McDermitt is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

straddling the

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...

–

Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. ...

border, in

Humboldt County, Nevada Humboldt County is a county in the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 17,285. It is a largely rural county that is sparsely populated with the only major city being Winnemucca which has a population of 8,431. Humb ...

, and

Malheur County, Oregon Malheur County () is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the population was 31,571. Its county seat is Vale, and its largest city is Ontario. The county was named after the Malheur River, which runs t ...

, United States. McDermitt's economy has historically been based on mining, ranching, and farming. The last mining operation closed in 1990, resulting in a steady decline in population. As of the 2010 census, the combined population was 513. Seventy-five percent of the residents were American Indian, predominantly

Northern Paiute Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a ...

of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, whose members include

Shoshone people The Shoshone or Shoshoni ( or ) are a Native American tribe with four large cultural/linguistic divisions: * Eastern Shoshone: Wyoming * Northern Shoshone: southern Idaho * Western Shoshone: Nevada, northern Utah * Goshute: western Utah, easte ...

History

The community, originally called Dugout, was named after Fort McDermit. It was named after Lt. Col. Charles McDermit, commander of the Military District of Nevada, who was killed by Indians in a skirmish in the area in 1865. It is not known why there is a discrepancy in the spelling. Fort McDermit, which was outside the current township, was originally established to protect the

stagecoach A stagecoach is a four-wheeled public transport coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. It is strongly sprung and generally drawn by four horses although some versions are dra ...

route from

Virginia City Virginia City is a census-designated place (CDP) that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada, and the largest community in the county. The city is a part of the Reno– Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area. Virginia City developed as a boom ...

through Winnemucca to Silver City,

Idaho Territory The Territory of Idaho was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1863, until July 3, 1890, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as Idaho. History 1860s The territory w ...

. The stage road was the military's most important transportation route in southeast Oregon. The township of Dugout was established as support for Fort McDermit.

Geography and climate

The community is on U.S. Highway 95, north of Winnemucca. The elevation of McDermitt is

above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''. The comb ...

. McDermitt is in the

Oregon High Desert The Oregon high desert is a region of the U.S. state of Oregon located east of the Cascade Range and south of the Blue Mountains, in the central and eastern parts of the state. Divided into a southern region and a northern region, the desert ...

with a

desert climate The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk''), is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in desert ...

( Köppen climate classification '' ''BSk''''), averaging of rain annually with hot, dry summers and cold winters. Most precipitation (47%) occurs from March through June. About 23% occurs from September through November, and 25% from December through February, much as snow. The McDermitt area boasts the longest climatic record in Nevada, with data beginning in 1866. The earliest Nevada climate stations were at Army posts. The

U.S. Army Signal Corps The United States Army Signal Corps (USASC) is a branch of the United States Army that creates and manages communications and information systems for the command and control of combined arms forces. It was established in 1860, the brainchild of Ma ...

was responsible for weather duty in the late 19th century and established the

National Weather Service The National Weather Service (NWS) is an agency of the United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weather-related products to organizations and the public for the ...

in 1870.

Demographics

For statistical purposes, the

census bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

has allocated McDermitt two

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...

s (CDPs), McDermitt, Nevada and Fort McDermitt, Nevada. The Oregon portion of McDermitt is not part of the McDermitt CDP, but is included in the

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

, OR– ID Micropolitan Statistical Area. Essentially the Fort McDermitt CDP entails the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation and the McDermitt CDP entails the adjoining McDermitt township.

Fort McDermitt CDP

As of the US census of 2010, there were 341 people, of which 30% were under the age of 18 years and 11% (39 people) over the age of 65 years. 92% (313 people) were American Indian, with 3.5% (12 people) described as being of two or more races, and 0.6% (two people) were White. There were 125 housing units with 86% (108) described as occupied. There were 108 males for every 100 females.

McDermitt CDP

As of the US census of 2010, there were 172 people, of which 18% were under the age of 18 years and 22% (38 people) over the age of 65 years. 24% (42 people) were American Indian, with 0% described as being of two or more races, and 68% (117 people) were White. There were 101 housing units with 77% (78) described as occupied. There were 110 males for every 100 females.

Economy

McDermitt's economy has historically been based on mining, ranching and farming. In the period 1917 to 1989 it was home to four nationally significant mercury mines in the

McDermitt Caldera The McDermitt Caldera is a large, oval-shaped caldera west of McDermitt in southeastern Oregon and northern Nevada in the United States. It is about long north–south and wide east–west. The western part of the caldera is in the Trout Cre ...

Bretz, Opalite, Cordero and McDermittwhich from 1933 to 1989 were the largest producers in North America. In 1985 of the 16,530 flasks of mercury (each containing produced in the US, 16,337 came from the McDermitt Mine. The closure of mercury mining in 1990 resulted in a significant decline in population. Significant gold mines in the nearby Santa Rosa Mountains were the National that produced in excess of , and the Buckskin National that produced of gold and of silver over the period 1906–1941. Current development activities that may result in renewed mining are at Cordero (gold and silver), Cordero (gallium), Buckskin-National (gold-silver), Aurora (uranium) and Disaster Peak (gold). The largest employers in McDermitt are the Say When Bar, Restaurant & Casino and the McDermitt Combined School.

Points of interest

The state line goes through the White Horse Inn, a historical landmark now being restored, which was a saloon, hotel, and (reportedly) brothel. When it was open, food could be ordered and paid for in Oregon, avoiding the Nevada state

sales tax A sales tax is a tax paid to a governing body for the sales of certain goods and services. Usually laws allow the seller to collect funds for the tax from the consumer at the point of purchase. When a tax on goods or services is paid to a govern ...

Education

Humboldt County School District The Humboldt County School District is a public school district serving K−12 education in Humboldt County, Nevada, in the northwestern part of the state. Its headquarters are in Winnemucca. History The district had 1,547 students in the 19 ...

operates the McDermitt Combined School, a

kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cent ...

–

twelfth grade Twelfth grade, 12th grade, senior year, or grade 12 is the final year of secondary school in most of North America. In other regions, it may also be referred to as class 12 or Year 13. In most countries, students are usually between the ages of 17 ...

(K–12) school, in the Nevada side. The Oregon side is zoned to McDermitt School District 51, a school district, governed by a board of directors, which sends all of its students to McDermitt Combined in Nevada and which does not have any employees. Circa 2006, 16 students, of all grade levels, lived in the district. In 2006 the district possessed a school building that was no longer used. The section of Malheur County in which McDermitt, Oregon is located in is not in any community college district. McDermitt has a

public library A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also civil servants. There are five fundament ...

, a branch of the Humboldt County Library.

Transportation

* McDermitt State Airport

References

External links

Historic images of McDermitt
from Salem Public Library {{DEFAULTSORT:Mcdermitt, Nevada-Oregon Census-designated places in Humboldt County, Nevada Census-designated places in Nevada Divided cities Ontario, Oregon micropolitan area Unincorporated communities in Malheur County, Oregon Unincorporated communities in Oregon Unincorporated communities in Nevada