Eastern Oregon (III)

It was an early start this morning; we took off from downtown Baker City at 7:00 a.m. to get to John Day for a 9:30 a.m. meeting. It is a great drive down Hwy 7 to Hwy 26 and into John Day, yet another great old west downtown.

John Day is home to a few great museums. The Ranch and Rodeo museum is relatively new, but sounded very interesting. Unfortunately we didn't have time to make it over there as we took the tour of Oregon's newest state park Kam Wah Chung. This place is well worth the visit. In the 1920's Eastern Oregon had a large Chinese population that worked to build the railroads. While they were treated very poorly, a couple of men prospered. Businessman Lung On and herbal doctor Ing Hay ran a business out of the building that still stands today. Lung On ran a general store as well as many other businesses and Hay treated both white an Chinese patients from all over the region. When Hay died in 1952 the building was boarded up and forgotten about. Some 30 years later it was opened up and all the amazing relics were still intact. It became a museum and you could get a great tour of all the herbal remedies that the doctor used to administer, see all the products they sold in the general store and hear how the walls and ceiling were blackened with opium smoke not paint.

Our meeting in John Day was a little bit of a downer. Clearly people are having to work a lot harder in the southern part of Eastern Oregon to make a living and to keep their towns alive. That said, the heartiness of these people is impressive and there is no doubt they have a lot to offer for the right kind of tourist. This part of Eastern Oregon is not for people looking for four star hotels and gourmet restaurants, but if you are looking for the authentic old west experience, and people living their heritage you'll find it here. Before we left John Day we had a nice lunch at The Outpost Trading Co. They have a pretty big menu, with good sandwiches and pizza, but the fried pickles are a must.

After lunch we started the drive back to Portland. We followed Hwy 26 all the way for about five hours. There are several great opportunities to stop along this trek. The first and best tourist site is the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument which is run by the U.S. National Park Service. If you are into paleontology this place is your Disney Land. You will also see Sheep Rock and the amazing colors and textures of the Painted Hills. You'll go through several interesting small towns, where you should take the time to visit the general store or the farmers markets. We got a great milk shake in the Sidewalk Cafe in Mitchell.

The drive can get a little tedious as you go over Mt. Hood and down in to Portland. You need to be careful as the speed limit is only 45 in many areas. I was pulled over for going 70 in a 55, I thought for sure I was going to get a ticket as the rental car had a Washington plate, but but luckily I only got a warning.

Kam Wah Chung State Park
125 NW Bridge St.
John Day, OR
541-575-2800

Grant County Ranch and Rodeo Museum
241 East Main St.
John Day, OR 97845
541-820-3624

The Outpost Trading Co
155 W Main St.
John Day, OR
541-575-0250

Sidewalk Cafe & More
204 W Main St.
Mitchell, OR
541-462-3800