Umatilla

Formed September 27, 1862 (20^th county)

Umatilla County (80,068), Pendleton (17,071), Hermiston (19,389)

The red/orange brick Modern courthouse was constructed in 1956.  The structure is on Court Avenue at 4^th Street.  Court Avenue is United States Highway 30 Business in the town.  Roald, Schmeer and Harrington provided the designs.  There were 1869 and 1889 courthouses previously.  A community bought and built working clock tower is on the grounds.  The county was formed from Wasco County on September 27, 1862 as the 20^th county.  Marshall Station was the first county seat until 1865, then Umatilla City until 1868, when Pendleton assumed the role.  The county is named for the Umatilla River which is named for the Native American tribe.  Pendleton is named for Vice Presidential candidate George Hunt Pendleton. 

Umatilla County government consists of a treasurer, a sheriff, an attorney, an administrator, and a clerk (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  Five District Court Judges serve Umatilla and Morrow counties (judicial.)  The county is in the northeast part of the state.  Washington is on its northern border.  The Columbia River forms its northwest border.  Portland, Oregon is west and Boise, Idaho is southeast of the county.  The county center is 2.6 miles Southeast of Pendleton.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Washington and Wallowa, Union, Grant, and Morrow counties. 

The area of the county is 3215 square miles.  It is 8 out of 36 in the state.  It ranks 14 out of 36 in population in the state.  It has a density of 24.9 persons per square mile making it 18 out of 36 in the state.  Umatilla County has 72.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 82 enters the county from the north, Washington, and terminates.  Interstate Highway 84 crosses southeast to west from Union County to Morrow County.  United States Highway 395 comes from Washington and goes south into Grant County.  United States Highway 730 enters from the north, Washington, and exits to the west, Morrow County.  Umatilla County is shaped like a fat capital letter T.  Pendleton is located in the northwest quarter of the county.  Hermiston is near the northwest border of the county.  Pendleton is the county seat and Hermiston is the largest city.  Pendleton is 21.3% of the county population while Hermiston is 24.2% of the county population.  The county is pronounced OO-MA-TIL-A.  This county is in the Pendleton-Hermiston Micropolitan Statistical Area.