About Harney County

The roughly 7,200 residents of Harney County are made up of a family ranching community, the vibrant Burns Paiute Tribe, a strong network of artists, employees of natural resource management agencies, and a bevy of small business owners' among many other groups. Some of us are recent transplants to the community, while others can trace their roots here back to the 1860s. The timber industry created boomtowns of Burns and Hines from the 1930s to 80s, and its decline in the early 90s took many jobs and a chunk of the population away. But Harney Countians have remained resilient by developing new visions for the future, while continuing to celebrate our rich traditions.

We have a history of working collaboratively in the face of challenges' economic, political, and otherwise. When you live in a rural community like Harney County, you will be faced with people who have beliefs or a lifestyle that may differ greatly from your own. You will see and work with many of these same people across many different parts of your life, whether you're at the annual county fair, picking up the kids from school, or competing with your team at the Chili Cook-off. The great thing is this exposure, by necessity, leads to an acceptance of and respect for one another that is rare to find in today's polarized world. This is a place where people of diverse backgrounds are able to put aside differences and come together to work toward common interests and goals.