Joesph Oregon

   

"Rolling Thunder and Toma" by Dave Manuel

On a recent trip to visit my dad who lives in Wallowa County, Oregon, we wandered the streets of Joesph, named for old and young Chief Joesph who were the chiefs of the band of Nez Perce who lived along rivers and the lake during the summer months, grazing their horses on the meadow grass and lived in the canyons of the Snake, Imnaha, and Grand Ronde rivers in the the cold winter months.

The town of Joesph, population 1,054, has gone from a lumber and tourist town to a tourist and art mecca. Walking the streets there are a large number of art galleries, knick knack and souvenir shops, and restaurants. The town sits on the only road to pristine Wallowa Lake. A clear blue lake of melted snow from the Eagle Cap Wilderness.

"The Sentinel" by Austin Barton

The streets of Joesph are lined with flowers, trees, brickwork, and bronze statues depicting the area. The statues are donated by the artists. There is a man on a bucking horse, a farmer and his dog, Young Chief Joesph, and Young Joesph and his wife Springtime. Along with other statues.

Walking the streets was relaxing and enjoyable and brought back memories of  picnics at the lake and Chief Joesph Day parades we watch when I grew up in the county.

The statue "The Sentinel" by Austin Barton has been my favorite ever since I saw it at my brother's art studio. He molds, welds, and patina's bronze pieces for other artists and creates his own statues. But "The Sentinel" spoke to me and when my first mystery is out you will recognize a statue in the story that is similar to this one.

If you haven't visited NE Oregon and Wallowa County you are missing out on beautiful scenery, relaxed atmosphere, and crystal clear air. There is a reason the white man didn't start homesteading in the valley until the 1860's. It is surrounded by mountains, deep gorges and wide raging rivers. It is an isolated area which many of the locals like even if their main means of income is tourism now that the logging has dwindled.