Re: Sumpter Valley Bates question

Only photos I have seen are available at Denver Public Library with photos by Perry and McClure [photoswest.org]. It appears to be either a three or four stall, but it's not clear if all the round house is in the photos.

Austin is located about 1 mile east of the Bates townsite. There are six homes there, three occupied year round the others are vacation homes. Bates was originally Batesville, later shortened to Bates. (Much like Baker City which started as Baker City, became Baker, renamed Baker City again in recent times.)

Absolutely no evidence Bates ever existed. When the Oregon Lbr. Co. shutdown, the houses were basically given to the occupants with the understanding they had to be moved or dismantled. Most were moved to Prairie City where they are today.

My wife and I spoke with the current owner of Bates townsite recently. It is a beautiful meadow with tall grass. Several streams converge in the meadow as part of the Middle Fork of the John Day River. The owner is a rancher and uses the meadow for summer grazing. Historic Ma Austin house is on the property.

The former owner of the Bates site and OLC mill site passed away a couple years ago in a house fire. She managed to get the Oregon Dept. of Wildlife to repair the dam on Bridge Creek that had been used as a mill pond. Trees were removed, the spillway rebuilt and a fish ladder constructed. Grant County wants the mill site and pond for public use, but I doubt they have the money to purchase without a grant of some kind.

Sorry, probably more than you wanted to know.

dan