DISCOVER MITCHELL, OREGON

Gateway to the Painted Hills Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

Mitchell, Oregon is located at mile post 66 on US HWY 26 47 miles east of Prineville 80 miles east of Bend 68 miles west of John Day WHERE TO STAY... LODGING: Little Pine Lodge Reservations Only 100 East Main Street 1(541)-462-3552 The Oregon Hotel 104 East Main Street 1(541)462-3027 Painted Hills Vacation Rentals Rosenbaum Street 1(541)462-3921 Skyhook Motel 101 US Hwy 26 1(541)462-3569 CAMPING & RV: Mitchell City Park 3 RV Hookups (541)462-3121 Ochoco Divide USFS Campground (no water) Walton Lake USFS Campground (full service) BLM: Priest Hold Camp Area On the John Day River Mitchell BUSINESSES and Other Services... STORES Wheeler County Trading Company Built in 1875 - General Store 100 West Main St 1(541)462-3585 Cannon's Tire Center Tires, Hardware, Plumbing, Sundries and Snacks 601 US HWY 26 1(541)462-3298 Little Pine Cafe Beer and Wine to Go 100 East Main St 1(541)462-3532 Judy's Place "A Little Bit of Everything!" 115 West Main St 1(541)462-3000 Redwood Bench and Table Company Beautiful and unusual Juniper twists furniture, lamps, etc. 115 West Main St 1(541)462-3232 GASOLINE Little Pine Truck Stop Gas, diesel, ice Home of Henry, the Bear 101 East Main St 1(541)462-3103 CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, CLINICS Assembly of God Curtis Holt, pastor 300 West HWY 26 1(541)462-3551 Mitchell Baptist Church Established 1894 Carl Naas, pastor 209 SE High Street 1(541)462-3914 Asher Clinic Mitchell School-based Health Center Medical, Dental and Counseling Services by Appointment  Open Monday-Friday  from 10AM until 3PM 340 SE High St 1(541)462-3313 Mitchell School District #55 Pre-School, K - 12th Grade 340 SE High St PO Box 247 1(541)462-3311 Veterinarian Peggy Lindquist Burnt Ranch Road 1(541)462-3049 OTHER SERVICES One More for the Road Vintage travel trailer restorations Keifer Davis 1(541)462-3700 Fisher’s Upland Game Bird Ranch Prime pheasant hunting preserve near beautiful scenic Mitchell PO Box 68 1(541)462-3228 Lucky Strike Mine Thunder Egg Mine is just West of Mitchell Rock Museum is located in downtown Mitchell Both are open Memorial Day weekend through November 1(541)462-3073         Mitchell Fun Facts Today, Mitchell is a city of approximately 175 people.  It was established in the 1860’s as a stage stop along the Dalles Military Road, and named in 1873 for John H. Mitchell, a former Oregon Senator. Oregon’s historic Dalles Military Road, where wagons toiled to Oregon’s first goldfields, U.S. Cavalry kept outposts, and Native tribes defended their ground, is OUR Main Street! One of the town’s noteworthy events involves the Mitchell Bank, which still stands – It was the last bank in the entire U.S. to close its doors during the Great Depression – and was also the only bank in the county to still pay a 2 cent dividend! Oregon's only known Plesiosaur - a 25 foot-long marine carnivore that lived during the age of dinosaurs - was found near Mitchell! Today, Mitchell is a reminder of the Old West.  The community has an Old West ambiance with part of the town situated on bluffs above the lower part.  The town has a community hall heated by a wood stove, a city park adjacent to Bridge Creek, a century-old mercantile, a twisted juniper furniture shop and other downtown businesses. Our historic buildings include the Sally Winebarger House that was built in 1874-84 by O.S. Boardman that the town of Boardman was named for.  Sally and Hiram Winebarger purchased it in 1909 and Sally lived there until her death in 1975 at the age of 97.  As part of our restoration projects, we hope to restore this building as the Sally Winebarger Museum soon. Mitchell is the Gateway to the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument which is comprised of the Sheep Rock Unit in Dayville, Oregon (about 35 miles east of Mitchell), the Painted Hills Unit (located 9 miles northwest of Mitchell) and the Clarno Unit about 8 miles west of Fossil, Oregon (Fossil is about 40 miles northwest of Mitchell).  