Grass Valley, Oregon Ghost Town!

Oregon Ghost Town Tour #2 – Part 1

In Spring of 2022, our family took a day trip to visit some historical ghost towns in Central Oregon. We visited Antelope, Shaniko, and Kent, Oregon – then we were hooked! We planned a second tour to see even more Central Oregon ghost towns. Join us as we take you through 6 more historic ghost towns. Grass Valley, Moro, Wasco, Boyd, Dufur, and Friend.

Part 1 of this tour begins in Grass Valley, OR. As of 2022, Grass valley’s population is approximately 145. Grass Valley was established in 1878 by Dr. Charles R. Rollins, a physician from New Hampshire. He built a hotel and served patients from inside the hotel. The town was named for the very tall rye grass that used to surround the town. The town’s economy was supported primarily by the stock farms. The population of Grass Valley grew from 25 in 1888 to 342 in 1910 boosted primarily by the arrival of the Columbia Southern Railroad in 1898. The town began its decline when railroad stopped its passenger transport in 1932 and abandoned the rail line altogether in 1966.

Watch our walking tour of Grass Valley here!