HARNEY LAKE, Harney County. The first written information about Harney Lake is in Peter Skene Ogden's journal of his third Snake expedition, published in OHQ for June, 1910. On October 29, 1826, when the expedition was not far from what is now known as Harney Valley, Ogden wrote that Thomas McKay, who had been sent on in advance, rejoined the party and reported the discovery of "a country of rivers and lakes, one of the latter the water is salt." The entry for Tuesday, November 1, is: "At sunset we reached the lakes. A small ridge of land an acre in width divides the fresh water from the salt lakes. The two lakes have no intercourse. The fresh water has an unpleasant taste 1 mile wide 9 long. In this [Malheur] lake discharges Sylvailles River and 2 small forks; but it has no discharge. Salt Lake at its south end is 3 miles wide. Its length at present unknown to us but appears to be a large body of saltish water. All hands give it a trial but none could drink it. ....." Subsequent entries give more information about the lakes. There is no doubt in the mind of the writer that what Ogden called Salt Lake is the Harney Lake of today, and the fresh water lake is Malheur Lake. During certain stages Malheur Lake discharges into Harney Lake, with the result that Harney Lake gradually tends to get more alkaline. T. C. Elliott who edited the journals is slightly confused about the lakes, and in a footnote states that Harney is not salt, which is incorrect. J. J. Donegan of Burns told the writer that in the days of emigrations Harney and Malheur were known as Bitter lakes. The Indian name for Harney Lake is said to have been Tonowama. Harney Lake received its present name on July 7, 1859. Captain H, D. Wallen of the Fourth Infantry, in charge of a military expedition from The Dalles to Great Salt Lake, reached a body of water which he described as measuring about twenty by nine miles, unfit to drink. He applied the name Lake Harney in compliment to then Brigadier-General W. S. Harney in charge of the Department of Oregon. Details of this event are in 36th Congress, 1st Session, Senate Executive Document 34, which contains Wallen's report in full. Wallen mentions the sand ridge or dike east of Harney Lake and recounts the discovery of "Lake Stampede," now Malheur Lake or its arm, Mud Lake. This water was potable and he applied the name because his stock became unmanageable. Time has brought a change in the name of the alkali lake from Lake Harney to Harney Lake.
HARNEY VALLEY, Harney County. Harney Valley was named for Major-General W. S. Harney. The valley is quite well defined, and has an average elevation of about 4100 feet. The south part of the valley is occupied by Harney and Malheur lakes and their surrounding marshes and meadows. The main valley and adjoining tributary valleys have an area of about 750 square miles, for the most part quite level. The name was applied as the result of the naming of Harney Lake or of the establishment of Fort Harney during the Snake War. See Bancroft's History of Oregon, volume II, page 488, et seq.
HARPER, Malheur County. Harper is on the Malheur River and it has been a post office since 1913. Harper was named for the Harper Ranch of the Pacific Livestock Company on which it is situated. The ranch, in turn, took its name from one of the early settlers near the Malheur River.
HARRIMAN, Harney County. This place is just between Malheur Lake and Crane Creek Gap. H. Denman owned the land where this