The Monument is one of North America’s most significant paleontological research areas. Mitchell is flanked by three new wilderness areas.  The Ochoco Divide of the Ochoco Mountains is located 16 miles West of Mitchell, in the Ochoco National Forest. The Ochoco Mountains have towering Evergreen forests and various snow parks offering great opportunities for cross-country skiing, sledding and snowmobiling. The Ochoco Nordic Club of Prineville offers classes and organizes cross country skiing trips throughout the winter. In early summer this region is great for morel mushroom hunting, and hiking. Highways 19/207 is a scenic route known as The Journey Through Time Scenic Byway.  Hwy 207 starts just north of Mitchell.  This Scenic Byway offers many places to pull over for camera buffs and wildlife watchers. Mitchell is well known for its spectacular geologic features such as large rock outcrops that tower near town.  Be sure to look for Bailey's Butte, Mitchell Rock and Bear Rock just West of town. Mitchell is home to the Annual Painted Hills Festival every Labor Day weekend.  All day western old fashioned fun, marathon, walk, 5k, 10k, jail, vendors, contests, shows, food, street dance, live music and much, much more! How to Fill Your Days... EXPLORE John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is comprised of the Sheep Rock Unit, the Painted Hills Unit and the Clarno Unit EXPLORE Thomas Condon Museum is located at the Sheep Rock Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument EXPLORE Cant Ranch House Museum is located across from the Thomas Condon Museum at the Sheep Rock Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument EXPLORE Go Fossil Hunting at the The Lucky Strike and Valley View Thunder Egg Mines Both mines are open for public digging Weather permitting-the mines are open mid May through mid November daily from 8 am till 5 pm, closed Tuesday and Wednesday SLEDDING Go Sledding or Snowmobiling at the many Sno-Parks located in the nearby Ochoco Mountains or visit the various Sno-Parks located at the other Eastern Oregon Wilderness Areas and National Parks SKIING Ski Oregon's Ochoco Mountains! Organized Cross-Country Skiing trips and lessons available (from beginners to experts!). BIKING Eastern Oregon is a spectacular area for the bicyclist. There's numerous highways and byways offering a wide variety of grades and scenic adventures to keep the biker "on the pedal" HIKING and BACKPACKING  As you might imagine, there are too many trails, parks and forests for Hiking and Backpacking to list!  Visit the Wildernet website for a detailed list of places to hike, walk and backpack complete with elevations, usage and dificulty CAMPING The John Day River is a scenic waterway that provides a gentle, laid-back trip with great camping, fishing and birding.  Other great camping spots include the Ochoco Divide USFS Campground and the Walton Lake USFS Campground.  There's also camping at Mitchell's City Park on the East end of town. SWIMMING The BLM Priest Hole Camp area on the John Day River is a great place to swim and camp. RAFTING Go rafting on the John Day River! The John Day is the longest free-flowing river in Oregon, and the second longest in the continental U.S. PHOTOGRAPHING The possibilities are endless!  There's wildlife, rock formations, forests, rivers, creeks, streams, mountains, wildflowers - don't forget your camera! BIRD WATCHING Watch for Raptors, rough-legged and red-tailed hawks, a ferruginous or a Swainson’s hawk, Bald eagles, Golden Eagles, Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s hawks, Northern Harriers, American kestrels, prairie falcons, turkeys and more! FRUIT PICKING Come to Kimberly Orchards to buy the freshest fruit at the best prices around. You can pick your selections straight off the tree or from our retail stand. Kimberly Orchards has been growing fruit trees along the fertile banks of the North Fork of the John Day River, in Kimberly, Oregon, for 54 years.  