By Sabah Karimi
Canyon City is a small town located in Oregon that was founded during the peak of the gold rush. The town is located a short drive northwest of Canyon Mountain and is home to several antique stores, a handful of museums and locally-owned shops. It has maintained many of its 19th century traditions and customs, hosting a number of community events and festivals throughout the year. If you're driving through Canyon City or headed here for a vacation, you will find a number of interesting things to do around town.
Visit the Grant County Historical Museum
The Grant County Historical Museum is home to the two-headed calf and human skulls, mannequins of old residents and dozens of artifacts and antiques from local farmers, homesteaders and horse trainers that once resided in Grant County. Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the grounds to learn more about each of the fascinating exhibits and walk through an old wooden jail.
Grant County Historical Museum
101 South Canyon City Boulevard
Canyon City, Oregon
(541) 575-0362
gchistoricalmuseum.com
Shop for Saddles at the Ox Bow Trade Company
The Ox Bow Trade Company is located inside a former dance hall and sells a variety of buggies, wagons, carriages and saddles. The store also boasts a vast selection of antique traps, ox yokes, sleigh robes and several new horse-drawn vehicles. Visit here to learn more about what life was like during the gold rush, and pick up some horse riding accessories.
Ox Bow Trade Company
Highway 395 South
Canyon City, Oregon 97820
(541) 575-2911
oxbowtradeco.com
Visit the Canyon City Community Center
The Canyon City Community Center is the place for local residents to socialize and participate in community events. However, visitors can stop to see community photographs, pick up maps and brochures or participate in any of the festivals and social events throughout the year. The center is also within a short drive from the Grant County Fairgrounds that hosts a number of educational and recreational events throughout the year, and the Kam Wah Chung Historic Wayside, a large public park suitable for hiking and picnicking.
Canyon City Community Center
123 South Washington
Canyon City, Oregon 97820
(541) 575-0509
oregoncities.us/canyoncity/index.htm
Camp at John Day Canyon City Parks
The John Day Canyon City Parks and RV Park is located a short drive from the city center and attracts both tourists and residents who want to camp near the Canyon Mountain. The park features several picnic tables, RV hook-up stations, fishing sites along the river and spacious play areas. You can head out here for a few days of camping, go hiking around the park or just spend the day by the water.
John Day Canyon City Parks and RV Park
123 Northeast 7th Street
John Day, Oregon 97845
(541) 575-0110
Relax at Kam Wah Chung Historic Wayside
The Kam Wah Chung Historic Wayside is a large public park area off West Main Street and John DayHighway in Canyon City. You can pack a picnic and stay here for the day to take in the fresh mountain air, hike the trails around the park and enjoy the natural scenery. Kam Wah Chung Historic Wayside is also a popular venue for music festivals and home to a dedicated play area for young children, as well as an historic museum that showcases the legacy of Chinese immigrants in Canyon City and John Day, Oregon.
Kam Wah Chung Historic Wayside and Museum
125 Northwest Bridge Street
John Day, Oregon 97845
(541) 575-2800
Resources
About the Author:
Sabah Karimi is a professional web and print copywriter with an educational background in Business Administration and Marketing from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. She writes in several niches including travel, fashion, beauty, health, fitness, lifestyle and small business. Karimi received a Top Content Creator Award from Demand Studios in 2009.
