Oregon Map

North Central Plateau

Hood River, Jefferson, Sherman, Morrow, Wasco and Wheeler Counties

Madras

Jefferson County, 97741

Madras is a typical agricultural service town with farm implement dealers, grain storage facilities, and similar ag support businesses. Established in 1911 the town has managed to move beyond agriculture to develop a strong industrial base. The crossroads location was important to development, but a big push also came from the establishment of a World War II army air corp base there. A strong industrial area has developed around the air strip, and now a very large aircraft repair facility is being built (summer, 2009). This is a junction town, almost the hub of a wagon wheel. The famous Hiway 97 hiway angles across town SW to NE. Then Hiway 26 from Mt. Hood and Warm Springs passes thru NW to SE headed for Prinville. You may have to use your imagination to get a wagon wheel out of that, but give it a try.