Drewsey, Oregon

The region around Drewsey was frequented by Paiute tribes long before white settlers arrived. They caught salmon in the river and its tributaries and hunted and foraged on the land. Subsequent clashes between the two cultures led to creation of the Malheur Indian Reservation, which included the Drewsey area, in 1872. There the Paiutes and others were expected to learn about white culture and to become farmers. After further clashes, the Indians were re-located from the Malheur region to reservations elsewhere in the West. By the early 1880s, settlers began establishing themselves in and around Drewsey.{{cite web|title=Drewsey Rural Community|url=http://www.harneycounty.org/Drewsey.html|publisher=Harney County Economic Development|access-date=January 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827165845/http://www.harneycounty.org/Drewsey.html|archive-date=August 27, 2016|url-status=dead}}

Abner Robbins opened a store here in 1883 and named the place "Gouge Eye"{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KdszAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GuEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3625%2C6810275 | title=What, Indeed, Is in a Name? | work=Eugene Register-Guard | date=December 25, 1971 | access-date=April 30, 2015 | last=Reed|first=Ione | page=8}} to commemorate a local dispute. When Robbins applied for a post office, postal authorities did not accept the original name, so he changed it to "Drusy".{{cite book |last= McArthur |first= Lewis A. |author-link= Lewis A. McArthur |last2=McArthur|first2=Lewis L.|author-link2=Lewis L. McArthur|title= Oregon Geographic Names |orig-year= 1928 |edition= 7th |year= 2003 |publisher= Oregon Historical Society Press |location= Portland, Oregon |isbn= 0-87595-277-1 |page=303 }} When the office was established in 1884, however, it was registered under the name "Drewsey".

Drewsey grew rapidly in the late 19th century, depending on farming and ranching for its economic base. The Pacific Livestock Company, two lumbers mills, and other businesses thrived here through the 1920s. However, bypassed by the nearest east−west railway as well as the main highway, Drewsey lost population during the Great Depression and after. In the 21st century, Drewsey consists of a small number of homes, a combined garage and store with a post office, a tavern and restaurant, two churches, and an elementary school.

Drewsey has a steppe climate (Köppen Csb).

{{Weather box

|location = Drewsey, Oregon, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1970–2014

