Harney County History

Welcome to Harney County, Oregon!  Harney County is 10,180 square miles of open country with a total population of about 7,600 people.  You will find sagebrush, meadows, marshes, mountains, lakes and forests. Deer, antelope, bear, coyotes and wild horses roam the county along with cattle, sheep and other livestock. Harney county is also home to thousands of birds…including the largest year-round concentration of California Quail in Burns!

Rich in history, you will find some pretty fantastic geological formations around the county, too.  Harney County is the gateway to the Steens Mountains.  The contrast between the high, snow-capped mountain peaks down to the desert floor is an awesome site to behold.  It’s a big place with plenty of things to do.

Harney County is also home to the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The National Wildlife Refuge System is celebrating its 100th Anniversary during 2003.  The 193,000 acre refuge is a feeding and resting area for migratory birds in the Pacific Flyway.

Please bear with us as we remodel Harney County!  Your host is Pauline Braymen!