Crook County, Oregon, is located in the heart of the state and was created from Wasco County on October 24, 1882. The original Crook County included what is now Jefferson, Deschutes, Crook, and part of Wheeler Counties. The region was among the last frontiers to be settled in Oregon. The county experienced some violent times with the rise of a vigilante organization that took the law into its own hands and, later, the infamous Sheep and Cattle Wars that pitted cattlemen against sheep men until government control of grazing on public lands was introduced. Although there were turbulent times, the county mostly evolved into a thriving ranching, farming, and lumber-dominated economy. The perseverance of hearty pioneers forged the frontier into a prosperous and socially enriched region.
