Joseph, Oregon
Joseph is a city of 1,054 people in Wallowa County, Oregon, founded in 1887.
Why visit Joseph
Townapedia lists 20 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails, 9 places to eat and 5 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Dr. J. W. Barnard Building and First National Bank of Joseph, First Bank of Joseph, Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Site and Nez Perce National Historical Park.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 80°F; December lows average 18°F, and about 54 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Joseph
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Joseph
Joseph is a city in Wallowa County, Oregon, United States. Originally named Silver Lake and Lake City, the city formally named itself in 1880 for Chief Joseph (1840–1904) of the Nez Perce people. As of the 2020 census, Joseph had a population of 1,154.
From the Wikipedia article Joseph, Oregon (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks20
Dr. J. W. Barnard Building and First National Bank of Joseph
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic commercial building in Joseph, Oregon, USA
First Bank of Joseph
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic bank building in Joseph, Oregon, USA
Old Chief Joseph Gravesite
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Old Chief Joseph gravesite and cemetery
Aspen Grove Gallery
Museum
602 North Main Street, Joseph
Oct-May: Mo-Sa 10:00-18:00; May-Oct: Mo-Sa 11:00-17:30
Wallowology Natural History Discovery Center
Museum
508 North Main Street, Joseph
Tu-Su 10:00-15:00 "Summer only"
Railrider Cycling Joseph Branch
Monument and historic site · 0.4 mi
501 W Alder Street, Joseph
8 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Site
Hiking and trails · 0.8 mi
Wallowa Lake Highway, Joseph
sunrise-sunset
Restaurants and cafes9
Stubborn Mule Saloon & Steakhouse
Restaurant · Steak House, Burger, Regional
104 South Main Street, Joseph
Tu-Su 11:00-21:00
La Laguna Family Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant · Mexican
100 North Main Street, Joseph
11:00-21:30
Cheyenne Cafe
Restaurant · Regional, Breakfast
209 North Main Street, Joseph
Outlaw Restaurant & Saloon
Restaurant · Burger, American, Sandwich, Ice Cream, Coffee Shop, Steak House, Seafood
108 North Main Street, Joseph
R & R Drive-In
Restaurant · Burger, Ice Cream
301 North Lake Street, Joseph
Where to stay5
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History
Joseph was platted in 1883, and the economy was originally based on the land, especially grain and stock. In 1896 the First Bank of Joseph was robbed; one robber was shot and killed, another shot and captured, and a third escaped with the money. On occasion there have been reenactments of the robbery. After a railroad line was completed to Joseph in 1908, a lumber mill opened, bolstering the economy.
When the timber industry collapsed in the 1980s, local unemployment rate approached 17%. However, in 1982 a new industry was born as three bronze foundries opened in the local area.
The city sponsors the annual Chief Joseph Days Rodeo in late July, Bronze, Blues and Brews in August since 2001, and Alpenfest in September, a Swiss-Bavarian festival staged in Joseph and at nearby Wallowa Lake. Alpenfest resembles an Oktoberfest but has more yodeling and alphorn playing, reflecting the area's reputation as "Oregon's Little Switzerland."
From the History section of Joseph, Oregon on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping13
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries3
Map of Joseph
54 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°F | 19°F | 1.3 in | 10.7 in |
| Feb | 39°F | 19°F | 1.1 in | 9.2 in |
| Mar | 46°F | 26°F | 1.4 in | 10.1 in |
| Apr | 52°F | 30°F | 1.9 in | 6.3 in |
| May | 61°F | 38°F | 2.6 in | 1.1 in |
| Jun | 68°F | 44°F | 1.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 79°F | 49°F | 0.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 49°F | 0.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 71°F | 43°F | 1.1 in | 0.1 in |
| Oct | 56°F | 34°F | 1.4 in | 1.2 in |
| Nov | 43°F | 25°F | 1.4 in | 7.3 in |
| Dec | 35°F | 18°F | 1.3 in | 8.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Joseph (0 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Wallowa County has had 6 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-04-03: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-03-28: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2015-08-21: Grizzly Bear Fire Complex (Fire)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Coastal Storm)
- 2004-02-19: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
La Grande Municipal Airport (LGD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 38 miles away.
- Enterprise 6 mi northwest, about 9 min by car
- Wallowa 21 mi northwest, about 34 min by car
- Cove 28 mi west, about 46 min by car
- Union 33 mi west, about 52 min by car
- Halfway 33 mi south, about 54 min by car
- Elgin 37 mi northwest, about 59 min by car
- Island City 40 mi west, about 1 h by car
- North Powder 40 mi southwest, about 1 h by car
- La Grande 42 mi west, about 1 h by car
- Baker City 50 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Joseph OR - aerial, Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0
- JosephyCenterUpstairs, Dwstruthers, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Josephy-Library, dwstruthers, CC BY-SA 4.0
- JosephyCenterBuildingWinter2015, Dwstruthers, CC BY-SA 4.0
- A one horse town, Joseph, OR. (10776287344), Robert Ashworth from Bellingham, WA., USA, CC BY 2.0
- Joseph OR - aerial 2, Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0
- Old Chief Joseph Gravesite-Wallowa Lake - Joseph Oregon, Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Chief Joseph Mtn, U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain
- Red Barns and Mountains at Joseph, Wallowa Whitman National Forest (25005123072), U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain
- First National Bank of Joseph, Oregon, 2010, Orygun, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Old Joseph Gravesite, NPS, Public domain
- Old Chief Joseph Gravesite and Cemetery-2, Visitor7, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Site 04, CV1958 (Colin Viney), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pond at Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Site, Finetooth, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wallowa-lake-morning-07232011-rogermpeterson-001 (6096632257), Forest Service Northern Region from Missoula, MT, USA, Public domain
- Wallowa Lake in winter, Oregon (40749606002), Bonnie Moreland from Oregon, United States, Public domain
- Snow storm moving across Wallowa Lake, Oregon (40730345752), Bonnie Moreland from Oregon, United States, Public domain
- Блу-Маунтинс, Forest Service, Public domain
- Red Barn with Eagle Cap Wilderness in Background, Wallowa Whitman National Forest (25005141312), U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain
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