Multnomah County, Oregon

“ This liberal attitude of the people of Multnomah County is to be commended, and it makes available for expenditure in counties outside of Multnomah County, a much greater amount of money than would otherwise be the case.
The roads of Multnomah County represent some of the heaviest grading construction, some of the best improved and some of the most scenic highways to be found anywhere in the world. The Upper Columbia River Highway is by many considered the most scenic highway in the United States, and attracts a multitude of tourists annually. ”

“ The value of its farms and buildings is considerably over three millions, of live-stock a little over four hundred thousand, and of farm products something over six hundred thousand dollars. In manufactures it has been perhaps the third county in the state, but should, on account of its facilities, exceed its rivals in the future. It is difficult to say whether it is the second or third, Multnomah county being first, and Marion probably second. But the difference in the amount of capital expended and results produced leave it almost a tie between the latter county and Clackamas. ”

“ PALMER JUNCTION, Union County. Palmer Junction was the name given to the junction of the Palmer Lumber Company's railroad and the line now operated by the Union Pacific Railroad Company which extends into Wallowa Valley. The post office was established in 1909.
PALMER PEAK, Multnomah County. Palmer Peak is a high point in the northeastern part of Multnomah County not far from the cliffs above the Columbia River. It has an elevation of 4010 feet and was named for General Joel Palmer, a pioneer of 1845, and a noted character in Oregon history. He was born of American parents in Canada in 1810. ”

“ MOUTH OF THE WILLAMETTE, Multnomah County. This pioneer post office was established on Sauvie Island, close to the south end, June 30, 1851, with Ellis Walker postmaster. It was first put on the list for Clark County, Washington, but it never was actually in that county. The name of the office was changed to Souvies Island on March 5, 1852, and on May 19, 1853, it was moved to the Washington County, Oregon, list with Benjamin Howell postmaster. The locality is now in Multnomah County. See under Post OFFICE BAR. Mowich, Klamath County. ”

“ West PORTLAND, Multnomah County. The name West Portland is used to describe the area near the crossing of Pacific Highway West and Southwest Capitol Highway. There is a West Portland School and the name is otherwise perpetuated in West Portland addition that lies generally south and southwest of Multnomah. In the '90s a steam motor carline extended into the territory by way of Fulton Park, West Portland post office was established July 21, 1890, with Henry J. Osfield first postmaster. ”

“ In the legislature of 1854 a proposition was made to exclude free negroes and Chinese from the territory, and a motion was made by a member from Jackson County to amend the bill so that slaveholders might bring and hold their slaves in Oregon, but the bill did not pass. Incidental to the canvass in June, 1854, it may be mentioned that the whigs carried Washington, then including what is now Multnomah County, by an average majority of sixty. David Logan, whig, was elected to the legislature by a vote of six hundred and forty-eight to five hundred and ninety-two for D. H. Belknap, democrat. ”

“ Contains Contributions to a Catalogue of the Flora of the Canadian Eocky Mountains and the Selkirk Eange. By Edith M. Farr. Philadelphia: University of Penn- sylvania, 1907. 8vo. 88 pp. and cover. Map. Presented by Miss Farr. Multnomah County, Oregon; Auditor's Eeport of Eeceipts and Dis- bursements for the Six Months ending June 30, 1907. 8vo. 23 pp. and cover. Memorial to Congress by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Oregon, at its Session at Salem, the first Monday in December, 1851, respecting the location of the Territorial Seat of Government. 8vo. ”

“ For three years and five months he capably filled that important office, during which time he traveled largely over the state, and it is doubtful if there is a man living today in Oregon who has a more intimate acquaintance with the Slate and with its people than Penumbra Kelly. His capable service as United States marshal commended him for election to the office of sherif of Multnomah county in 1888. ”

“ Yamhill County was in- cluded in the first named, which also embraced Washing- ton, Multnomah, Columbia, Clatsop, Tillamook, and Polk, as now described. Champoeg district embraced what is 358 W. D. FENTON. now Linn, Marion, Lane, Josephine, Coos, Curry, Benton, Douglas, and Jackson counties; the Clackamas district included what is now Clackamas County, eastern Oregon, a portion of Montana, and all of Idaho, and Washington. At this election 15 to 22 votes were cast in the entire Tualatin district, and 140 to '244 in the entire country for candidates. ”

