Malheur

Formed February 7, 1887 (28^th county)

Malheur County (31,575), Vale (1,898), Ontario (11,366)

The Modern style red brick structure was constructed in 1958.  It is located at B and Court streets.  United States Highway 20 passes one block north of the courthouse.  Roald, Schmeer and Harrington are the architects.  The town features murals on many buildings depicting settlers’ lives.  There was a 1902 version of the county courthouse in Vale, the only county seat.  The county was organized on February 7, 1887 from Baker County as the 28^th county.  Malheur County is named for the Malheur River.  The county seat is presumably named for a settler. 

Malheur 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.)  Two District Court Judges serve Malheur County (judicial.)  The county is in the southeast corner of the state.  It borders both Idaho and Nevada.  Boise, Idaho is east and Portland, Oregon is northwest of the county.  The county center is 86.5 miles South-Southwest of Vale nearer Arock.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Baker County and Idaho and Nevada and Harney and Grant counties. 

The area of the county is 9888 square miles.  It is 2 out of 36 in the state.  It ranks 20 out of 36 in population in the state.  It has a density of 3.2 persons per square mile making it 29 out of 36 in the state.  Malheur County has 54.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 84 crosses the northeast corner of the county from Baker County, north, to Idaho, east.  United States Highway 20 enters from Idaho, east, and exits to Harney County, west.  United States Highway 26 is joined with United States Highway 20 from Idaho, splits and continues northwest into Baker County.  United States Highway 95 comes from Idaho, east, and goes to Nevada, south.  The county is an overall rectangle with added bumps on the northern border.  Vale is located in the northeast quarter of the county.  Ontario is on the northeast border of the county.  Vale is the county seat and Ontario is the largest city.  Vale is 6.0% of the county population while Ontario is 36.9% of the county population.  The county is pronounced MAL-HUR.  The largest city is pronounced ON-TAR-EE-OE.  This county is in the Ontario Micropolitan Statistical Area.