Plush, Oregon

People have lived in the Warner Valley for more than 10,000 years. Evidence of Native American occupation includes petroglyphs, hunting blinds, flakes from obsidian tools, and other material artifacts. By historic times, the Kidütökadö band of Northern Paiute frequented the valley and the uplands of Hart Mountain, the fault block ridge to the east. The Euro-American settler community of Plush developed in the late 19th century around sheep grazing and small cattle ranches. Catholics from Ireland found work here as shepherds; their surnames and their churches are part of the regional heritage. The name "Plush" is said to have derived from a mispronunciation of the word "flush" during a 19th century poker game played in the community. The Plush post office was established in 1888, and David R. Jones was the first postmaster. ==Geography==

By highway, Plush is about northeast of Lakeview and north of Adel in the Warner Valley of south-central Oregon. Plush–Adel Road runs north–south along the valley floor, while Plush Cutoff links Plush to Oregon Route 140 west of Adel. Hogback Road runs north from Plush, while Hart Mountain Road, which terminates in Plush, runs east and northeast to the Warner Wetlands Area of Critical Environmental Concern and the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge. Plush is about above sea level, and Hart Mountain . Sunstone is the Oregon state gemstone. ==Demographics==

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Plush has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps. On average, about of precipitation falls on Plush each year. July is the warmest month with an average high temperature of about . January is the coldest, when low temperatures average about . ==Education==

Plush School District 18 is one of five school districts making up the Lake County Education Service District. Plush School, grades K–3, shares students with Adel School District 21, grades 4–8. The two schools combined have about a dozen students. For grades 9–12, the students generally attend Lakeview High School or Paisley School. In 1969 the Plush school had nine students. The portion of the county the community is in is not in any community college district, but the county has a "contract-out-of-district" (COD) with Klamath Community College. ==See also==