Currently considered one of Oregon’s most representative “living” ghost towns, Shaniko was known for a short time in the early 1900s as the “Wool Shipping Center of the World.” This reflects the era’s high demand for wool needed for clothing, blankets and military uniforms. The region’s abundant grass and dry climate made it ideal for raising millions of sheep. Thanks to the completion of the Columbia Southern Railroad in 1901, which connected the Columbia Gorge with Shaniko, this town remained for ten years the principal shipping point for much of interior Oregon. During this period, numerous stage and freight routes operated out of the town, linking it with communities to the south and east. Visitors often stay at the historic Shaniko Hotel, rebuilt in 1901 after a disastrous fire. It was completely renovated in 2001 and is on the National Register of Historic places.