re / Seres I, no 5 Odd Place Nai'esand Their Origin 1Piecton OREGON ODDITIES

and ITEMS OF INTEREST

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For use by teachers, students, libraries, and publications

Please give credit to the information service of The Federal Writerst and Historical Records Survey Frojects of the It WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION OF OREGON 3 Myler Building 314 3. W.9th avenue PortlmJ, Oron by I 0

The items in this bulletin, selectedfrom the material compiled by the FederalWritcrs* Project and the Historical Records Survey of the Works ProgressMministra- tion, are representative of thesignificant collections being made by these nation-wide programs. sa. The Historical Records Survey isinventorying 4- all sources of early Oregon history,including county and we: state records, church archivBs, historiccemeteries, old wli manuscripts and imprints, old printing presses,monuments and relics, private diaries, letters,and memoirs, historic buildings, and Indian records and lore. ye

The chief undertaking of theFederal Writers' Project has been the knerican Guide Seriesof books. In Oregon as in all other states thework includes the state El Guide, designed to acquaint Americanswith America and to present to the visitor the history,industry, recreational advantages and scenic attractions ofthe state. The Oregon be Guide,. now in the final stages ofediting will600flbe added Wa to the list of those alreadypublished which includes Idaho: A Guide in Word and picture; Maine: A Guide "Down East"; ri Massachusetts: A Guide to its Placesand People; New Hamp- ThE City and shire: A Guide to the Granite State;Vashington: wa Capit.l; Philadelphia:A Guide to the Birthplaceof a Nation. bo

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S ye ODD PLACE NAMES AND THEIR ORiGIN The'naines of many cities, rivers, andwhose nineteen nen were attacked by the untains have been changed once, twice, indians near the mouth of the TJmpqua in d even three times; since first named 1828 and all killed but three. 1the early Oregon pioneers. The, name Sweet Home on a map brings Hardinan in Morrow county, called so to mind a peaceful little towr in a peace-today for the man who was the town's ful valley.It is inconceivable that thefirst postmaster, was once officially town was first called Buck Head after the Dairyvd lie, but couionly known as Rawdog. Buck Head saloon, scene of heavy drinkingLater havind united with its former rival Iwhich frequently caused trouble.Once a village, Yaller Dog, a mile away, it was qarrel between neigFbors ever a trivial called Dogtov-m. matter ended in two killings near the saloon.'One man was carried to the saloon The name La Grande was suggested by steps where he died.' Several other men Dause, a French-Canadian, in recognition were killed at this frontier village in of the 'beauty of the Grande Rondo valley what is noi Linn counity. n Union coenty.The city grew up around the house of Ben Brown which had been The town of St. Helens was known 80 converted into a tavern, and was first years ago as Kasenau, and earlier as called Brown Town and Brownsville. Upon Plymouth. ostabliseuont of a post office in ]86Z, Clatskanie, also In Columbia county, the name was changed to La Grande as was once called Bryantville, named for there was another Brownsville in the Elisha G. Bryant. state. A curious circumstance was said to The Dalles in Wasco county was first be the source of the name Celilo Falls in called Wascopam, Indian name significant Wasco county. of the bowl-like arrangement of the can- In early years in order to load yon walls surrounding thecity. er craft along the Columbia between The present name of the city origi- T.heDalles and the Deschutes river, it nated with French voyageurs of the Hud- was necessary to let the freight-wagon son's Bay Conrany who found a resemblance bodies do'wn from the steep, perpendicularbetween the flat basaltic rocks hemming cliffs by means of ropes.Near the pres- in the narrow channel of theColumbia and ent site of Celilo there is a narrow the flagstones (les dalles) of their Cleft in the row of rinrock and this native village streets. Chute formed a natural track for the Oaded vans. Palmehn, now Uadras in Jefferson ' The name Colilo is credited to one county, was named for a sheep raiser by lirance Coc, who, when ho hoard of this the name of Palmain.Tue name was plan said, SOO lie love'."This saying changed when postal authorities found it became contracted to the present Celilo, to be confusing with the name Paulina. OUs for its primitive Indian fisheries. Dallas, the county seat of Polk The area that is now Douglas county county, was called Cynthian until 1852, Onco known as Umpqua county.In 1852 when it was changed after a petition was new county was created and named for signed by most of the Polk county citi- Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois. zens. Roseburg, in that county, was named tOr AaronRose of Michigan who settled In pioneer days, Gold Beach, county there In1851. seat of Curry county, was called Sebsta- Gardiner, The White City by the Sea,pool.In 13P1 thb leislature changed flamed for a Boston merchant whose its name to Ellensburg, honoring Ellen ssel, the Bostonian, was wrecked at the Tichenor.Eventually it became Geld Outh of theUmpqua River in 1850. Beach to avoid confusion with E1lenseurg, Smith river was named for Jedediah Washington. Z 54-i of the Missouri Fur Company, --