|single line = Yes

|collapsed = Y

|Jan record high F = 60

|Feb record high F = 67

|Mar record high F = 78

|Apr record high F = 89

|May record high F = 100

|Jun record high F = 101

|Jul record high F = 107

|Aug record high F = 104

|Sep record high F = 100

|Oct record high F = 90

|Nov record high F = 75

|Dec record high F = 60

|Jan avg record high F = 48.8

|Feb avg record high F = 54.2

|Mar avg record high F = 68.0

|Apr avg record high F = 78.5

|May avg record high F = 88.0

|Jun avg record high F = 94.2

|Jul avg record high F = 100.1

|Aug avg record high F = 98.8

|Sep avg record high F = 92.6

|Oct avg record high F = 80.7

|Nov avg record high F = 63.7

|Dec avg record high F = 49.7

|year avg record high F = 100.9

|Jan high F = 35.4

|Feb high F = 41.6

|Mar high F = 52.3

|Apr high F = 59.9

|May high F = 69.5

|Jun high F = 77.7

|Jul high F = 89.7

|Aug high F = 87.9

|Sep high F = 78.7

|Oct high F = 63.6

|Nov high F = 45.9

|Dec high F = 34.6

|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 25.9

|Feb mean F = 30.9

|Mar mean F = 38.7

|Apr mean F = 44.3

|May mean F = 53.2

|Jun mean F = 60.5

|Jul mean F = 69.2

|Aug mean F = 66.7

|Sep mean F = 57.6

|Oct mean F = 45.3

|Nov mean F = 33.4

|Dec mean F = 24.9

|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 16.5

|Feb low F = 20.3

|Mar low F = 25.0

|Apr low F = 28.8

|May low F = 36.9

|Jun low F = 43.3

|Jul low F = 48.7

|Aug low F = 45.6

|Sep low F = 36.6

|Oct low F = 26.9

|Nov low F = 21.0

|Dec low F = 15.2

|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = -4.8

|Feb avg record low F = 0.4

|Mar avg record low F = 12.4

|Apr avg record low F = 16.2

|May avg record low F = 22.0

|Jun avg record low F = 31.3

|Jul avg record low F = 36.6

|Aug avg record low F = 33.5

|Sep avg record low F = 22.5

|Oct avg record low F = 12.4

|Nov avg record low F = 4.3

|Dec avg record low F = -5.4

|year avg record low F = -14.7

|Jan record low F = -27

|Feb record low F = -33

|Mar record low F = 2

|Apr record low F = 9

|May record low F = 13

|Jun record low F = 25

|Jul record low F = 29

|Aug record low F = 26

|Sep record low F = 11

|Oct record low F = -5

|Nov record low F = -17

|Dec record low F = -36

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 1.52

|Feb precipitation inch = 1.03

|Mar precipitation inch = 1.01

|Apr precipitation inch = 0.90

|May precipitation inch = 1.11

|Jun precipitation inch = 0.90

|Jul precipitation inch = 0.37

|Aug precipitation inch = 0.28

|Sep precipitation inch = 0.44

|Oct precipitation inch = 0.82

|Nov precipitation inch = 1.17

|Dec precipitation inch = 1.58

|year precipitation inch =

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

|Jan precipitation days = 9.5

|Feb precipitation days = 7.9

|Mar precipitation days = 7.8

|Apr precipitation days = 9.0

|May precipitation days = 7.8

|Jun precipitation days = 6.3

|Jul precipitation days = 2.7

|Aug precipitation days = 2.6

|Sep precipitation days = 2.7

|Oct precipitation days = 5.3

|Nov precipitation days = 9.5

|Dec precipitation days = 10.1

|Jan snow inch = 10.2

|Feb snow inch = 7.1

|Mar snow inch = 1.9

|Apr snow inch = 0.6

|May snow inch = 0.0

|Jun snow inch = 0.0

|Jul snow inch = 0.0

|Aug snow inch = 0.0

|Sep snow inch = 0.0

|Oct snow inch = 0.1

|Nov snow inch = 3.6

|Dec snow inch = 12.4

|year snow inch =

|unit snow days = 0.1 in

|Jan snow days = 5.5

|Feb snow days = 3.4

|Mar snow days = 1.4

|Apr snow days = 0.4

|May snow days = 0.0

|Jun snow days = 0.0

|Jul snow days = 0.0

|Aug snow days = 0.0

|Sep snow days = 0.0

|Oct snow days = 0.0

|Nov snow days = 2.2

|Dec snow days = 6.0

|source 1 = NOAA

{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00352415&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Drewsey, OR

|access-date = May 28, 2023

}}

|source 2 = National Weather Service (mean maxima/minima 1981–2010)

{{cite web

|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=boi

|publisher = National Weather Service

|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Boise

|access-date = May 28, 2023

}}

}}

Although Drewsey is officially in the Pacific Time Zone, some residents choose to unofficially observe the Mountain Time Zone due to close proximity to Malheur County. Despite this, Pacific Time is strictly adhered to by businesses and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

File:Drewsey Or (2) (5773938102).jpg

Drewsey Elementary School is in Drewsey. It serves children in kindergarten through grade 8.{{cite web|title=Drewsey Elementary School District|url=http://cranehighschool.org/index.php/rural-feeder-districts/drewsey-elementary|publisher=Crane Union High School|year=2016|access-date=January 7, 2016}} In 1985, the enrollment was 20. That year, Drewsey elementary used commodity foods as its main foodservice. The foods chosen by the school differed from foods served in urban areas at the time, as ranching communities in Oregon had emphasis on food like casseroles as well as roasted and stewed dishes. The school, prior to 1985 had made daily snacks, and in 1985 served desserts and used peanuts as an occasional snack.{{cite news|last=Braymen|first=Pauline|title=Commodity foods ease costs in many schools|newspaper=The Oregonian|date=1985-03-05|page=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/169457990/ FD3]|via=Newspapers.com}}

