Because spelling wasn’t too important in those days, no one seemed to notice that Fort Sumter was spelled without a “P”. The site was established by settlers in 1862 who were farmers and intended to use the land to farm crops. They were overrun by prospectors and miners when gold was discovered and the population zoomed to 3,000. Sumpter flourished for a number of years as new lodes were found and mining operations improved. Dredging operations were employed and continued until the surrounding land including the riverbed and its banks were in ruins. Sumpter could have been a prosperous farming community but not now. Somewhere along the line, the word “Fort” was dropped but the “P” remains. The town has declined since 1916 but some newer buildings have been added among those of yesteryear.

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Baker County | Eastern Oregon

photo by Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives