Oregon is full of unique and marvelous wonders, most of which are in full display for all to see. Crater Lake, Mount Hood, Columbia River Gorge, Multnomah Falls — these grand wonders stand out in the landscape, and command your attention. But there are some extraordinary places that require a bit of patience to discover, or, as in this case, unearth. In the northwest part of the state, near the Oregon/Idaho border, you’ll find Baker County. The county is home to the eponymous Baker City, a bustling town known for striking big during the Gold Rush and its ties to the Oregon Trail. But time hasn’t been as kind to other parts of the county, which is now home to several abandoned towns. But Robinette is different. Robinette isn’t simply a city that’s been forgotten; it’s an underwater ghost town in Oregon that lies, quite literally, at the bottom of a lake.

Northeast Oregon is a beautiful, often-overlooked part of the state, with seemingly endless expanses of rugged land.

Baker County Tourism Travel Baker County/Flickr

The largest city in the county, Baker City is a place that takes a lot of pride in its history. Home to roughly 10,000, the town is the largest in the county; a bustling, big-little city with a proud identity.

Baker County Tourism Travel Baker County/Flickr

But Baker City is a rare success story, as time has not been so kind to other parts of the county.

Baker County Tourism Travel Baker County/Flickr

In the Northeastern corner of the county, you’ll find Brownlee Dam and Reservoir, a favorite spot for fishing and water recreation.

Baker County Tourism Travel Baker County/Flickr

Completed in 1958, the Brownlee Dam is a 420-foot tall manmade wonder, providing 585.4 megawatts of water-produced power to the region.

WaterArchives.org/Flickr

But the reservoir is hiding a deep, dark secret, that’s literally as big as a town.

WaterArchives.org/Flickr

Because prior to 1958, Brownlee Dam was Robinette, an unincorporated town in Baker County.

Baker County Library Digital Archive

Located on the basalt walls of Hells Canyon, Robinette was a small town with its own post office, school, and identity.

Baker County Library Digital Archive

The town was the northern terminus of the Union Pacific Railroad; it was a place people traveled through.

Baker County Library Digital Archive

Robinette was a place where hard-working folks raised families.

Baker County Library Digital Archive

It was a place where children clambered up the steps to a one-room schoolhouse. Robinette was by all definitions a “small” town (having just 46 residents in 1940) – but it was a proud little place.

Baker County Library Digital Archive

But in 1958, tragedy struck. Robinette was inundated that spring as Idaho Power Company’s Brownlee Dam was finished, and the waters of the Snake River water began to back up behind its walls.

Baker County Library Digital Archive

Robinette held on almost until the water began to rise. But the forces of nature ultimately proved to be too much; causing the last remaining residents to leave – and ultimately, swallowing up the town.

kreulen/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Some of Robinette’s buildings were actually moved, an arduous process that ultimately proved to be futile.

Baker County Library Digital Archive

What does remain, however, are the photographs taken by Baker County resident Pete Basche, who documented the demise of this winsome little town.

Baker County Library Digital Archive Many of his photographs are included in this article, thanks to the Baker County Library Digital Archive.

The fall of Robinette is tragically poetic. Who would have thought the Brownlee Reservoir held such secrets?

RCKeller/iStock via Getty Images Plus The next time you’re in Baker County, take a minute to remember the small town of Robinette, and the promise and possibility its town once held.

 

Baker County Tourism Travel Baker County/Flickr

WaterArchives.org/Flickr

Baker County Library Digital Archive

kreulen/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Many of his photographs are included in this article, thanks to the Baker County Library Digital Archive.

RCKeller/iStock via Getty Images Plus

The next time you’re in Baker County, take a minute to remember the small town of Robinette, and the promise and possibility its town once held.

This underwater ghost town in Oregon is proof positive that history is never really buried in the past. It’s always right here, in the present — often quite literally just below the surface. Special thanks to the Baker County Library District for allowing the use of their extensive digital archive in this article.

Curious to uncover more unique Oregon history? The Sunken Village Archeological Site on Sauvie Island is one of the state’s most marvelous historical discoveries; it’s a well-preserved Chinookan village dating back more than 700 years that’s an intriguing place to explore.

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Address: Robinette, OR 97834, USA