Oregon Map

Northeast Highlands

Umatilla, Union, and Wallowa Counties

Athena

Umatilla County, 97813

Athena was originally a stage stop between Pendleton and Walla Walla. At first it had a variety of colorful names but then became more prosaically Centerville. That did not work because the Washingtonians had already employed that moniker so they changed to Athena. The area has a Scottish heritage background. The Caledonian games have been played there off and on for over 100 years. The hiway department plans to rebuild mainstreet (summer, 2112) so that ought to kick up a little dust (my 2018 photos show they did a really nice job of this, complete with bike paths, sidewalks and under ground utilities). ODOT has been really good over the last decade or so upgrading small town mainstreets. It's like giving the town a face lift, something the town itself could never afford.
Related Links: History of Centerville
The Highland Games