Flora - an Oregon ghost town on a beautiful plateau
Note: Flora is a "side trip" from our camping trip to Wallowa Lake, and distances and directions are from the town of Joseph, Oregon 6 miles north of Wallowa Lake.
Aerial photo of Flora by Sam Beebe, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9437816
Flora is an unincorporated community in Wallowa County Oregon United States, at an elevation of 4,350 feet. It is located about 35 miles north of Enterprise just off Oregon Route 3 and is considered a ghost town. (List of ghost towns in Oregon - Wikipedia)
Flora was platted on April 7, 1897. By 1910, it had a population of 200 residents and an eight-room school. It is considered "the most substantial town to fail" in the Northeast Oregon region.
The community was named after the daughter of the first postmaster, A. D. Buzzard. Flora post office operated from 1890–1966. The Flora School, built in 1915, is on the National Register of Historic Places and is now known as the Flora School Education Center, and restored as a pioneer arts education center.
LATITUDE/LONGITUDE: 45.9001471,-117.3186429
STARTING POINT: Joseph, Oregon
DISTANCE FROM STARTING POINT: 43 miles
TIME TO REACH: 47 minutes
ROAD SURFACE: Paved
WHEN ACCESSIBLE: Year round, but may be limited by snowfall
FEES: None
RECOMMENDED VEHICLES: All vehicles, unless all wheel drive required due to snow
PET FRIENDLY: Yes
WHEN WE WENT: Late summer
Getting There
From Joseph, Oregon:
Head west on E Wallowa Ave toward Main St
Turn right at the 1st cross street onto OR-82 W/N Main St
Turn left onto W North St
Turn right at the 1st cross street onto OR-3 N/NW 1st St
Continue to follow OR-3 N
Slight left onto Flora Ln
Turn right onto Church St
I'm Here - Now What?
Motorized vehicles and bicycles
Photography
Wildlife and plant viewing
Hiking
Biking
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