Wheeler

Formed February 17, 1899 (33^rd county)

Wheeler County (1,449), Fossil (448)

The red brick 1901 Romanesque courthouse is at 4^th and Main streets in this small community.  Oregon State Highway 19 is three blocks south of the courthouse.  Charles H. Burggraf provided the building designs.  It features a tower.  The county was founded on February 17, 1899 from parts of Grant, Gilliam and Crook counties as the 33^rd county.  Fossil has always been the county seat.  Wheeler County is named for settler Henry H. Wheeler.  The county seat name comes from the local fossil deposits. 

Wheeler County government consists of a treasurer, a sheriff, an attorney, an administrator, and a clerk (executive).  It has a county judge and 2 Commissioners (legislative.)  Four District Court Judges serve Wheeler, Gilliam, Hood River, Sherman, and Wasco counties (judicial.)  The county is in northern Oregon.  Portland, Oregon is northwest and Pendleton, Oregon is northeast of the county.  The county center is 31.5 miles South-Southeast of Fossil nearer Spray.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Gilliam, Morrow, Grant, Crook, Jefferson, and Wasco counties. 

The area of the county is 1715 square miles.  It is 20 out of 36 in the state.  It ranks 36 out of 36 in population in the state.  It has a density of 0.8 persons per square mile making it 35 out of 36 in the state.  Wheeler County has 50.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 26 travels through the county from east to west from Grant County to Crook County.  The county resembles the State of New Mexico.  Fossil is located near the northern border of the county.  Fossil is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 30.9% of the county population.