Earlyin1868,Francis“Barney“PrinearrivedintheCrookedRiverValleyofCentralOregon,establishedablacksmithshopmadeoflogs,anddispensedspiritsfromthebackofthecabin.PrinesawthepotentialfordevelopmentandindustryalongthelushbanksofCrookedRiverandOchocoCreek,andasmoreandmoresettlersarrived,thepostofficeofPrinewasestablishedin1871.ThecommunitysoonemergedasamajorcommercialcenterforCentralOregon,oneofthelastfrontiersinthestate.Infact,Prinevilleboaststheonlyremainingcity-ownedrailroadtooperateintheUnitedStates.Thedeclineofthetimberindustryledtohardtimes,butafterLesSchwabestablishedtheheadquartersofhisemergingtireempireinPrineville,thecitybecameoneoftheburgeoningcommunitiesintheNorthwest.
