
Per capita tax
City
Consolidated
Percentage of total levy
County
City
School
Other
Average rate/$TCV basis
County
139
$1,100,317
7,916
572
32,866
$2,743,976
9,462
6,860
59,846
400
$1,038,628
2,597
7,457
35,147
Cit:'
School
Other
Total
S1JRCE:
290
JNorth Powder Summerville
80
$234,918
2,936
383
7,278
4
$24
$19
236
206
88
91
12.5
1.7
84 2
1.5
l7.l
11.5
70 5
0.9
11.1
21.2
66 2
1.5
12.1
5.3
81 2
1.5
3.74
0.52
25.15
0.46
29.87
3.74
2.50
15.37
0.20
21.81
3.74
7.18
22.41
0.51
33.84
3.74
1.63
25.15
0.46
30.98
$
$
Oregon State Department of Revenue, Summary of Assessment andTax
Rolls for the 1971-72 Fiscal Year and 1969-70 and 1970-71 Property
Tax Collections, Research and Special Services Division, 1972.
5
Table 97.
Summary of Assessment Rolls for 1971-72 Fiscal Year Real Property,
Personal Property and Utilities, Union County
Assessed
Value
I tern
Percent of
Total
Class
Real Property
Lands inside corporate limits
Lands outside corporate limits
Improvements inside corporate limits
Improvements outside corporate limits
Timber (excludes land)
Less veterans exemptions
Less senior citizens residence exemptions
Taxable real property
Personal Property
Merchandise and stock in trade
Furniture, fixtures and equipment
Farm machinery and equipment
Other machinery and equipment
Livestock
Miscellaneous
...
Less veterans exemptions
Less senior citizens residence exemptions
Taxable personal property
Total taxable real and personal property
Utilities
Airline companies
Electric companies
Express companies
Gas companies
Heating companies
Pipeline companies
Railroad companies
Tank and private car companies
Telegraph companies
Telephone companies
Water companies
Water transportation companies
Taxable utility property
Total taxable real, personal and utility
property
SOURCE:
$
9,666,240
40,767,135
45,445,810
32,701,690
18.26
(2,001,290)
(1,208,070)
125,371,515
1.11
0.67
70.03
9,919,479
977,106
4,533,235
6,411,831
4,461,082
1,537,560
(25,699)
( 7,561)
5.40
22.77
25.38
5.54
0 54
2.53
3.58
2.49
0.85
0.01
1/
27,807,033
15.53
153,178,548
85.57
5,675,392
3 17
4,050,885
2.26
984,281
9,253,759
867,283
1,700
4,988,279
2,500
0.54
5.16
0.48
25,824,079
14.42
$179,002,627
100.00
1/
2.78
1/
Oregon State Department of Revenue, Summary of Assessment and Tax
Rolls for the 1971-72 Fiscal Year and 1969-70 and 1970-71 Property
Tax Collections, Research and Special Services Division, 1972.
Less than 0.01 percent.
Table 98.
Amount and Percent of Unpaid 1970-71 Property Tax,
As of June 30, 1971, Union County
I tern
Property taxable
Real
Personal
Public utilities
Western Oregon additional
timber tax
Yield tax
Other
Total for collection
SOURCE:
Total
Amount
Amount
Unsaid
$2,924,097
556,928
566,768
$336,415
82,662
56,975
3,379
$4,051,172
$476,052
Percent
Unsaid
11.8
Oregon State Department of Revenue, Summary of Assessment and Tax
Rolls for the 1971-72 Fiscal Year and 1969-70 and 1970-71 Property
Tax Collections, Research and Special Services Division, 1972.
Selected List of Agencies
The following list gives names and addresses of agencies that have
served as data sources for this publication and may provide further or more
current data on subjects of interest.
In addition, a number of local and county offices are available to offer
local information and assistance, including
Agriculture StabilIzation and Conservation
Assessor
City Library
Corrections and Parole
County Engineer
County Extension
County Surveyor
Employment Division
Game Commission
Health Department
Public Welfare
Soil Conservation Service
Bureau of Business and Economic Research, University of Oregon, Eugene,
Oregon 97403
2.
