Kimberly

Date of visit: May 29, 2011
Population: unknown

When I drove through Kimberly in May, I almost DID drive right through without realizing it. It’s definitely a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it kind of place. The place consisted of a store with a tiny post office, a barn-like building across the highway from the store, and some kind of outbuilding out in the trees. It took less than five minutes to see the place, take pictures, and move on.

When I got home and did some research I learned that Kimberly exists because of the nearby Kimberly Orchards, which I’m sorry to say I didn’t even notice even though I drove right past (the orchards are several miles past the community of Kimberly where I stopped for pictures). The orchards were started by Orin Kimberly in the early 1900s when he planted some peach trees along the river. The peaches were so sweet and juicy that people waited for Kimberly peaches instead of buying elsewhere. The Thomas family started an orchard nearby in the 1940s and in 1967 purchased the Kimberly orchard.

These days they grow 60 varieties of seven different fruits which are sold at grocery stores in central Oregon and also to local school districts. Family members sell the fruit at farmer’s markets, fix their own equipment, and take care of the accounting, although they do hire pickers during the summer. They sell fruit to customers at a fruit stand in Kimberly. I saw an unmarked building in Kimberly which may be that fruit stand. Too bad they don’t have a sign on it.

Kimberly

Wooden building
Outbuilding in the forest.

The hub of Kimberly
Store and post office, both of which were closed since it was a Sunday.

Shiny red roof
This building had no signage, but I wonder if it’s the fruit stand run by Kimberly Orchards.

Map of Kimberly

Oregon Towns Project

Spray

Date of visit: May 29, 2011
Population: 160 (2010 Census)

You might think that Spray is named because of a nearby waterfall or river rapid. But it’s actually named after John Fremont Spray, who settled in the area in the late 1800s. In 1898 he built a horse-drawn ferry to cross the John Day River. In 1900 he purchased a piece of land known as Hogan Bottom, along the John Day River. He also purchased the land where the town of Spray would eventually be established.

The town was platted in 1900 and he built a store, hotel, dance hall, and saloon. When the post office opened he was the first postmaster. He was evidently a tireless advocate for settling the area, inducing people to move to Spray. Today Spray is a little town a long way from anywhere, best known for the annual rodeo held on Memorial Day weekend, which is also the weekend I happened to be visiting. I didn’t check out the rodeo, though.

Welcome to Spray

Spray Pioneer Museum
The Spray Pioneer Museum is in an old church and just happened to be open the day I was visiting!

Spray Post Office
Spray Post Office

Union High School
Union High School

Pretty church
Assembly of God Church

For Sale
Someone had painted a grin on the bumper of this truck.

Map of Spray

Oregon Towns Project