Diamond, Oregon

Diamond, Oregon
Unincorporated community
Hotel Diamond
Diamond Show map of Oregon Diamond Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 43°00′44″N 118°39′58″W
Country	United States
State	Oregon
County	Harney
Elevation	4,219 ft (1,286 m)
Time zone	UTC-8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP codes	97722
Area code	541
Coordinates and elevation from United States Geological Survey[1]

Diamond is an unincorporated community in Harney County, Oregon, United States. Diamond is west of Oregon Route 205 and south of Malheur Lake, 52 miles (84 km) south-southeast of Burns by highway.[2] Its post office is assigned ZIP code 97722.[3]

History

Settled in 1874–75, the community got its name from a diamond-shaped branding iron used by a local cattle rancher on the Diamond Ranch.[2] Diamond Craters, the Diamond post office, and other features in the vicinity took their name from the ranch, established in the area by the pioneer settler Mace McCoy. A post office was established at Diamond in 1887.[4]

Another early settler, Minerva J. (Dolly) Kiger, is credited with applying the name of the ranch to the community in 1874.[4] She also named Kiger Creek, which originates on Steens Mountain and enters Swamp Creek near Diamond, and she named two other nearby steams, Cucamonga Creek and McCoy Creek.[4]

Geography

Diamond lies along Swamp Creek at the head of Diamond Valley, northwest of Steens Mountain in southeastern Oregon. Swamp Creek flows into Diamond Swamp, a short distance down the valley. The swamp is part of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Diamond Lane, which runs generally east–west, links the community to Route 205 between Frenchglen to the south and Burns to the north.[5]

Adjacent to the swamp on the east is Diamond Craters, about 6 miles (10 km) northwest of Diamond.[5] This 23-square-mile (60 km^2) area of diverse basaltic features is protected as an Outstanding Natural Area, overseen by the Bureau of Land Management.[6]

Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Diamond has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.[7]

Education

The zoned K-8 school is Diamond Elementary School.[8]

High school students are zoned to Crane Union High School,[9] of Harney County Union High School District 1J.[10]

Harney County is not in a community college district but has a "contract out of district" (COD) with Treasure Valley Community College.[11] TVCC operates the Burns Outreach Center in Burns.[12]

References

1. "Diamond". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. November 28, 1980. Retrieved August 24, 2009.
2. "Community". Harney County Chamber of Commerce. 2014. Archived from the original on November 6, 2014. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
3. "Diamond, Oregon". CD Light. 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
4. McArthur, Lewis A.; McArthur, Lewis L. (2003) [1928]. Oregon Geographic Names (7th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. pp. 286, 533–34. ISBN 0-87595-277-1.
5. "United States Topographic Map". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 4, 2016 – via Acme Mapper.
6. "Diamond Craters Outstanding Natural Area". Bureau of Land Management. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
7. "Diamond, Oregon". Weatherbase. CantyMedia. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
8. "Education". Harney County Economic Development. Retrieved July 15, 2022. Diamond Elementary School 40524 South Diamond Lane Diamond, OR 97722
9. "CUHS Rural Feeder School Districts". Crane Union High School. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
10. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Harney County, OR" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 15, 2022. - Text list
11. "Oregon Community Colleges and Community College Districts" (PDF). Oregon Department of Community Colleges & Workforce Development. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
12. "Burns Outreach Center". Treasure Valley Community College. Retrieved July 17, 2022.