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Painted Hills

Basque Handball Court

Basque Handball Court

The First Spanish Basques in Jordan Valley were Jose Navarro and Antonio Azcuenaga who came to Jordan Valley in 1889 and Augustin Azcuenaga in 1890. Pedro Arritola, Luis Yturraspe, and Cipriano Anacabe came a little later and soon there was a thriving Basque colony. Some of them became successful sheepmen, and others were skilled stonemasons, miners, hotelkeepers and merchants.

Basque immigrants began building the ball court or Pelota Frontone in the spring of 1915. It is built of native stone, hand hewn by Basque masons who learned their trade in Spain. Here, for years, they played Pelota (ball), a game similar to American handball.

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Jordan Valley, OR