Welcome...

Welcome to Malheur County.  We are located in Eastern Oregon along the Oregon-Idaho border.  Malheur County has a rich history with a diverse population that have played an important part in that history.  That diverse population was influenced by French Trappers, Basque shepherds, Japanese citizens who were interred in relocation camps like the Minidoka Relocation Camp and the Tulelake Relocation Center during World War II.  Malheur County has a hard working group of Hispanic American citizens as well as a small group of Northern Paiute Native Americans who reside near the Nevada border in the community of McDermitt, Or.  Many of those early American Pioneers who traveled on the Oregon Trail passed through Malheur County’s county seat, Vale, Oregon.

Malheur County is the second largest county in Oregon occupying 9,926 square miles.  It has three primary communities.  Vale is the county seat. Ontario is the main population center with a population exceeding 11,000.   There are approximately 512,000 people living within one-hour driving distance of Ontario.  Nyssa is known as the Thunderegg Capital of the World.  A majority of the county consists of rangeland, which is controlled by the federal Bureau of Land Management.

Ontario is the home of Treasure Valley Community College, Holy Rosary Medical Center, and the Four Rivers Cultural Center.  The quality of life that the citizens of Malheur County enjoy includes hunting, fishing, golfing, camping, hiking, and water related activities.  The local economy is centered around agriculture and ranching.