Praying for Oregon Counties: Gilliam

Grain elevators, Condon

The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered with grain; they shout for joy, they also sing. Psalm 65:13

If we are traveling east along I-84 from Sherman County, the next in line, and very similar, is Gilliam County. It also lies at the heart of the Columbia River Plateau wheat-growing area and is known for its production of wheat, barley and cattle.

Gilliam County was created in 1885 and named after Cornelius Gilliam who was a major participant in the Cayuse War that took place after the Whitman Massacre. Arlington was originally the county seat but it was later moved 38 miles south to Condon.

Arlington is the area of Gilliam County I am most familiar with as it was a favorite stopping place on trips to and from Idaho. Arlington is also a good place for windfarms, with some large ones just outside of town. Arlington’s population is just under 600. During the 1960’s the town was relocated to higher ground to keep from being flooded when the John Day Dam was built.

 In 1927 Arlington had one dentist, Dr. Carl Severinsen, whose wife Minnie Mae gave birth to a son called “Doc” after his father. Doc Severinsen learned to play the cornet at an early age and went on to became famous as the band leader for the Johnny Carson show.  

There is a Methodist church in Arlington, and a Church of t.he Nazarene. While the Methodist church probably came first since research shows the original building was built in 1883, the Nazarene Church, built in 1899, was the oldest building in town until 2013. That year there were a series of arson fires in Arlington. In July the church was damaged by fire. The congregation had just completed repairs from that fire when a second one burned it to the ground on November 12. At the time of the fire the Nazarene pastor, David Gossett, is reported to have said, “No matter what happens to the building, the church survived.” While investigators decided it was, indeed, arson, the congregation spoke of forgiveness and rebuilding, completing a new building over the next few years. As far as I could find the arsonist was never identified.

Condon is the county seat of Gilliam County. It rivals Arlington in population with just under 700 residents. While Arlington is just off I-84 and near the Columbia River, Condon is 38 miles south on OR 19 in the heart of the wheat fields. Arlington has Doc Severinsen, but Condon was home to a couple of Nobel Prize winners, Linus Pauling and William P. Murphy. Condon has two churches, the United Church of Christ and Condon Baptist Church.

The Condon main street is registered on the National Register of Historic Places. Currently the city is working with businesses to further improve the downtown and attract more business.

The county has a county court system of government with Judge Elizabeth A. Farrar and commissioners Sherrie Wilkins and Pat Shannon.

How do we pray for Gilliam County?

And they shall rebuild the old ruins. They shall raise up the former desolations... Isaiah 61:4

Pray for wisdom for the leadership including Judge Farrar and commissioners Sherrie Wilkins and Pat Shannon. Pray for Sheriff Gary Bettencourt,

Pray for the churches of Gilliam County, including the Condon Baptist Church, United Church of Christ, the United Methodist Church and especially the Church of the Nazarene in Arlington.

Pray for all those who pass through Gilliam County over I-84 or the Columbia River.