A.R. Bowman Memorial Museum & Crook County Historical Society

10/27/2026

Today we are sharing a video from our YouTube archive. Born in Prineville in 1925, Bart Noble grew up in a town where just about everyone knew one another—and, as he remembers it, many were related! In this oral history, Bart traces his family’s journey from Pennsylvania to Oregon in 1862, sharing stories passed down about the Crooked River country and the Noble family’s early years near Paulina and Prineville. Watch this video >> https://youtu.be/p-AuKilkqKM

10/20/2026

THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF EARLY ‘PERSISTENT PLACES’ IN CENTRAL OREGON -- Please join us for an intriguing lecture on the archaeology of the Ochoco National Forest and Crooked River National Grassland on Wed., Oct. 28, at 6 p.m. Presented by Anne Dowd, a U.S. Forest Service archaeologist, the program will explore discoveries revealing how people lived in Central Oregon thousands of years ago. Follow the link below for more details.

THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF EARLY ‘PERSISTENT PLACES’ IN CENTRAL OREGON Bowman Museum invites the community to a lecture on the archaeology of the Ochoco National Forest and Crooked River National Grassland on Wednesday, October 28, at 6 p.m. Presented by Anne Dowd, a U.S. Forest Service archaeologist, t...

10/09/2026

In our latest oral history video Bill Sigman takes us back to 1947, when his family moved to the Lower Crooked River Valley and the landscape was dotted with family ranches, farms, and neighbors who knew one another. Through Bill’s memories, we meet the families who homesteaded and worked the land, follow the changes along the Crooked River and O’Neil Highway, and hear how large ranching operations gradually transformed the valley. What began as a close-knit rural community changed as properties changed hands, roads were paved, and familiar neighbors moved on. Watch this video >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=digfwpoCfEM

Bill’s stories reach beyond the ranch, bringing to life an earlier Prineville through memories of local businesses, doctors, schools, grocery stores, barbershops, and gathering places that once served the community. He also shares personal recollections of ranch work, family life, and the experiences that shaped his years in the valley, including a few memorable encounters along the way. Rich with names, places, and firsthand observations, Bill’s oral history preserves a piece of Crook County’s living memory—and reminds us how much local history can be found in the stories of the people who were there. Watch this video >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=digfwpoCfEM

10/06/2026

Join the Bowman Museum on Wednesday, October 14, at 6 p.m. for a special history lecture with historian Steve Lent exploring the story of the Meek Wagon Trail. Lent will share the history and significance of this important Oregon route, along with newly discovered information that offers fresh insight into the trail and its role in the region’s history.

Come learn more about the people, places, and events connected to the Meek Wagon Trail—and discover what new research is revealing about this fascinating chapter of Oregon history.

Wednesday, October 14 | 6 p.m. | Bowman Museum

Free and open to the public.

Join the Bowman Museum on Wednesday, October 14, at 6 p.m. for a special history lecture with historian Steve Lent exploring the story of the Meek Wagon Trail. Lent will share the history and significance of this important Oregon route, along with newly discovered information that offers fresh insig...

09/23/2026

Join us at the Fall Cowboy Gathering. 🤠 Western Music & Cowboy Poetry. Tickets are available at Bowman Museum (246 N Main St, Prineville) or scan the QR code for tickets and more details.

09/23/2026

Prineville, Oregon
We are heading up your way September 26-27, 2026

Join us at the Fall Cowboy Gathering. 🤠

Scan the QR code for tickets, more details, and full list of events

09/22/2026

Greenhorn City is a nearly unpopulated community located in Baker and Grant counties in Oregon. It straddles the Blue Mountain ridge, so that it is located in both Grant County and Baker County. As most of the town is situated in Baker County, and the early residents considered Baker City to be more convenient, for administrative purposes it is considered to be in Baker County. It received its name from being located in the Greenhorn Mountains. Read the full story below

09/15/2026

Susanville, Oregon is a mining ghost town located in Grant County along Elk Creek about fourteen miles northwest of Austin. Gold was discovered in the vicinity in 1864 and a typical rush of miners to the area resulted. Many of the early arrivals had come from Susanville, California and when a post office was established on September 12, 1888 it was named after the California town. The first postmaster was Carl Lane. It was not a big mining operation and the town never grew as big as some surrounding mining communities. Read more below.

Susanville, Oregon is a mining ghost town located in Grant County along Elk Creek about fourteen miles northwest of Austin. Gold was discovered in the vicinity in 1864 and a typical rush of miners to the area resulted. Many of the early arrivals had come from Susanville, California and when a post o...

09/11/2026

The Meadowlark Newsletter is now available online! Get your FREE copy by following this link:https://crookcountyhistorycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/September-2026-Newsletter-web-version.pdf