It’s About Time
Inside that red circle is the marker of the supposed geographical center of Oregon. Quoting Jerry King a “Google local guide”: Although the locals think this USGS brass disc is the center of Oregon, it actually isn’t. The disc was set along a leveling network over 100 years ago without any consideration of where the center of Oregon was. There are at least 6 recognized technical ways to determine the center of any irregular shape (like a state); all the methods fall within about 10-12 miles of Post, Oregon. So go to Post, buy a cold soda, and say, “I’ve been to the center of Oregon!” I bought a Twix ice cream and two Post postcards.
I’m overnighting in the very small town of Seneca, Oregon, tonight. For the first time since the middle of March, when I cleaned up the coast, I’m photographing post offices. I visited five today, and I have 4 more for tomorrow’s return trip. All the post offices I have left are now in eastern Oregon and are a long way from Fairview. Today’s mileage is a few over 375, and tomorrow’s trip back will be about 325.
Nine post offices in one trip sounds kind of light, and it is, but those 9 are 28% of the post offices I had left to do.
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- Post – I photographed the inside because there wasn’t any signage outside on that building up where the white truck is. (6/27/26)
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- Paulina – I didn’t photograph the inside like I did for Post because Paulia had a sign on the outside. (6/27/26)
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- Canyon City – Kind of a strange location stuck between two two-way streets. (6/27/26)
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- John Day – John Day usually refers to this city or the prominent river in Eastern Oregon. It can also refer to the American fur trapper who inspired these geographic names or a 2013 Indian action thriller film. (6/27/26)
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- Prairie City – I don’t think I have seen this style of post office before, even if you count the over 400 post offices in South Carolina. (6/27/26)
