Friend

Oregon's ghost towns are timber camps and high-desert gold strikes, preserved by dry air and long distances.

Friend is an unincorporated community in Wasco County in the U.S. state of Oregon. Considered a ghost town, little remains of the community except the Friend Store, a one-room schoolhouse, and a cemetery. Friend was named after George J. Friend. The first post office in the community, established in 1903, was on his homestead. Friend was the end of the line on the Great Southern Railroad. The line was built in 1908 from Dufur, which connected to The Dalles. The depot was closed and service ended on January 5, 1928; the line was abandoned in 1935. Few signs of the track still exist.

The on-the-ground condition of Friend is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Friend is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Friend is roughly 45.3467, -121.2672 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.