Formed October 14, 1887 (29th county)
Wallowa County (7,387), Enterprise (2,050)
The 1909 stone Queen Anne and Romanesque courthouse is on a square at River, Main, 1st, and Greenwood streets. Oregon State Highway 82 is in front of the courthouse. Calvin R. Thornton is the architect. The building features a tower and an eagle statue is on the grounds. The county was organized on October 14, 1887 from Union County as the 29th county with Enterprise as the only county seat. Wallowa County is named for the Native American word for “winding water.” The county seat name is derived from a meeting at a local mercantile company.
Wallowa County government consists of a treasurer, a sheriff, an attorney, an administrator, and a clerk (executive). It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.) Two District Court Judges serve Wallowa and Union counties (judicial.) Wallowa County is in the northeast corner of the state. It borders both Washington and Idaho. The Snake River forms its eastern border. Pendleton, Oregon is west and Boise, Idaho is southeast of the county. The county center is 9.6 miles North of Enterprise. The county is surrounded clockwise by Washington and Idaho and Baker, Union, and Umatilla counties.
The area of the county is 3145 square miles. It is 9 out of 36 in the state. It ranks 32 out of 36 in population in the state. It has a density of 2.3 persons per square mile making it 30 out of 36 in the state. Wallowa County has 57.4% of its population in its incorporated areas. There are no Interstates or United States Highways in the county. The county’s shape is a boomerang. Enterprise is located in the southwest quarter of the county. Enterprise is the county seat and the largest city. It is 27.8% of the county population. The county is pronounced WAL-O-WA.
Enterprise
Joseph
Lostine
Wallowa