Click here for approximate fruit season COUNTY FAIR and RODEO  The annual Wheeler County Fair is held at the Wheeler County Fairgrounds (Fossil, OR) in August.  The Wheeler County Rodeo, sponsored by the NPRA (Northwest Pro Rodeo Association, is also scheduled in August EXPLORE GHOST TOWN - Visit Richmond, Oregon - The town came into being in 1890 as a result of farmers and ranchers tired of spending so much time traveling to get supplies. However, the invention of the automobile drastically reduced travel time and the town's reason for existence faded. Richmond started to disappear back into the hills lined with sagebrush about 30 years after it was founded. The town can be found about one mile east of Highway 207, south of Service Creek. CELEBRATE Mitchell is home to the Annual Painted Hills Festival every Labor Day weekend.  Enjoy western style fun all weekend! There's so much to see and do - marathon, walk, 5k, 10k, jail, vendors, contests, shows, food, street dance, live music and much, much more! EXPLORE Kam Wah Chung Museum is located off US HWY 26 in John Day, Oregon (Open May through September) HUNTING and FISHING Mitchell is centrally located for world-class fishing and Big and Small Game Hunting.  Check out the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife website for seasons, maps and more. MITCHELL, OREGON: County:  Wheeler Population:  Approx. 175 (2008) Incorporated:  1891 Land area:  1.18 Square Miles GP:  44.56 N and 120.15 W Elevation:  2787’ Mitchell Climate Data: Avg annual precipitation: 11.570" Monthly Avg. Low: 24°F Monthly Avg. High: 86°F Hottest Month July Coldest Month January Driest Month July Wettest Month May Avg July afternoon humidity: 34% Avg January afternoon humidity: 77% Source: Oregon Climate Service   Did You Know? The wildflowers at the Painted Hills provide abundant sources of food for the monument's many butterfly species. Weather Forecast | Weather Maps AREA LINKS... Travel Oregon The Oregon Paleo Lands Institute Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife John Day Fossil Beds National Monument John Day River Rafting Trips John Day Fishing Guides Kam Wah Chung Museum Cross Country Skiing in the Ochoco Wilderness Wheeler County   PLACES TO EAT... Bridge Creek Cafe Breakfast & Lunch, espresso 218 HWY 26 RT 26 Espresso Breakfast Sandwiches & Snacks Junction HWY 207/HWY 26 Sidewalk Cafe and More Home Cooking, Western Style 204 West Main Street Little Pine Cafe Restaurant, Bar, Beer and Wine to Go 100 East Main Street Honoring History The Winebarger House Project Our historic buildings include the Sally Winebarger home.  Built in 1874-1884 by O.S. Boardman, it was originally the Central Hotel.  The hotel served travelers on the Dalles Military Road, as well as cattlemen and timber barons.  In 1909, Hiram and Sally Winebarger bought it.  Sally, a genteel lady by all accounts, lived there until her death in 1975 at age 97.  As part of our restoration projects, we hope to restore this building as the Sally Winebarger Museum.  The museum will include paleontology, regional history, and space for activities, as well as City offices and a meeting room upstairs. The Mitchell area is well known to students and professionals of Geology and Archaeology Aerial View of Mitchell on US HWY 26     Mitchell is home to the Fabulous Fairlanes During the 1997 Painted Hills Festival, The Fabulous Fairlanes were created by Christy Hudspeth as a stop-gap measure to fill an empty time-slot left in the schedule.  The Fairlanes were a smash and quickly became a local sensation!  Enjoy music from the 50's, country classics and more from The Fabulous Fairlanes! Click on Play button to listen...  For more information, contact Christy at (541)462-3026     Contact Us! Mayor:  Teresa Quant-Riley City of Mitchell: (541)462-3121 City of Mitchell PO BOX 97 Mitchell, OR 97750 Copyright©2009-2010  City of Mitchell, Oregon  All rights reserved.