BAKER CITY

baker city, a city and the county-seat of baker county, oregon, u.s.a., about 337 m. e. by s. of portland. pop. (1890) [v.03 p.0229] 2604; (1900) 6663 (1017 foreign-born); (1910) 6742. the city is served by the oregon railroad & navigation company, and by the sumpter valley railway, a short line (62 m.) extending from baker city to austin, oregon. baker city lies in the valley of powder river, at the base of the blue mountains, and has an elevation of about 3440 ft. above the sea. it is the largest city in eastern oregon, and is the centre of important mining, lumber, farming and live-stock interests. it was laid out as a town in 1865, became the county-seat in 1868, and was chartered as a city in 1874. the county and the city were named in honour of edward dickinson baker (1811-1861), a political leader, orator and soldier, who was born in london, england, was taken to the united states in 1815, was a representative in congress from illinois in 1845-1846 and 1849-1851, served in the mexican war as a colonel (1846-1847), became a prominent lawyer in california and later in oregon, was a republican member of the united states senate in 1860-1861 and was killed at ball's bluff, virginia, on the 21st of october in 1861, while serving as a colonel in the federal army.