Sherman County
The sun sets behind Mt. Hood as seen from south of Grass Valley. (Oregon State Archives Photo No. sheD0030)
Contact
County Seat: Courthouse, 500 Court St., Moro 97039
Phone: 541-565-3606 (Clerk’s Office); 541-565-3416 (Court Administrator)
Fax: 541-565-3312
E-mail: jeninem@co.sherman.or.us
Web: www.sherman-county.com
About
Population (2009): 1,830
Established: Feb. 25, 1889
Elev. at Moro: 1,807'
Area: 831 sq. mi.
Average Temp.: January 30.7° July 67.9°
Assessed Value: $401,486,597
Real Market Value: $2,409,402,239
Annual Precipitation: 9.15"
Economy: Tourism, wind energy, wheat, barley and cattle
Related resources
History
Historical
Records Inventory
Scenic
Image
Economic
Information (from OBDD)
"County
Quick Facts" (from U.S.
Census Bureau)
County
Seat Map (from Yahoo!
Maps)
County
Map (from ODOT)
Incorporated cities
Grass
Valley | Moro | Rufus | Wasco
Points of interest
Historic county courthouse, Sherman County Museum, Gordon Ridge, John Day Dam, Sherar’s Grade, Deschutes State Park, LePage Park, Giles French Park, Sherman County Fairgrounds and RV Park
History and general information
Sherman County, created in 1889 from the northeast corner of Wasco County, was named for Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman. It was separated from Wasco County as much for its unique geological setting as for the settlers’ desire to have their own political process. The rolling hills are bordered by the deep canyons of the John Day River to the east, the Columbia River to the north and the Deschutes River and Buck Hollow to the west and south.
The county was settled in the 1870s by stockmen. By 1881, the homesteaders arrived, permanently changing the area by plowing and fencing the tall grass. Since then, the county has been a wheat-growing area with miles of waving grain on rolling hills of wind-blown glacial silt. The total absence of timber in the county exemplifies the true meaning of the “wide open spaces of the West.” Its pastoral landscape has spectacular views of canyons and rivers with mountains silhouetted in the distance. Recreation abounds on the rivers, from the famous and scenic fly-fishing and whitewater rafting stream of the Deschutes to water-skiing, wind-surfing, boating, fishing and rafting on the John Day and Columbia Rivers. Sherman County is one of Oregon’s leaders in soil and water conservation.
County officials
Commissioners—Steve Burnet (R) 2015, Mike Smith (R) 2013, Judge Gary Thompson (R) 2013; Dist. Atty. Wade McLeod 2015; Assess. Richard Stradley (R) 2013; Clerk Jenine McDermid 2013; Justice of the Peace Ron McDermid 2013; Sheriff Brad Lohrey 2013; Surv. Daryl Ingebo; Treas. Marnene Benson-Wood 2015