Pine Creek Elementary School also has a Drewsy address.{{cite web|url=https://cdn5-ss1.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_20449176/File/Resources/Oregon%20School%20Guide.pdf|title=Oregon School Guide 2016-17|publisher=School District Publishing, LLC|place=Bear, Delaware|accessdate=2022-07-15|quote=Pine Creek Elementary School District 5 79668 Pine Creek Road Drewsey, OR 97904}} In 1969 Pine Creek Elementary had 8 students.{{cite news|title=Desert School Enrolls 2|newspaper=Statesman Journal|place=Salem, Oregon|date=1969-01-01|page=5 of Section 1}} - [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105730804/ Clipping] from Newspapers.com. In 1985, Pine Creek students heated lunches brought from their residences in the school microwave, instead of having school-served lunches.

High school students are zoned to Crane Union High School,{{cite web|url=https://www.craneedu.org/elementary/rural-feeder-districts|title=CUHS Rural Feeder School Districts|publisher=Crane Union High School|accessdate=2022-07-15}} of Harney County Union High School District 1J.{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st41_or/schooldistrict_maps/c41025_harney/DC20SD_C41025.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Harney County, OR|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|accessdate=2022-07-15}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st41_or/schooldistrict_maps/c41025_harney/DC20SD_C41025_SD2MS.txt Text list]

Harney County is not in a community college district but has a "contract out of district" (COD) with Treasure Valley Community College.{{cite web|url=https://www.clatsopcc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/02-2-OR-CC-color-map.pdf|title=Oregon Community Colleges and Community College Districts|publisher=Oregon Department of Community Colleges & Workforce Development|accessdate=2022-07-17}} TVCC operates the Burns Outreach Center in Burns.{{cite web|url=http://harneycounty.chambermaster.com/list/member/tvcc-burns-outreach-center-217|title=Burns Outreach Center|publisher=Treasure Valley Community College|accessdate=2022-07-17}}

File:Drewsey Or (3) (5773400213).jpg

In the 21st century, there is an unmanned park-and-ride bus stop {{convert|2|mi|km}} south of Drewsey on Route 20 at Drewsey Road, of the Eastern Public Oregon Intercity Transit (POINT) bus line between Bend and Ontario. The bus makes one stop per day in each direction.{{cite web |url= http://www.oregon-point.com/eastern_point_schedules.php |title= Eastern POINT Schedule |publisher= Oregon Department of Transportation |access-date= January 5, 2016 |archive-date= November 4, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161104230109/http://www.oregon-point.com/eastern_point_schedules.php |url-status= dead }}

Two roads for cars and trucks lead to the community. Drewsey Road links Drewsey to Route 20, to the south. Drewsey Market Road connects to rural locations to the west along the Malheur River.

In 1989, Nellie Nix of The Bulletin described the catchment area of Harney District Hospital in Burns as being Harney County.{{cite news|last=Nix|first=Nellie|title=Hospital hopes to hire manager, create district|newspaper=The Bulletin|date=1989-12-12|page=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/169868521/ B-1]|via=Newspapers.com}} In 2005, Harney District Hospital provided a traveling doctor in a mobile trailer for southern parts of the county, which included Drewsey.{{cite news|last=Preusch|first=Matthew|title=Doctor does house calls for entire Oregon towns|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=Statesman Journal|date=2005-05-29|page=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/169800834/ 10C]|via=Newspapers.com}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Commonscat}}

• [http://photos.salemhistory.net/cdm4/results.php?CISOOP1=any&CISOBOX1=Drewsey&CISOFIELD1=CISOSEARCHALL&CISOROOT=all Historic images of Drewsey from Salem Public Library]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060715171652/http://historicphotoarchive.com/caps2/00127.html Historic image of the Globe Saloon in Drewsey]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060716141147/http://historicphotoarchive.com/caps2/00125.html Historic image of the Swede Saloon in Drewsey]

{{Harney County, Oregon}}

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Category:Unincorporated communities in Harney County, Oregon

Category:Populated places established in 1883

Category:1884 establishments in Oregon

Category:Populated places established in 1884

Category:Unincorporated communities in Oregon