History Tidbits: Lettuce Mania

You may have noticed last month in the 100 years ago column of the Wallowa County Chieftain about a Mr. Eastman having a meeting in Enterprise about how to grow lettuce. Yes, lettuce!

This was a sort of experiment — some say a mania — about making Wallowa County a major producer of lettuce to sell, ship, and, of course, make money.

Joseph had a lettuce information office. Wallowa had Pastor Falwell, who planted many acres in the Lower Valley to earn money for his church. Many farmers gave this effort a try. High schoolers weeded and harvested crops.

Ultimately lettuce and our climate did not agree. This effort continued from the start up year of 1923 until the final crops in 1939.

Prepared and written by Marilyn Hulse May 2023.