On the Road: Prairie City, Oregon

Larry and I leave Clyde Holliday State Park midday on June 17th, ambling along Highway 26 towards Prairie City. Warm and humid weather hints of rain, which soon patters a drizzling staccato on our Bounder's roof. A rainbow arches over the distant hills, reminding me of the old movie Finian's Rainbow. The romantic that I am sees pots of gold at this rainbow's ends......glorious gold in distant hills. Lured on by nature's panoramic welcoming committee, we arrive all too soon in Prairie City.

Depot Park is our destination, the city's peaceful park surrounding the DeWitt Museum in the Prairie City Depot of the Sumpter Valley Railway, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Full RV hookups are available at a reasonable price, as well as camping areas for bikers and other tenting travelers. We pull in with the mild excitement we always feel upon entering and exploring a new community.

Small communities fascinate us. How do they preserve country for themselves in an increasingly urbanized world? How do they reinvent themselves and yet retain their sense of community and country way of life? What lessons do these intrepid towns and people have for those of us used to urban ways, superfluous stuff, instant convenience and overfilled lives? These are questions Larry and I ponder in our conversations about a worldwide endangered rural reality, and the impact of its loss on the whole of life.

After settling in, we head for town, three blocks away. It's late in the afternoon, so we drive in order to see as much as possible before businesses close for the day. Mostly, we want to get a sense of Prairie City. Every community has a soul and we're ready to dance with this one.

The business day is fast shutting down. We shop the local Huffman's market, the only grocery in town, which we later learn is owned by Blaine Huffman. We're pleased with our purchases, and note other businesses that fancy us for further exploration, then return to our comfy home on wheels to prepare supper and plan our tomorrow's adventure. It begins to drizzle again, a sweet lullaby to our day's end.

Highway 26 goes straight through the center of town, and most of the businesses are located along its route. Prairie City calls itself "A Friendly Village of 1100 People in the Oregon 'Outback'." The Strawberry Mountain Wilderness Area lies just south of town, where the John Day River begins its journey to become one of the longest free flowing rivers in the continental U.S. It cuts right through Prairie City on its way to the Columbia Gorge and the mighty Columbia River.

Morning finds us up and ready for our walk to the heart of town, but first we eat a hearty breakfast. The weather is mild and our walk brisk. When Larry and I split up and head in opposite directions, I bump into the newly relocated owner of Grumpy's Embroidery, Ken Gronwald, who shows me excellent samples of his embroidery work. He and Myrna have just moved themselves and their business from an increasingly urbanized Utah to Prairie City, which they feel is still small and true to its country roots.

Next, the Prairie Trading Post catches my eye and in I go. Tastefully displayed throughout the store is Dale Duby's hand carved furniture from local pine. His wife Claudia shows me the fine craftsmanship of his furniture, as well as that of other original works sold in the store, and says they prefer to sell local and regional artists' products whenever possible. Claudia is happy to have moved to Prairie City and loves being a small town gal.

Afterwards, I wander along Front Street, which is also Highway 26, and check out the local credit union, then duck into the Oxbow Coffee House & Restaurant. This elegant establishment showcases two beautiful handcarved antique bars, as well as the North West Big Game Museum and history whispers from the building and fixtures.
It's here that I see an attractive, slim woman near my age and we begin chatting. Her name is Helen Emmel, I learn, and she's meeting a friend for lunch. When I find out Helen owns a local bed and breakfast called Bed & Breakfast By The River, I ask her about her business, and Helen offers to come to our motorhome the next afternoon (and I immediately accept) to tell us more about Prairie City and the Western working ranch she and her husband own. For information about Helen's year round B & B, call 541-820-4470 or write to 30380 N. River Road, Prairie City, OR 97869.

After leaving the Oxbow, I notice Larry up the street, coming out of Prairie Drug & Hardware. He's bought a connector for our motorhome's sewer hose and is as surprised to find one in Prairie City as I, then suggests I go in and experience the diversity of their merchandise. If you ever wander through this delightfully eclectic business, I guarantee your jaw will drop just like mine did.

We pass by Chuck's Little Diner, making note of how busy it is and decide to breakfast there the next morning. It's time to head back to Huffman's for a few more groceries and then home to our land yacht for lunch and a leisurely afternoon in the park. Occasional light rains pass overhead, heightening the variegated greens of the landscape. It's a good day for hanging out.

Our last day in town greets us with another mild morning, and we again walk downtown for our promised breakfast out. Chuck's Little Diner is rocking, with locals and passers through town set for some serious eating. Chuck's wife Valeria takes care of the customers while Chuck works the kitchen. Generous plates of food glide past us as Valeria maneuvers around tables and the counter heading for their rightful owners. Back she goes with orders or bussed dishes.

In spite of the hustle bustle, Chuck and Valeria agree to tell us their story of how they came from Alaska to Prairie City and opened a restaurant "one more time." If you're passing through Prairie City and want to eat real country cooking for a mighty fine breakfast or lunch, be sure to stop by Chuck's Little Diner. Just as we're leaving the diner, a group of motorcyclists come through the door and settle around the largest table. They've come for the weekend's big BMW motorcycle rally to be held at John Day. We begin chatting with them and soon Larry's persuaded to head back to John Day to check out the rally. I want to visit the Grant County Chamber of Commerce one more time, so we decide to backtrack to John Day later in the afternoon.

However, there's more to explore in Prairie City first, so we walk over to City Hall where we introduce ourselves to the staff: Stan Horrell, Mayor; Lyn McDonald, City Clerk/Planning; and Diane Clingman, City Recorder. They also direct us to Georgia Patterson, the Public Works Director. The friendliness and willingness of them all to take time out of their busy schedules to answer our questions enhances our impressions of Prairie City, its people and the surrounding terrain.

After lunch we head back to John Day for the afternoon, then arrive back to the motorhome just before Helen comes with her good friend, a grand old lady in her late 80s, who was born and raised in Prairie City. Helen's friend teases her on being a "newcomer" even though Helen's lived here for 40 years. They soon have us smiling over their comraderie, their various stories of Prairie City and its history, and their interest in our adventures. Our appreciation for this community grows even more.

On our way out of town, we drop by the post office to mail a package. We're pleasantly surprised to see that the interior of the building showcases the original wooden wall of the postal windows and counters from the old post office, a serendipitous sendoff for our departure from town. Prairie City is a fun place to explore. You won't be disappointed. If you'd like to peek before you plunge, you may wish to start by browsing the town website at www.prairiecityoregon.com/prairie-city-oregon-links.html.