Spray, Oregon

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Spray is a very small city in Wheeler County, Oregon, located along the John Day River in north-central Oregon. It covers about 0.29 square miles, all land, and has around 139 residents (2020 census), with 160 people counted in 2010. It sits roughly 30 miles southeast of Fossil and about 55 miles south of Heppner. The ZIP code is 97874 and the area code is 541.

Spray was named for its founder and first postmaster, John Fremont Spray, and his wife, Mary E. Spray. The post office opened in 1900, and John Spray helped start a ferry across the river, as well as a school and a store. After Wheeler County formed in 1899, Spray was considered as a possible county seat. Spray incorporated as a city in 1958, with John Butler as its first mayor.

The town hosts an annual Memorial Day weekend half marathon and rodeo. The race begins at Service Creek and finishes in Spray, followed by a rodeo parade and events. Spray School serves local students; in 2011–12, about 44 students were enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade. The climate is mild in winter (average January around 33°F) and warm in summer (average July around 72°F). The wettest month is typically May.