Page "Gilliam County, Oregon" Paragraph 1

For untold generations, American Indians traversed the county on well-worn trails to reach fishing, hunting, foraging, and trading areas ; but had claimed no tribal lands.

Many of these trails are still visible in the rangeland.

The first non-native people in the area were Americans following the Oregon Trail to the Willamette Valley.

In the late 19th century, settlers arrived from the midwestern and eastern United States and Europe to stay and build farms and communities.

Many settlers were also part of a larger reverse migration of people who had originally settled in the Willamette Valley.