The High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon, has a gallery which takes visitors on a journey through some of the most dramatic periods in the High Desert. According to the Museum display:
“Thousands of years ago, more than one hundred Native American tribes inhabited the High Desert. During the early 1800s, newcomers began arriving—starting with fur traders and continuing with homesteaders through the early 1900s. A diverse array of immigrants added their stories to the region’s history.”
By the end of the nineteenth century, there were many Euro-American towns in the High Desert region. According to the Museum display:
“In the late 1800s, a diverse array of newcomers and industries created the High Desert’s first settlements. Some mining camps grew into towns; others appeared along freight and stage routes. The arrival of the railroad attracted cattle drives and sheep outfits shipping livestock. Businesses ranged from general stores and hotels, to saddleshops and saloons.”