The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1922-04-21
ATHENA: WRITTEN UP
IN UMAT|LLA COUNTY
BOOKLET NOW READY
Noted As Home Town With Good
Schools, Paved Streets and
Dependable Resources.

The following article on Athena,
was written for the Umatilla county
booklet recently issued by the fed
Grated commercial clubs of the county
and the county court:
Located in the heart of Umatilla
county's chief industry--wheat rails
ing-Athena is situated midway be-
tween Pendleton and Walla Walla on
the hard surface state highway. 1t
has population of 627 as given by
the last census enumeration, strict
ly speaking is "home" town in every
sense of the word, being endowed
with all essentials for meriting the
term.
No climate is more healthful than
that Of the foothills Of the Blue
mountains, and no water more pure
than that which flows from their
springs. The records of Athena ply
sic,ans disclose the fact that for 30
years past there has not been one
case of typhoid or malaria here but
that the patient contracted it in some
other locality. Athena's municipal
water system comes from springs by
gravity flow into concrete reservoir
and is supplemented by a pumping
system, used for emergency purposes
only.
The streets of Athena are broad
and clean and there are more paved
blocks to be found here than in any
other town of like population in the
state. For permanent street improve
,fe LAe IAI ~,
the. past two years. The residence
streets are parked, with the appear
ance Of a cool. shady grove. Her
homes are for the most part mod
ern, and well-kept lawns attest to
the pride the average resident takes
in beautifying his premises.
There is more "school spirit" to the
square inch in Athena than can be
found anywhere, population consider
ed. One Of the best appointed build
ings in the county, live board of di-
rectors, an efficient faculty and stu
dious pupils blend as a whole in put
ting Athena in the front rank of the
accredited schools of the state. In
cluded in the construction of this
splendid high school building is a
gymnasium, library and auditorium.
City park embraces five and one
halt acres of land in the south part of
the city. 1t is well shaded and is
skirted on one side by Wild Horse
creek, making it most inviting place
to while away the hours in summer.
Free camping grounds are maintained
by the city in portion Of the park.
Five religious denominations are re-
presented in Athena, Methodist, Epis-
copal, Christian, Baptist and Catholic.
Social conditions are all that could
be desired. The people are hospita-
BILE and of entertaining inclination.
Women's clubs flourish in the COM
munity and there are local lodges of
all the leading secret orders. The
American Legion is also represented
here.
The commercial interests of Athena
are headed by the Athena commercial
club, which has we'll furnished and
commodious quarters.
Surrounded by thousands Of acres
of the most fertile wheat land on the
Pacific slope, it naturally follows
that the principal industry here would
be the manufacture of flour and mill
stuffs. A large flour mill operates
on a 24-hour-a-day basis 365 days a
year giving employment to Is men.
This mill has a capacity Of 500 bar
rels of flour per day, consumes in
the process of grinding approximately
100000 bushels Of wheat per year,
handles 100000 pounds of barley and
distributes 100000 grain bags to the
wheat raisers.
Delivered at the Athena warehouses
each year are approximately $4,000
bushels Of grain. The farmers own
and operate a modern concrete eleva-
tor Of 1900 bushels capacity for
bulk wheat and in addition ware
house of $4,000 sack capacity for
sacked grain. In addition there is a
chop mill of 20 tons capacity daily.
The financial pulse of cummunity
throbs through the strength Of its
banking institutions and from them
our arteries of trade and commerce
are to be gauged. The First National
bank of Athena was established in
1891. Its present capital stock is
$4,000 and it carries surplus Of
100000. with deposits of S624,642
The Athena State bank opened foi
business in Jan. 1920, with capital
stock Of 5000 and surplus Of S.
600, and it now resources over the
100000, mark.
The o. w. r. & N. and Northern
Pacific railroads serve this commun-
ity and compete for freight and pas
senger traffic, affording excellent
shipping and transportation facilities
The entire main street of Athena is
paved, with no poles or wires over.
head. Athena has large lumber
yard, five garages, department
store, dry goods store, two grocer
les, two restaurants, a meat market
two banks. a harness shop. hard
ware and implement store, one thea
tire. weekly newspaper, two black
smiths, a paint store, furniture ant
undertaking parlor, one hotel, a laun
dry, drug store, jewelry store,
branch library and two barber shops