“ Sellwood, named after the episcopalian ministers of that name, was laid off in 1882, during the land speculation consequent upon railroad building. St John, six miles below East Portland, is an old settlement, with a few man ufactories. Troutdale, six miles east of Portland, Mount Tabor, Powell Valley, Arthur, Leader, Pleasant Home, Rooster Rock, and Willamette Slough are the lesser settlements of Multnomah county. ”

“ Operating in Portland are several agencies which give aid to different national groups. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is also active. The American National Red Cross has a number of county chapters in Oregon, the Multnomah County Chapter with 30,000 members being the largest and most active.
Oregon has the usual organizations classed as "character building" institutions including the Young Men's Christian Association, and the Young Women's Christian Association. The 4.H Clubs and the Future Farmers of America are active throughout the state. ”

“ No monument need be erected to their memory. The nobility of their lifework is woven and cemented deeply in the hearts of the people.
December, 1855, Multnomah County was organized. In January following L. Limerick was appointed county school superintendent. December 4, 1850, the first weekly Oregonian was published in Portland by T. J. Dryer. In 1851 the first regular monthly mail service began between Portland and San Francisco, per steamer Columbia.
Before Oregon was admitted to the Union in 1859 the log cabins had been cleared away, showing the pioneers were progressive. ”

“ At the general election in 1882 he was elected County Schtjol Superintend- ent for Multnomah county on the Republican ticket by about 14:50 majority, his opponent being the joint nominee of the Democratic and ludepeuileut parties. He is now acting as the attorney in Multnomah and Columbia counties tor the State Board of School Land Commissioners. He is build- ing up a very lucrative practice in Portland, and has gained the respect and good will of a host of friends and acquaintances. ”

“ Washington County. Originally named Twality, with the following description: "First district, to be called the Twality District, comprising all the country south of the northern boundary line of the United States, west of the Willamette, or Multnomah River, north of the Yamhill River, and east of the Pacific Ocean." "Approved by the people, July 5th, 1843." ("Oregon Archives," page 26) . ”

“ A post office called Foots Creek was in operation near this stream from April, 1878, until July, 1879, with Silas Draper postmaster. The writer does not know the exact location of the office, but Draper was interested in mining on the upper reaches of the creek and the office may have been near what was later known as Draper. See under that heading.
FORCE LAKE, Multnomah County. This overflow lake on the south bank of the Columbia River south of the east end of Hayden Island was named for George W. Force, a pioneer settler. caumig
FOREST, Klamath County. ”

“ He has long been recognized as a leading and influential member of the republican party in Multnomah county, makes friends easily and even his political enemies admire him for his qualities as a man and his fearless defense of his honest convictions. ”

“ Marion, eighth in total area, but half of its farm lands were improved. There was not so much uncultivated farm land in Marion County as in Multno- mah or Clackamas, but its cultivated areas did not produce crops as valuable as those of Multnomah or Clackamas; however, Portland is the great market center of Oregon, and the farther distant a place is from this metropolis, the greater disad- vantage it must face in marketing its produce. Linn ranked sixth in total area of farm lands ”

“ In the summer of 1944 the University of California Press issued Howel Williamsl'olcanoes of the Three Sisters Region, a valuable contribution to the knowledge of the area. It contains some very fine plates. Williams controverts the notion that there was a Mount Multnomah.
THREEBUCK CREEK, Wallowa County. This stream flows into Little Sheep Creek in township 2 south, range 46 cast, and was named by J. J. Blevans and his son Murat Blevans, in 1878, because the two had good luck there hunting. They were getting food for the white people who were in the Prairie Creek stockade. ”

“ He was elected in 1880 to represent Multnomah county in the State Senate. He is a hard worker, either on the floor or in the committee room. His personal appearance is attractive and his voice is often heard iu debate. He is an uncompromising Republican and is considered oue of the shrewdest politicians in the State; he is genial as an acquaintance, faithful as a friend and honored as a citizen. ”

