The historic Wild West town with just 30 residents could become permanently empty if it can’t raise money fast.
Update (March 10, 2026): Shaniko has found a last-minute lifeline. The tiny Oregon town has agreed to sell its historic Old City Hall building to longtime local steward Ernie Martin for $50,000, a move officials say should stabilize finances and help keep the city of about 30 residents from going fully ghost town. Mayor Mark Haskett said Martin is a natural fit to take on the landmark because he already owns and has helped restore several other historic Shaniko properties. The building is expected to remain open to the public.
This is a modern day Back to the Future sitch.
A historic Wild West rural town in Oregon with only about 30 folks is about to financially empty and dunzo if it can’t raise money immediately.
The almost obsolete area known as Shaniko sits around 40 miles northeast of the city of Madras. The town was once a bustling shipping district for sheep herders and wool buyers.
Back in the day, the population peaked at an estimated 600 residents around 1910.
Many of the town’s OG Old West structures and framing miraculously still exist today. In fact, Shaniko now markets itself as Oregon’s only living ghost town.
But that identity could soon turn into something much more literal.
If the town cannot pay off its mounting debts, Shaniko could face permanent financial collapse.
During a recent emergency meeting, the remaining city council members made a dramatic move.
The three councilmen present voted unanimously to authorize the mayor to sell the historic City Hall within 24 hours as a last-ditch effort to keep the town solvent.
In other words, the fate of an entire Old West town could hinge on what happens next.
Check the video clip below.
Watch the Report
Would you visit a living ghost town like Shaniko before it disappears for good?
