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Wheeler County was
established on February 17, 1899. Formed from parts of Grant,
Gilliam, and Crook Counties, there have been no boundary
changes since its creation. The county shares boundaries with
Gilliam and Morrow Counties to the north, Wasco and Jefferson
to the west, Crook to the south, and Grant to the east. The
county was named for Henry Wheeler, who operated the first
stage line through the county. The area of the county is 1,713
square miles.
The county seat is located in the city of Fossil. The town's name was derived from the first postmaster's discovery of fossil remains on his land in 1876. Fossil was designated the temporary county seat when the county was created. In 1900 there was an election to determine the permanent county seat. Spray, Twickenham and Fossil were the aspirants with Fossil winning the election. The current courthouse was built in 1902.
Wheeler County's government consists
of a county court made up of a county judge and two
commissioners. The county judge retains judicial authority for
probate and juvenile proceedings. Other county officers
include assessor, district attorney, justices of the peace,
clerk, sheriff-emergency services director, treasurer, and
surveyor.
Wheeler County's 2011 population was 1,435. This represented a decrease of 0.4% from 2010. The county population has declined considerably since a peak of 3,313 occurring in 1950.
The terrain of the county varies
widely from sagebrush, juniper, and rim rock to thick stands
of pine and fir. Portions of two national forests lie within
its boundaries with forest lands covering nearly one third of
the county. The area is known as an outstanding depository of
prehistoric fossils. The Painted Hills and Clarno units of the
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument are located in the
county. Principal industries are agriculture, livestock, and
recreation.
Image 1) Fossel Jail, 2) Bridge Creek, 3) Wheeler Ranch - Images from Oregon Historical County Records Guide. Photographer citation: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives
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