Shaniko (, ) is a town located in Wasco County, Oregon, United States, on U.S. Route 97 and about north of Antelope. The population was 30 at the 2020 census.

Geography

Shaniko is in Wasco County, in north-central Oregon, at the intersection of U.S. Route 97 and Oregon Route 218. The town is north of Redmond and east of Portland. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land.

The town is at an elevation of . The route to Canyon City started at the early settlement of The Dalles, away. in 1874. In 1903, when Shaniko gained the nickname, "Wool Capital of the World", they shipped 2,229 tons of wool and 1,168,866 bushels of wheat. They made $3,000,000 in wool sales in 1903. By 1982 Shaniko was nearly a ghost town. Pamplin purchased the hotel and several other properties in Shaniko with intentions of bringing life back to this once thriving ghost town. Pamplin renovated some buildings and planned to build new houses for workers who would cater to tourists. But in 2008, the Shaniko City Council and the state of Oregon denied Pamplin an easement from a well on one of his lots to supply water to the hotel and restaurant bypassing having to purchase the water from the city. He ultimately shut down the hotel, cafe, RV park, and capped off the well. He eventually listed the properties for sale over an 8 year period before taking them off the market in 2016. In August 2023, Pamplin reopened the Shaniko Hotel once again to the public.

Shaniko attracts ghost town tourists, but a wastewater issue still prevents any large scale tourism efforts from forming. Local businesses operate seasonally from April to September to accommodate the tourists, including those in "Shaniko Row".

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2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Shaniko had a population of 30. The median age was 66.5 years. 3.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 56.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 76.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 81.2 males age 18 and over.

0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 11 households in Shaniko, of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 36.4% were married-couple households, 18.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

! Race !! Number !! Percent

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| White || 24 || 80.0%

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| Black or African American || 0 || 0%

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| American Indian and Alaska Native || 2 || 6.7%

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| Asian || 0 || 0%

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| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0 || 0%

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| Some other race || 1 || 3.3%

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| Two or more races || 3 || 10.0%

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| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 2 || 6.7%

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2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 36 people, 17 households, and 11 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 24 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 75% White, 8.3% Asian, and 16.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.3% of the population.

  • Imperial Stock Ranch Headquarters Complex
  • Shaniko Historic District, including the Columbia Southern Hotel, the city hall and jailhouse, a schoolhouse, and 42 other properties, some of which have been renovated. The NRHP nomination form for the district provides historical details, references, images, and descriptions.

<gallery>

File:Shaniko City Hall.jpg|Shaniko City Hall

File:Barn and Tractor in Shaniko Historic District.jpg|Barn and tractor

File:Museum and wagon in Shaniko Historic District.png|Museum and wagon

File:Wagon yard and barn in Shaniko Historic District.jpg|Wagon yard and barn

File:Shaniko Post Office in Shaniko, Oregon.jpg|Post Office

</gallery>

References

  • Entry for Shaniko from the Oregon Blue Book, including a link to a local road map (in PDF format) from ODOT
  • Historic photos of Shaniko from the Salem Public Library
  • Official site of The Last Days of Shaniko