Center for Population Research and Census, Portland State University,
724 S.W. Harrison, Portland, Oregon 97201
3
Children Services Division, Oregon State Department of Human Resources,
Public Services Building, Salem, Oregon 97310
Department of Environmental Quality, 1234 S.W. Morrison, Portlan
Oregon 97204
Economic Research Service, U.S.D.A.,, Extension Hall, Oregon State
University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331
Extension Service, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331
Portland, Oregon 97201
7
Fish Commission of Oregon, 1400 S W 5th St
8
4-H Youth Office, Extension Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis,
Oregon 97331
9
Forest Service, U S D A , 319 5 W Pine St , Portland, Oregon 97204
10
,
Governor's Office, Economic Development Special Projects, State Capitol
Building, Salem, Oregon 97310
Local Government Relations Division, Oregon Executive Department,
240 Cottage S.E., Salem, Oregon 97310
Oregon Association of Broadcasters, Allen Hall, University of Oregon,
Eugene, Oregon 97403
Oregon Board of Higher Education, School Finance and Statistical
Services, 942 Lancaster Dr. N.E., Salem, Oregon 97310
14
Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, 1400 S W
Portland, Oregon 97201
5th St
Oregon Educational Coordinating Council, 4263 Commercial S.E., Salem,
Oregon 97310
Oregon State Department of Revenue, State Office Building, Salem,
Oregon 97310
Oregon State Employment Division, Community Manpower, Research and
Statistics, or Rural Manpower sections, Labor and Industries Building,
Salem, Oregon 97310
Oregon State Game Commission, 1634 Alder, Portland, Oregon 97214
Oregon State Health Division, Department of Human Resources, 1400 S.W.
5th, Portland, Oregon 97201
Oregon State Highway Division, State Parks and Recreation Section, 8009
E. Burnside, Portland, Oregon 97215
Oregon State Lands Division, 502 Winter N.E., Salem, Oregon 97310
Oregon State Library, State Library Building, Salem, Oregon 97310
Oregon State Public Welfare Division, Department of Human Resources,
Public Services Building, Salem, Oregon 97310
24
Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station, U S
Service, 809 N.E. 6th St., Portland, Oregon 97232
Forest
Secretary of State's Office, State Capitol Building, Salem, Oregon 97310
Soil Conservation Service, U.S.D.A., 1218 S.W. Washington, Portland,
Oregon 97205
State Water Resources Board, 1158 Chemeketa N.E., Salem, Oregon 97310
U.S. Department of Commerce, 921 S.W. Washington, Portland, Oregon 97204
(for copies of U.S. Census publications)
Selected Bibliography
Bureau of Business and Economic Research, Oregon Economic Statistics
1972, University of Oregon, 1972.
Carolan, W.B. Jr., Federal Land Oregon, Oregon State University, 1963.
Coppedge, Robert 0., Agriculture in Oregon Counties - Farm Sales and
General Characteristics, Special Report 330, Oregon State University
Extension Service, Corvallis, Oregon, 1971.
Center for Population Research and Census, Population Estimates of
Counties and Incorpçrated Cities of Oregon, Portland State University,
July 1972.
Legislative Fiscal Committee, Inventory of State-Owned Real Property,
By County, Sec. 7, 115 State Capital, Salem, Oregon, 1970.
Manock, Eugene R., Grover A. Choate, Donald R. Gedney, Oregon Timber
Industries, 1968, Wood Consumption and Mill Characteristics, Oregon State
Department of Forestry jointly with U.S. Forest Service, Salem, Oregon,
1968.
Nielsen, Alice M., Editor, Directory of Oregon Libraries, annual statistics
for the year ending June 30, 1970, Oregon State Library, Salem, Oregon.
Office of the Governor, Planning Division, Health Facts, 1969.
Oregon Association of Broadcasters, Directory of Radio and Television
Stations for theState of Oregon, 1972.
Oregon Board of Higher Education, 1969 School Directory and 1971-72 Oregon
School-Community College Directory, School Finance and Statistical Services.
Oregon Conservation Needs Committee, Oregon Soil and Water Conservation
Needs Inventory, U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service and Oregon State
University Extension Service, 1971.
Oregon Department of Planning and Development, Resources for Development,
1964.
Oregon Educational Coordinating Council, Post Secondary Enrollment in
Oregon, An Analysis of the Statewide Student Enrollment Data Survey, 1972.
Oregon State Board of Census, Components of Population Growth, Population
Bulletin P-3, 1961.
Oregon State Board of Health, Oregon Plan for Construction and Modernization of Hospitals, Public Health Centers and Medical Facilities, 1971
Annual Revision, Health Facility Planning and Construction Section, 1971.
- 71 -
Oregon State Department of Employment, 1965 Oregon Farm Labor Report, 1966.
Oregon State Department of Environmental Quality, Water Quality Control
In Oregon, Oregon Sanitary Authority, 1970.
Oregon State Department of Human Resources, Children Services Division,
Adolescent Population and Commitment Data by County, by Calendar Year
1967-1970.
Oregon State Department of Human Resources, Employment Division, Labor
Force and Employment in Oregon by County 1968 through 1971 publications,
Research and Statistics Section, 1969, 1972.
