Pondosa

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

Pondosa is an unincorporated community and ghost town in Union County, Oregon, United States. The town came into being in 1927, when the four Stoddard brothers of La Grande bought land in the area. They moved the sawmill operations of the Grande Ronde Lumber Company in nearby Perry to the site. The town was named after the Ponderosa Pines that dotted the area. A post office was established in 1927. In 1931, Truman Collins of The Collins Companies of Portland bought the mill. The mill was sold again in 1956, this time to Boise Cascade, which made plans to shut down the mill.

The on-the-ground condition of Pondosa 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 Pondosa 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 Pondosa is roughly 45.0081, -117.6428 — 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.