“ The late H. W. Scott rendered very valuable aid.
"It is impossible for me to do even partial justice to the men and women who have helped and who are certainly worthy of mention in any history of the adoption of the initiative and referendum and other progressive legislation in Oregon.
W. S. U'Ren."
At the recent state election, November 8, 1910, of the thirty-two laws pro- posed by the people's initiative, eight were adopted by the popular vote and twenty-four defeated. The total vote in Multnomah County was 32,474. ”

“ RUSSELLVILLE, Multnomah County. Russellville is a community on the Base Line road east of Portland and about a mile east of Montavilla. The best information available to the writer is to the effect that the locality was named in compliment to Russellville, Illinois. In July, 1947, Mrs. H. A. Lewis, a resident of the Russellville community, wrote the compiler that in 1888 Leander Lewis circulated a petition for a post office, and it was planned to use the name Lewisville. Officials at Washington would not approve this name because it duplicated the name of Lewisville in Polk County. Mr. ”

“ MUNRA POINT , Multnomah County . Munra Point was named in 1915 in honor of “ Grandma Munra , ” who for many years kept a railroad eating house at Bonneville , and later Meacham . She was a widely known pioneer woman , and her name was attached to the point in question by a committee representing various Oregon his torical organizations . Munra Point is just south of Bonneville , be tween Tanner Creek and Moffett Creek . The name has been approved by the U. S. Geographic Board . MUNSEL LAKE , Lane County . This lake is about two miles north of Florence . ”

“ OREGON, Josephine County, Grants Pass vicinity, Christie—Eismann House, 5971 Upper River Rd. (12/02/85)
OREGON, Multnomah County, Portland vicinity, Rockey, Dr. A. E. and Phila Jane, House, 10263 S.W. Riverside Dr. (12/02/85)
OREGON, Multnomah County, Portland, Imperial Hotel, 422—426 S.W. Broadway (12/02/85)
OREGON, Multnomah County, Portland, Portland General Electric Company Station "L" Group, 1841 S.E. Water St. (12/02/85)
OREGON, Multnomah County, Portland, Powers, Ira F., Building, 804—810 S.W. Third Ave. ”

“ Fewer commitments from Multnomah County, demand for workers in war industry and on the farms due to war condi tions, together with the factors of better financial conditions and briefer hospitalization because of improved methods of treatment already mentioned, continued to reduce the number in the hospital so that in June, 1944, there were but 1205, in spite of increased population in the state. On May 1, 1941, Doctor McNary retired as superintendent because of ill health. ”

“ Klamath Lake Total Portland District Benton County Clackamas Clatsop Columbia Lincoln Linn Marion Multnomah. ... Polk Tillamook Washington.. .. Yamhill Total Roseburg District Benton County. Coos Curry Douglas Jackson Josephine Lane Lincoln Linn Total The Dalles District Crook County.. Gilliam Grant Morrow Sherman Wasco Wheeler Total Grand total.. Total Area Acres. Brief Description of Character of Unappropriated I^ands. 148,232 79.225 165,484 4,600,400 5.305,477 15,800 Principally grazing ”

“ Even in the legislative body itself there was a certain minority who protested against the acts of the majority, not on the subject of the location act alone, or the change in the judicial districts, leaving the chief justice one county only for his district, but also on account of the memorial to congress, prepared by the joint committee from both houses, setting forth the condition of affairs in the territory, and asking that the people of Oregon might be permitted to elect their governor, secretary, and judges. ”

“ Lumbering and dairying are the chief industries, and little farming is carried on. The value of improvements of this kind is between four and five hundred thousand dol lars. The valuation of real and personal property in the county amounts to less than $100,000.. The county seat is Tillamook, at the head of the bay. The whole white population of the county is less than a thousand, including the towns of Nestockton, Kilchis, Garabaldi, and Nehalem. The Siletz Indian reservation is in the southern end of the county. ”