Oregon State Department of Human Resources, Employment Division, 1971
Annual Rural Manpower Report, 1972.
Oregon State Department of Human Resources, Employment Division, Oregon
Covered Employment and Payrolls, 1970 and 1971, Summary Data, Research
and Statistics Section, 1971, 1972.
Oregon State Department of Human Resources, Oregon Public Welfare Division,
Public Welfare in Oregon, various editions.
Oregon State Department of Human Resources, Oregon State Health Division,
Implementation and Enforcement Plan for the Public Waters of the State
of Oregon, Oregon Sanitary Authority, Portland, Oregon, 1967.
Oregon State Department of Human Resources, Oregon State Health Division,
Vital Statistics Annual Report, Vital Statistics Section, 1971.
Oregon State Department of Revenue, First Biennial Report 1968-70.
Oregon State Department of Revenue, Summary of Assessment and Tax Rolls
for the 1971-72 Fiscal Year and 1969-70 and 1970-71 Property Tax Collections,
Research and Special Services Division, 1972.
Oregon State Department of Transportation, State Highway Division, "Day
Visitor Attendance", State Parks and Recreation Section, 1972.
Oregon State Department of Transportation, State Highway Division, "Overnight Camping by the Public", State Parks and Recreation Section, 1972.
Oregon State Department of Transportation, State Highway Division, "The
State Park Visitor in Oregon", State Parks and Recreation Division.
Oregon State Executive Department, Clay Meyers, Secretary of State,
Oregon Blue Book, 1973-74, January 1973.
Oregon State Executive Department, Economic Development Division,
D:.rectory of Oregon Manufacturers - 1970.
Oregon State Executive Department, Program Planning Division, District
Facts, 1970.
Oregon State Fisheries Commission, 1968 and 1971 Annual Report.
Oregon State Game Commission, 1968 and 1971 Annual Report, Oregon State
Game Commission.
Oregon State Game Commission, "Oregon State Game Commission Bulletin",
May 1972.
Oregon State Water Resources Board, River Basin Reports.
Simenson, G.H., E. G. Knox, H. W. Hill, and R.W. Mayko, General Soil
Map Reports with Irrigable Areas, Oregon State University Agricultural
Experiment Station with U S D A Soil Conservation Service in cooperation
with Oregon State Water Resources Board.
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Agriculture, 1969, Vol. 1, Area
Reports, Part 47, Oregon, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington,
D.C., 1972.
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Business, 1967 Retail Trade: Oregon,
BC 67-RA 39, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1969.
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Business, 1967 Wholesale Trade:
Oregon, BC 67-WA 39, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.,
1969.
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Governments, 1967, Vol. 4, No. 5:
Compendium of Government Finances, U.S. Government Printing Office,
Washington, D.C., 1969.
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Governments, 1967, Vol. 3, No. 2,
Compendium of Public Employment, U.S. Government Printing Office,
Washington, D.C., 1969.
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Housing: 1970: Detailed Housing
Characteristics, Final Report HC(l) - B39, Oregon, U.S. Government
Washington, D.C., 1972.
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Manufacturers, 1967, Area Services:
Oregon, MC 67(3) - 38, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.,
1970.
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population, General Demographic
Trends for Metropolitan Areas, 1960 to 1970, Final Report PHC(2) - 39,
U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1971.
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population: 1970 General Population
Characteristics, Final Report PC(1) - B39, Oregon, U.S. Government Printing
Office, Washington, D.C., 1971.
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population:
1970 General Social
and Economic Characteristics, Final Report PC(l) - C39, Oregon, U.S.
Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1972.
U.S.D.A. and Oregon State University Extension Service cooperating,
"Oregon Commodity Data Sheets", Oregon State University, 1971-72.
U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Environmental Data Service, Climatological Data, Annual Summary
1971, Vol. 77, No. 13, 1971.
U.S. Department of Commerce, Weather Bureau, Decennial Census of U.S.
Climate, Supplement for 1951 through 1960, Oregon No. 86-31, 1965.
U.S. Forest Service, Forest statistics publications for various Oregon
regions, Resource Bulletins, Pacific Northwest Experiment Station.
U.S. Soil Conservation Service, Soil Survey Reports.
Valde, Gary R. and Robert 0. Coppedge, Income and Poverty Data for
Racial Groups: A Compilation for Oregon Census County Divisions,
Special Report 367, Oregon State University Extension Service, Corvallis,
Oregon, 1972.
Wall, Brian R., "1970 Timber Harvest", U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Resource
Bulletin PNW-38, U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Forest and Range
Experiment Station, Portland, Oregon, 1971.
OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
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