Oregon County is described in the Encyclopedia of the History of Missouri (1901) as: "The county in the southern part of the state, bounded on the north by Shannon and Carter, east by Carter and Ripley, south by the state of Arkansas, and west by Howell County; area 491,000 acres."
Oregon County was formed in 1845 from Ripley County and was named for the Oregon Territory. The town of Thayer was named in 1886 by the circuit court to honor Nathaniel Thayer of Boston, an important stockholder in the Frisco railroad. By 1890 the population had almost doubled again from 1880 to 10,467.
Oregon County offers the pleasure of beautiful natural surroundings while providing all the necessities of modern living! The county school system consists of four excellent schools, each with twelve grades and kindergarten, maintaining a good study curriculum plus active sports programs.
Golf, tennis and swimming can be enjoyed in a choice of public locations. A national bus line also provides passenger service. Several social and civic organizations, including 4-H, Little League and Scouting, offer rewarding activities, and religious congregations welcome new members.
Burlington Northern Railroad and a curtain factory are the largest single employers in Thayer. There is also a lumber company, a large nursing home, two feed mills and other employment opportunities. Residents, local farmers and tourists find ample retail facilities in Thayer with three shopping centers plus a good downtown shopping district.
Several sawmills and lumberyards form an important part of the local economy. One of the largest wholesale and retail lumberyards in all of south Missouri operates in Thayer.
Nearby West Plains, Missouri, a town of about Eleven thousand people offers many employment, dining, shopping, and entertainment options and is a short drive from Thayer or Mammoth Spring.
Rediscover those pleasant old times in the friendly Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas area! An amicable truce has been enacted here between Nature and Progress. Modern services and growing industries have been established without violating the basic natural order. Urban conveniences co-exist with a full spectrum of country living.
Agriculture is the leading economic activity in Oregon County, as it is for the United States as a whole. There are large ranches as well as many small farms, creating an ideal atmosphere for the retiree, the beginner and the specialized stock breeder as well as the big-time rancher. The main sources of farm income for Oregon County are beef cattle and dairy farming.
The beef industry is supported by the land's outstanding ability to produce pasture and hay. Largely composed of moisture retaining clay subsoils, the area's soil is particularly well suited to improved grasses. Lespedeza, ladino, red and sweet clovers, orchard grass, tall fescue, timothy and redtop lead the list of pasture grasses flourishing in local fields. The soil is also ideal for woodland.
A large and varied wildlife population, including deer, fox, raccoon, possum, squirrel and rabbit plus quail and wild turkey, finds a home in Oregon County's forests, creating a paradise for the hunter. Excellent opportunities for all outdoor sports await in Oregon County!
Many small streams offer privacy for the angler and the free-flowing Eleven Point River winds its way through the county for more than fifty miles. Its waters are alive with small - and largemouth bass, catfish, "jack salmon" and rainbow trout.
The Eleven Point River and Spring River are also popular with canoeists, boasting both serene natural beauty and challenging stretches of "white water" and rapids. A long section of this river has been put under the protection of the National Scenic Riverways Act, and will be preserved in its natural state. Camping way out in the "backwoods" brings back the days of the pioneers!
There are far too many attractions in this part of Southern Missouri in the beautiful Ozark Mountains to name them all. Whether you are looking for a wonderful townhome in West Plains, Missouri, a secluded hunting property tucked in the Mark Twain National Forest near the Eleven Point River, or anything in between, we have it all!