The first thing we must make note of in Orient is the town hall. Small towns don't really have need of a large town hall and this one would have to be the poster child for that thought. Vanishingly small, it is the smallest town hall we have ever encountered and probably ever will encounter. It stands on the grounds of the fire hall (more normal in size than the town hall) on the north side of Main Street, opposite the park. Incidentally, the population of Orient in 2010 was a "hefty" 115.
In the park across from town hall is the fire lookout tower from First Thought Mountain (locally spelled First Thot), moved into the park after it had been abandoned by the forestry service. Also in the park is the
Orient Weather Station (see photo below). Behind both weather station and lookout tower is a picnic pavilion, probably used through the summer by both individuals and the community during town hoedowns. At the rear of the pie shaped park are washrooms. The rest of the park is grassed area with several mature trees scattered about.
Also in the town one will find the fire hall, just behind the town hall, a post office, a Community Church, a Seventh Day Adventist Church, a general store, a couple dozen houses and a gas station/convenience store which may or may not still be open. The Kettle River passes by on the east side of town while Highway 395 and the BNSF railroad pass by on the west side, with a few more houses west of them. The Orient Cemetery is east of the Highway about a half mile south of town.
Read the reminiscences of a couple of Orient pioneers at the
Orient School District website.
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