PLSO The Oregon Surveyor March April 2020

Vol. 43, No. 2 The Oregon Surveyor  | The Lost Surveyor 26 References • Oregon Book of Geographic Names, Sixth Edition • https://www.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2008/06/oregons_smallest_city_a_mile_h.html • https://www.historicsumpter.com/greenhorn-oregon-ghost-town/ • “Oregon’s Golden Years: Bonanza of the West” by Miles F. Potter • https://books.google.com/books?id=yHIeSIc5ODEC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA138#v=onepage&q=greenhorn&f=false day version we know today. A retrace- ment map of Greenhorn was completed by WilliamWells, PLS in 1987 and is filed in both Grant and Baker Counties. Sheet 2 of the Baker County version is shown here. (Photo 7) From Greenhorn the Ghost Town Tour continues through Granite, Bourne, and Sumpter and ends in Cornucopia. Bourne is home to a half dozen or so buildings and what appears to be at least one ac- tive mining claim. A sign entering Bourne reads “Bourne, Oregon – Population: Just a few—Warning: Low Lives, Thieves, Dog Kickers, and Speeders will be used for Scientific Experiments.” Of course, it appears these rules are community en- forced, but given the condition of the road I think there are no worries about speeders in town. Granite and Sumpter, can each consume quite a bit of time and are rich in fasci- nating Oregon mining history. With too many miles, too much history and too lit- tle time this trip ended in Sumpter leaving Cornucopia unvisited. However, via Face- book, I’ve been assured by Robert Taylor, PLS that a personal tour of Cornucopia awaits as soon as I can get to Halfway, Oregon. No doubt another Lost Survey- or awaits as well. Author’s note: Attempting to travel to Greenhorn directly from John Day using the locally available motorcycle route map may be risky even as a surveyor. Now affectionately named “the stupid map” by my trusted co-pilot. This map can lead you (in her small low clear- ance 2WD Jeep Patriot) to the snow line near the top of Vinegar Hill, but short of Greenhorn. Now…if you aren’t quite de- termined to prove the 4x4’ers wrong after they wave you off, you might not make the snow line with your 2WD. “Yes!,” they were wrong and it was quite exciting!  x Photo 6: Greenhorn patent document issued to Simeon C. Richardson.