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Criterion

Ghost town · Wasco County, Oregon

Criterion quadrangle, USGS topographic map (1971, 1:24,000)
Criterion quadrangle, USGS topographic map (1971, 1:24,000) · U.S. Geological Survey, Historical Topographic Map Collection · Public domain

Criterion is a ghost town in Wasco County, Oregon. It is one of 5 former communities in Wasco County on the federal names register. That ranks the county 26th among the 34 Oregon counties with a vanished settlement on record.

The U.S. Geological Survey lists Criterion as a historical populated place on the Criterion topographic quadrangle: the name is no longer in official use for a community, whether the settlement was abandoned, absorbed into a neighbouring town or renamed. The recorded location is 45.0423° N, 120.9978° W.

Key facts

USGS quadrangleCriterion
Elevation3,109 ft
Nearest living townMaupin, OR
Distance to it9.9 miles
GNIS feature ID1119552
Coordinates45.04234, -120.99783

Open the location on a map

What's there now

Criterion is no longer a community in its own right. The nearest living town is Maupin, OR (population 423), about 9.9 miles away in a straight line, and the site sits at roughly 3,109 feet above sea level. Much of the land around former townsites is private; check access before you visit.

Nearby places

Questions

Where is Criterion?

Criterion is in Wasco County, Oregon, at 45.0423, -120.9978.

How many ghost towns are in Wasco County?

Wasco County, Oregon has 5 ghost towns on record at Wayfarrow.

Sources and licences

Facts marked "approximately" carry an uncertain date in the source. Text on this page is generated from the sources above; no encyclopedia prose is copied. Last updated 2026-11-05.