On January 11,1854 Wasco County was created, and comprised all the area of the Oregon Territory between the Cascade Range (portions of Clackamas, Marion, Linn, and Lane Counties) to the Rocky Mountains with and from latitude 42 degrees (the California border) to Latitude 46 degrees (the Washington border). The name "Wasco" was taken from the Wasco (or Wascopam) tribe of Indians that lived south of the Columbia River, near The Dalles. This was the largest county ever formed in the United States, originally consisting of 130,000 square miles.  Portions of the county became what is now Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming with the remaining portions making up 17 other counties in Oregon which the county to its present 2,392 square miles.

 Wasco County is bordered by two rivers -- the Columbia River to the north and the Deschutes River to the east, and by the Warm Springs Indian Reservation on the south, with Mt. Hood National Forest on the west.  The Dalles was designated the county seat when the county was formed in 1854. Courthouses were built in 1859, 1884, and in 1914. All three buildings are standing today and the 1914 building is still in use as the county courthouse.

 The falls on the Columbia River near The Dalles served as a gathering place and major trading center for many Indians, including the Wasco, Paiute, and Warm Springs. The falls had been named Le Grand Dalles de la Columbia (The Great Falls of the Columbia) by French Canadian fur traders. The Indians of the region were moved to the Warm Springs Reservation in 1855.

 The Dalles had served initially as a way station on the emigrant road to the Willamette Valley. The construction of a pioneer road over the Cascades in 1845 and the Donation Land Act of 1850 brought families to the area to settle. Wasco County became a major transportation hub for both river traffic and inland traffic. River traffic on the Columbia River was profoundly affected in 1935 by the building of Bonneville Dam in Multnomah County and by The Dalles Dam in 1957 in Wasco County. 

Antelope

Antelope Valley was probably named in 1862 by members of the party of Joseph Shearer, while packing supplies into the John Day mines.  There were many antelope in central Oregon in pioneer days which is no doubt the reason for the name of the area.  Antelope post office was established August 7, 1871, with Howard Maupin as the first postmaster. The town  no doubt has a more famous history with the arrival of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and his followers who arrived in the quiet rural town in the 1980s.  Antelope became "Rajneesh" for a brief time but was returned to its former name.  While the town's name was changed by a local vote, the post office maintained the zip code of 97001 as that of Antelope.

Bakeoven

During pioneer gold excitement in Canyon City, an enterprising trader started from The Dalles with a pack train of flour. After crossing the Deschutes River, Indians drove off his horses in the night and left with his supplies.  He constructed a rough clay and stone bakeoven and made bread which he sold to miners and prospectors going to the mines.  The old oven was in existence for many after the owner abandoned it.  The post office of Bake Oven was established December1, 1875, with Mrs. Ellen Burgess the first postmaster.  It was discontinued October 1913 with mail going to Flanagan.  Flanagan in turn was discontinued July 1914 and Bakeoven was re-established on the same date. (See also: Flanagan.)

Boyd

May have been named for T.P. Boyd who settled in the vicinity about 1883.  He operated a flourmill there with his sons.  G.H. Barnett, a local merchant, suggested the name for the post office that was established there March 1884.  John E. Barnett was the first postmaster.

Celilo

 Chenowith

Clarno

Criterion

A post office was established at this located in September 1913.  The name, suggested by J. Elmer Lindsay, was found in the dictionary. The other suggestion was "Three Notches" for the prominent cuts in a juniper tree standing there.  The post office chose "Criterion" as it was shorter, although the locals referred to the area as "Three Notches."  This site is the highest point between the The Dalles-California Highway at elevation of 2262 feet. The post office was closed June 1926.

Cross Hollows

A post office was established here in 1879. Located just south of Shaniko, it was named for the right angle crossing of two canyons.  John Ward maintained a hotel there.

Dufur

The area around present-day Dufur was first settled by Lewis P. Henderson and then by stockmen by the names of Reynolds, Marsh, and Brown.  Later, David Imbler built a farmhouse where the town now stands.  In 1872, Andres J. and E. Burnham Dufur bought a farm where Dufur is now located.  They were members of a well-known Wasco County pioneer family.  When the post office was established there in 1878, it was named for the Dufur Family.  The first postmaster was Chauncey A. Williams.

Endersby

Named for local settler W.E. Endersby. A school by the same name is located about three miles north of Dufur.   A post office was established in 1892 with the same name.  George W. Fligg was the postmaster.

Dant

Frieda was renamed "Dant" for Thomas Dant, president of Dant & Russell, Inc. which operated a perlite mine near there.  The mine was close to the Oregon Trunk Railway in Deschutes Canyon.

English

The post office at English was given its name because it was located on the English farm.  The site is about eight miles southeast of The Dalles near Company Hollow.  The post office was established in 1896 with Christopher C. English the postmaster.  Primarily, the post office was established to serve the nearby farmers--which has been the case for many of the small post offices established in small rural areas.

Fairbanks

The site is located on Fifteenmile Creek near the entrance of Company Hollow.  The Great Southern Railroad established a station there in 1905.  A post office was opened there October 1905. Cyrus Cooper was the postmaster. The office closed in 1909.

Ferry

While the post office started out as "Ferry" in 1912. It was named for William T. Ferry, the postmaster, who had worked on the Celilo Canal project.  It was changed to Dillon ( a railroad station site) in 1914, and then to Celilo in 1915. 

Flanagan

Located on the east side of the Deschutes River, the community of Flanagan is about six miles east of Maupin. The post office was established there in 1905 with John Flanagan the first postmaster. It closed in 1912. (See also: Bakeoven.)

Fort Dalles

Fort Dalles was established as a military post here during the Indian disturbances between 1850 and 1866. It was first called "Fort Drum." One of the last of the fort buildings has been preserved by the Fort  Dalles Historical Society and is used as a museum.

Fort Lee

This post was established at The Dalles during the Cayuse War in the fall of 1847, prior to the establishment of Fort The Dalles. 

Friend

Named for George J. Friend, the post office of the same name was opened in 1903 on Mr. Friend's homestead.  Theo. H. Buskuhl was the first postmaster.

Freebridge

This was a station on the Great Southern Railroad, located about four miles north of Emerson along Fifteenmile Creek, as well as a stage road in the area.  The "Free Bridge" was built by Wasco County to allow a free toll bridge to get from Wasco County to Sherman County rather than pay the toll at the Deschutes River toll bridge located at the mouth of the river. A post office was established here in 1908. Frederick L. Peterson was the first postmaster. It closed in 1910, its mail service being transferred to Wrentham.

Juniper Flat