You’ll find Andrews, a remote ghost town in Oregon’s Harney County, nestled at 4,157 feet elevation. Established by Peter Andrews in 1880, this high desert settlement peaked at 150 residents, supporting ranchers and sheepherders with a hotel, schoolhouse, and saloon. While fires and harsh weather claimed most structures, the stone ruins of Andrews Hotel and repurposed schoolhouse tell stories of frontier life, artistic renaissance, and ultimate abandonment in this challenging landscape.
Key Takeaways
- Andrews was established in 1880 by Peter Andrews as a frontier settlement in Harney County, Oregon, peaking at 150 residents.
- The community centered around ranching and sheepherding, with key structures including a schoolhouse, hotel, and post office.
- Located at 4,157 feet elevation, the town struggled with harsh winters, limited rainfall, and water scarcity.
- The Andrews Hotel was destroyed by fire in 1924, leaving only stone ruins as evidence of the town’s past.
- The last occupied house burned in 1996, though the schoolhouse remained active as an artist’s studio until 2020.
The Rise and Fall of a Frontier Settlement
In the rugged high desert of eastern Oregon, Andrews emerged as a frontier settlement when Peter Andrews established his homestead around 1880.
You’ll find its roots in the establishment of a post office on Andrews’ property in 1890, marking the beginning of a vibrant frontier community that would face both triumph and challenge.
At its peak, you’d have encountered about 150 residents braving the frontier challenges of this remote outpost.
The community dynamics centered around ranching and sheepherding, with essential structures including a schoolhouse, hotel, and saloon serving the hardy locals.
But isolation took its toll – the nearest grocery store lay 130 miles away in Burns.
Named like William Henry Andrews of New Mexico’s mining fame, this settlement carved its own unique path in the American West.
Gradually, the population dwindled, and a series of fires claimed key buildings.
Like many entries on the disambiguation page, Andrews, Oregon became one of several places sharing the Andrews name.
Life in Oregon’s High Desert Community
Life in Andrews demanded remarkable resilience from its inhabitants, who faced the stark realities of Oregon’s high desert environment. You’d find yourself contending with harsh winters, water scarcity, and isolation at 4,157 feet elevation, where the semi-arid climate challenged even the hardiest settlers.
Isolation and scarcity shaped life in Andrews, where survival meant adapting to Oregon’s unforgiving high desert landscape.
The social dynamics reflected a diverse frontier mix: Euro-American ranchers worked alongside Spanish-speaking Californio cowboys, while Northern Paiute peoples maintained their cultural influences despite displacement pressures. The Numu People’s elders shared traditional knowledge about the land, keeping their heritage alive through generations.
You’d witness a tight-knit community gathering at the schoolhouse and post office, though survival meant mastering the art of self-reliance. Ranching dominated daily life, with cattlemen adapting to the vast sagebrush-covered terrain.
The community’s strength lay in its ability to forge connections despite harsh conditions, though ultimately these challenges proved insurmountable.
Historical Landmarks and Lost Architecture
Although time and fire have claimed many of Andrews’ original structures, several historic landmarks still tell the story of this frontier settlement’s architectural preservation.
Much like wool shipping hub Shaniko, Andrews served as an important regional commerce center in its heyday.
You’ll find the stone ruins of the Andrews Hotel, destroyed by fire in 1924, marking the town’s original center. The schoolhouse, which survived until 2020 as an artist’s studio, stands as a symbol of community memory alongside its teacher’s cottage.
Located 13 miles north of Fields, Andrews is easily accessible via well-maintained gravel roads that welcome visitors year-round.
The post office’s changing locations and names – from Andrews to Wildhorse and back – reflect the evolution of this high desert community.
While fires in 1924 and 1996 claimed the hotel and saloon respectively, the remaining 2-3 commercial buildings and former dance hall offer glimpses into the town’s vibrant past, when settlers adapted local materials to build their frontier dreams.
From Bustling Town to Artist Haven
The decline of Andrews brought an unexpected artistic renaissance when painter John Simpkins arrived in 2011, transforming the abandoned schoolhouse into his creative sanctuary.
You’ll find that his artist residency, which lasted nearly a decade, breathed new life into the ghost town’s remaining structures. From the teacher’s cottage where he lived to the schoolhouse he converted into a studio, Simpkins created a model for creative revitalization amid the high desert’s stark beauty.
Simpkins transformed abandoned buildings into vibrant creative spaces, proving ghost towns can find new purpose through art and vision.
The town’s remote location near Steens Mountain and the Alvord Desert provided the perfect backdrop for artistic inspiration, though challenges persisted. Like many ghost town attractions, Andrews demonstrates potential for heritage tourism through its unique historical and cultural elements.
While Simpkins’ presence highlighted Andrews’ potential as an artist haven, his 2020 eviction and the site’s limited infrastructure ultimately demonstrated the difficulties of sustaining a permanent creative community in this wilderness setting.
Weather and Geography Shaping Destiny
Situated at an elevation of 4,157 feet in Harney County, Andrews faced nature’s relentless challenges that would ultimately seal its fate. The town’s geographic isolation near Steens Mountain and the Alvord Desert created formidable barriers to growth and sustainability.
If you’d visited Andrews during its prime, you’d have witnessed the daily climate challenges that shaped life there:
- Harsh semi-arid conditions with less than 14 inches of annual rainfall
- Extreme temperature swings typical of high desert regions
- Limited water resources that restricted farming and ranching potential
- Constant exposure to wildfire threats, which eventually destroyed the last occupied house in 1996
You’ll find these environmental forces left an indelible mark on Andrews, transforming a once-hopeful settlement into a reflection of nature’s dominion over human ambition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are There Any Remaining Artifacts or Relics From the Original Settlement?
You won’t find many visible artifacts since fires destroyed most structures, and there’s been no formal relics preservation or archaeological discovery efforts. Any remains are likely buried beneath the surface.
Can Visitors Legally Explore the Andrews Ghost Town Site Today?
Like a locked door in the desert, you can’t legally explore Andrews today. The ghost town regulations restrict access since it’s private property, requiring explicit landowner permission for any visits.
What Wildlife Species Are Commonly Found in the Andrews Area?
You’ll find abundant wildlife diversity including varied thrush, northern spotted owls, Douglas’ squirrels, Trowbridge shrews, and thousands of oribatid mites thriving in the habitat preservation areas around Andrews.
Were There Any Notable Crimes or Legends Associated With Andrews?
You won’t find documented crimes or ghostly encounters in Andrews’ history. Unlike many ghost towns, local folklore is significantly absent, with historical records focusing on fires and population decline rather than sensational tales.
How Did Residents Get Water and Essential Supplies in Andrews?
You’d rely on natural springs and wells for water sources, while getting essential supplies through stagecoach routes and postal deliveries. Local stores stocked basics, and you’d make supply runs to larger towns.
References
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrews
- https://kids.kiddle.co/Andrews
- https://www.pdxmonthly.com/arts-and-culture/2020/12/this-artist-is-the-sole-resident-of-an-oregon-ghost-town-he-s-just-been-told-to-leave
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xF5Bt6RfSbY
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ghost_towns_in_Oregon
- https://www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/Andrews
- http://blackrange.org/the-human-history-of-the/towns-of-the-black-range/andrews/
- https://www.oregondesertlandtrust.org/tribal-stewards/
- https://www.oregonhistoryproject.org/narratives/high-desert-history-southeastern-oregon/resettlement/a-hard-country-to-settle/
- https://www.ghosttowns.com/states/or/andrews.html
