Baker City

Baker City is located south of La Grande between Haines and Pleasant Valley along Highway 30 on the banks of the Powder River, near Phillips Reservoir and Thief Valley Reservior and the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest.

During an era when gold mining and timber were the norm, Baker City was born as a support center for the surrounding gold mining towns. With such towns as Auburn, Sumpter, and Sparta close by, Baker City soon became the focal point of activity. Named after Col. Edward Dickenson Baker, statesman and was the only member of Congress killed during the Civil War.

These days, Baker City has quieted down a bit. Gone are the bawdy houses and dancing girls, the wild saloons and even wilder people. This town is rich with the flavor of the 1890s with its nationally recognized historic shopping district, museums and attractions.