Showing posts with label Baker City. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baker City. Show all posts

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Power of the Past

Outside of Baker City, Oregon was an unexpected sight.  It is not listed on any travel brochures nor found on the internet.  It was purely a drive by that beckoned me back for a closer look.  Yet it pulled at my historical heart strings in a way that many 'tourist attractions' never could. Right there on the side of the road in a farmers field, I found .....

                 The place where old ranch and farm equipment go to die.
 
            
                  

The hay stacker lifted the bales against  the stack brace to store for winter when a barn was  not available. 

Farmers and ranchers depended on horses and oxen to do the farming and ranching chores.  Without hay through the winter months the animals would die.  The interdependence between the farmers, ranchers and animals they kept, was undeniable.







Off in the distance the Chuch wagons were needed for feeding cowboys when moving the cattle.







The work was hard, the tribulations great, and the early pioneers were weary at the days end.  The Elixir wagon made regular rounds through local towns to sell the 'medicines' of the day.  (Click on the picture to enlarge it for better viewing)

KickAPoo Juice Wagon

Seeders, cultivators, thrashers, combines, and harvesters,  they were all first horse or oxen drawn and eventually powered by steam engines.


To my surprise there in the middle of equipment graveyard was a living tribute to the backbone of the past, the horses and oxen who came before him.

Sorry buddy - No carrots today!
The machinery graveyard's humble caretakers cottage....

The JunkIt or FixIt Ranch


You can see them working in the fields.... you can here the cattle calling...you can feel the history in the air.   

     In the place that old ranch and farm equipment went to die.




Saturday, September 22, 2012

All Things Old

Auntie and I zipped off on another trip to Oregon.  Yep, we were just there a month ago.  But business brought us to Oregon and of course finding time for fun is always a good thing.  So once business was done we decided to make a loop through the John Day National Recreation Area on our way home.  Eastern Oregon is a mix of Agriculture, ranching and much to my surprise logging.  Our journey started within about 20 miles of where we ended our journey last time at Baker City.


First stop Oregon Trail Interpretive Center

 
Circle the wagons

 There were great displays full of information, a giant step back in time.

 I always promised myself an ice cream lunch.  Today was the day.....
       Chocolate peanut butter cup
       Cookie Dough
       Chocolate Brownie Fudge
                                        
                                                   Ummmmm Ummmm Good!!!

While I was browsing around in the local quilting shop I lost Auntie.  I found her buying dessert!!


Yep!  Buying Fudge!!

Baker City Hall

After lunch we toured around Baker City.  It is a Historic town with many interesting buildings on the National Historic Register.  Loving all things old, we did a driving tour to take in the sights.


Baker City Court HouseHis
Historic Geiser Hotel
Geiser Hotel has been the source of speculation and several documentaries of reported ghosts that have haunted the halls of the Hotel.

And last of course we did our tour of the historic houses where I take photo's of houses for sale....




Which would be your choose to live in?  

Baker City.... an old Frontier town that definitely impressed !