Union County, Oregon
| Union County, Oregon | |
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Union County Courthouse in La Grande
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 Location in the U.S. state of Oregon |
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 Oregon's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | October 14, 1864 |
| Seat | La Grande |
| Largest city | La Grande |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2,039 sq mi (5,281 km2) |
| • Land | 2,037 sq mi (5,276 km2) |
| • Water | 1.9 sq mi (5 km2), 0.1% |
| Population (est.) | |
| • (2015) | 25,790 |
| • Density | 13/sq mi (5/km²) |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
| Time zone | Pacific: UTC-8/-7 |
| Website | www |
Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 census, the population was 25,748. Its county seat is La Grande.
Union County comprises the La Grande, OR Micropolitan Statistical Area. It is one of the eight counties of eastern Oregon.
According to Oregon Geographic Names, the county is named for the town of Union. Union County was originally part of Wasco County. The northern end of the Grande Ronde Valley was the first part to be settled. During the 1860s, population growth in eastern Oregon prompted the State Legislature to split Umatilla and Baker Counties from Wasco County in 1862. Further settlement in the Grande Ronde Valley led to the division of Baker County to create Union County on October 14, 1864. The county doubled in population between 1880 and 1890.
The choice of a county seat resulted in competition, based on geography and on economic and population growth, between La Grande and the city of Union. The county seat alternated between Union and La Grande until it permanently came to rest at La Grande in 1905. Between 1875 and 1913, adjustments were made between Union County's borders and the borders of Baker, Umatilla, and Wallowa counties.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,039 square miles (5,280 km2), of which 2,037 square miles (5,280 km2) is land and 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2) (0.1%) is water. The Forest Service owns 47% of the land in the county.
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