Ordnance

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

Ordnance is a ghost town in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States, southwest of Hermiston on Interstate 84/U.S. Route 30, near the intersection with Interstate 82. In 1941, the United States Department of War commissioned the establishment of the Umatilla Ordnance Depot (later the Umatilla Army Depot, then the Umatilla Chemical Depot) in northern Umatilla County. The town was named after the depot, and Ordnance post office was established in 1943. Due to gradual reductions in military funding for the area after World War II, by the 1960s, Ordnance was no longer a community.

The on-the-ground condition of Ordnance 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 Ordnance 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 Ordnance is roughly 45.7967, -119.4169 — 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.