Thirty-seven miles northeast of Madras [1] is the ghost town of Shaniko (www.shaniko.com [2]). In its day, Shaniko was the largest wool-shipping center in the United States. The Columbia Southern Railroad transported wool, sheep, cattle, gold, and people deep into the remote Oregon outback, and the city at the terminus prospered.
Boomtown Shaniko had 13 saloons, stores, hotels, a schoolhouse, and a city hall. But when the railroad’s main line was diverted to the Deschutes River, Shaniko’s prominence quickly faded.
Today you can still see many old buildings in the town. The water tower provides a remarkable display of the jerry-rigged but nonetheless efficient water-distribution system.
The three-room Shaniko schoolhouse, built in 1901, and City Hall, featuring the Constable’s office and the jail, are also still standing. The Shaniko Hotel has been restored but is not currently open for business.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oregon/central-oregon/warm-springs-and-lower-deschutes-river/madras
[2] http://www.shaniko.com