La Grande (/ləˈɡrænd/) is a city in Union County, Oregon, United States.

La Grande is Union County's largest city, with a population of 13,082 at the time of the 2010 U.S. Census.

Economically, it started as a logging and agriculture town but is now identified as a gateway for many outdoor sports.

It is the hub for surrounding communities offering outdoor recreation, shopping centers and entertainment.

La Grande also is a college town with a student population of 2,825 at Eastern Oregon University.

[6] La Grande lies east of the Blue Mountains and southeast of Pendleton.

There was already a Brownsville in Linn County, so when the post office was established in 1863, a more distinctive name was needed.

[8][9] It was decided to use "La Grande", a phrase used by a Frenchman, Charles Dause, to describe the area's scenic splendor.

[9] Before the post office was established, William Currey charged 50 cents a letter to carry the mail on horseback to and from the nearest post office, in Walla Walla, Washington.

[10] La Grande grew rapidly during the late 1860s and early 1870s, partially because of the region's many gold mines and the valley's agricultural capabilities.

The early business establishments centered on C Avenue between present day Fourth Street and the hillside on the west end.

It often features prominently on logos of local organizations and is matched on the other side of the valley by a similar landmark, Mount Harris.

This climate type is characterized by warm, dry summers and cold winters.

La Grande is a crew change point on the Huntington and La Grande subdivisions of the Union Pacific Railroad, originally constructed through the area in 1884 by the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company.

[23] La Grande is also the junction of the Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad's 20-mile (32 km) short line to Elgin.