7-16-2025 Burns, OR

In the minutia category:  Diesel fuel is $4.50/gallon.  I saw $5.50 somewhere nearby.  Also, if you buy groceries and you actually want to put them in a sack, you have to pay for the sack here in the People’s Republic of Oregon.  Also, the temperature has been in the range of 105F+/- in the sun.  (And we left home why, again?)

 

Burns was established in the 1880s and the economy of the little town was based upon cattle ranching.  In 1889, it was incorporated and became the county seat of Harney County.  An early settler, George McGowan, named the town after the Scottish poet Robert Burns.  Later, in the 1920s, the Edward Hines Lumber Company moved to the area and built a railroad and this had a significant positive impact on the economy.  Hines, the Lumber Baron, has a small town adjacent to Burns named after him and by the way, the Truck Stop in Hines serves fabulous omelets!

 

We were surprised at the size of this little berg considering the population is only about 2,800.  There’s a, “main street,” with little shops, a few restaurants, several grocery stores, a half dozen pretty, manicured parks, bakeries and, of course, saloons.  It seemed like the whole town is red, everyone we made acquaintance with spoke hardcore conservative.  We went to the Central Pastime Saloon for a late lunch and the signs on the walls are pretty funny. 

There is a sign in the window at Central Pastime that reads, “Move Oregon’s Border.”  Let me explain.  Like northern CA, eastern OR wants to secede from the state and become part of Idaho in an effort to make their opinions heard above typical domination of the big blue cities to the west.  Of course, neither of these states will ever see this happen but that never stops a movement, as you know.  Apparently, not every single person in town is conservative, however.  At the Central Pastime, a guy finished his lunch, threw a $10 tip on the bar, barked, “Everybody in this establishment is a fucking dick!” and stalked out.  (He’s probably not a conservative.  Just a guess.)

Lunch at Central Pastime

Lucky Lindy at Central Pastime

 

The museum in Burns features displays of items that date back more than 100 years.  We arrived there 30 minutes before closing, unfortunately, and so I didn’t get a real feel for the history of the families that founded the town.  We could have spent a much longer time studying the interesting items but the curator ejected us as she closed and locked the doors.

I don't know what these are.
They look like an early version
of Travelers Checks.

This spinning wheel is over
100 years old.  In better shape
than Lindy!

One of the first Singer sewing machines,
 invented in the mid-1800s.

This Liberty Bell, made of
chicken wire and pinecones
locally collected, was in the
1976 centennial parade in 
Burns.  It was created by
Connie Barber and the frame
by Clyde Wenseck and was
known as the Connie and
Clyde Project.

 

On the way to our next stop, Sisters, OR, we were confronted by a wall of smoke from the wild fires.   It is blowing in our direction and has totally obscured the horizon to the point where we cannot see the mountains.  We shall overcome.