Page Contents for Cove, Oregon

Statistics & Facts

History & History-related items

City Attractions

Government

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Statistics & Facts

The Oregon state capital is Salem.
The population of Cove is approximately 507 (1990), 552 (2010).
The approximate number of families is 201 (1990), 240 (2010).
The amount of land area in Cove is 2.101 sq. kilometers.
The amount of surface water is 0 sq kilometers.
The distance from Cove to Washington DC is 2200 miles.
The distance to the Oregon state capital is 267 miles. (as the crow flies)
Cove is positioned 45.29 degrees north of the equator and 117.80 degrees west of the prime meridian.

History & History Related Items

Cove, Oregon, is a beautiful community nestled at the base of 7,132 foot Mount Fanny on the opposite side of the GrandeRonde Valley from the city of La Grande. The area is rich, fertile land, and Cove is noted for its cherry orchards, one of themajor crops in Union County. The town is home to a hot springs swimming pool, which is open to the public during thesummer months.

The name of this community was originally Forest Cove, referring to a spot where Mill Creek flows out of the WallowaMountains. The name was shortened to avoid being confused with Forest Grove on the west side of the state.

In 1862, Samuel Cowles, his neice Fannie Cowles and a newphew, settled on the site of present-day Cove. They came from the mining town of Auburn in Baker County. Not long after they arrived, Fannie Cowles married E.P. McDaniel. Her uncle and new husband formed a partnership in stock raising operating a flour mill and a general merchandise store. Mount Fannie was named in honor of Fannie McDaniel as she was the first white woman to climb the mountain in June of 1863.

A.C. Smith, with John Wagner and Cyrus Barnes, located the warm springs which now furnish water for the swimming pool in present-day Cove. J. W. Hendershott, an early legislator, built his home in the southern boundaries of the Cove area and opened his home as an inn. Later John M. Phy purchased the house and operated a store nearby. John Phy was the father of Frank Phy, who became a sheriff and later county judge, and of Dr. William T. Phy, one of the nation's best known surgeons, who operated the Hot Lake Sanitarium for several years.

James Crawford established the first store, followed by a gist mill set up by Samuel G. French in 1868. A sawmill, church and an Ascension School for Girls was established by 1884. Cove at one time, had a newspaper, first known as the Ledger, published by J. Natt Hudson and later as the Courier under the editorship of Willard B. Nelson.
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The settling of Cove

1862

Attractions

Mount Fanny
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Cove City Government

The community has a mayor/city council form of government, a public library, its own schools, and its own rural firedepartment.

The Cove Warm Springs Swimming Pool
Built in 1933 and beautifully maintained, it's one of the last "flow-thru", non-clorinated public swimming pools in the state. Beautiful! Cove City Hall
504 Alder
Cove, OR 97824
Phone: (541) 568-4566