Ione, OR

Ione is a city in Morrow County, Oregon, along Oregon Route 74, about 18 miles northwest of Heppner, 25 miles south of the Columbia River, and 30 miles northwest of the Blue Mountains. The 2020 census counted 337 people. Willow Creek runs through town, and Route 74 forms part of the 130-mile Blue Mountain Scenic Byway. Sheep ranching shaped the early settlement, while wheat farming and cattle ranching remain important land uses. Elisha Sperry named the town after Ione Arthur, a girl visiting his family, and the post office opened in 1884.

Ione incorporated in 1899, and its present-day calendar still has a strong local shape. Ione Community School and Creative Care Preschool serve families in town, while the Fourth of July celebration brings a car show, parade, live music, and fireworks; a 1,000-yard shoot helps fund children's activities. The historic Oregon Trail passes near the Well Springs site, adding an older travel route to the modern byway and farm roads. The local scoop is a Willow Creek town where sheep, wheat, cattle, school, and summer celebration all sit along the route into the Blue Mountains.