Irving, village in Lane county was left behind Vancouver, Mt. Hood, Youngs once called YellowDog. Bay, and many others. Early Amoricans left us a story of Jefferson, in Marion county, was their trials in such names as Desolation formerly known as Parish Gap. Swamp, Dead Horse Creek, Skull Gulch, Boner Springs, Seven Devils Mountain, Elsie, in Clatsop county, named for Murderers Creek, Horse Thief Meadow, Elsie lone Foster, once bore the Indian Nasty Rock, Hoodoo Mountain, Freeaeout name, Mischewake, meaning"clear water". Saddle and Gum Boot Canyons. Early optimists left us the villages Morgan, in Morrow county, was pre- of Promise, Paradise, Heather, Unity,and viously known as Saddle, then Douglas, such titles as Skookum Butte, Mt. Ray, before acquiring its present name. and Hope Mountain. Students of the clas- sics, no doubt, are responsible for Puck Early Curry county reccirds show the Lake, and Venus, Jupiter, and Lucifer Shix river for the present Sixes. Poaks, and Egypt Canyon. Animals and plants are both pro- Nainorf, Malheur county, was named fusely honored, as shown in the list of for George Froinan, a local resident, by classified names following. spelling his name backward. If a traveller has just been to Hungry Creek, he can be appeased with

4 The city that is today known as Strawberry Mountain, Potato Butte, Sugar- Cascade Locks was once Portageville. loaf Mountain, Carrot Butte, and can sot Coffee Pot Flat on Teatable Mountain, Hoquarton was the first name of the with Cinnamon Peak, Milk Creek, Vinegar citynow known as Tillamook.This was a Hill and Whiskey Mountain. He may help derivative of the Indian "tower quatton". himself, but should beware of Skunk Later it was changed to Lincoln. Tilla- Crock, Yollowjackct Mountain, and Bumbl meek is named for a tribe of Indians, the bee Creek. Slillamucks, or Kilainox. There were nuirier- The weather may be judged from Sun- Ousother spellings, but the present Til- rise Butte, Moonrise Mountain, Rainbow 181flook is the Anglicized phonetic spell- Creek, Sunshine Creak, Lightning Butte, lngof the gutteral Indian name. Moon Meadows, and Noon. A fair choice of woman may be had. Early exrolorers, pioneers, and set- from tho Three Sisters, Lucky Queen and tiers were severely taxed to find suit- Forest Queen Creeks, Ruth, Ethel and ableflames for the thousands of rivers, Mauda Mountains, Violet Hill, and the Creeks, lakes, marshes, mountains, buttes town of Elsie.Near the Three Sisters is mdmeadows found in Oregon. Some of Husband Mountain and the Little Brothers thesenames seem fantastic or odd toUS Mountain. Not far away is Father Moun- today,but they probably meant something tain, and Tom and Jerry Mountains. The :'17 real to theones who bestowed them. ladies may be dressed in Brown, White, Soeflames are prophetic, some dismal-- Blue, Green, Yellow or Black Buttes. show evidence of a sense of humor. Names that cause many conjectures are Rough and Ready Mountains,Separation The first geographicnames were Creek, Substitute Peak, Crooks Crock,' thoseof the Indians. From them we have Tallowbox Mountain, Battle Crook, Hurdy Clatsop,Tillamook, Clackamas, Multnoman, Gurdy Butte, Haymakor Mountain, Crazy llcwa,and Klainath counties; Calapooya, Creek, Slick Rock, Bark Shanty Crock, 30- Santiam, Metolius, and Umpqua 30 Crock, Wild Cheat Iouutain, Blowout - 1:' and such names as Gurnjuwac Sad- 14'' 1',jjfl51fl-_'4.- 11T- all -iCeKetch Ketch Butte, Youtl1et Butte, Elbow Gully, Poverty Point, Lickskillt iountain, Tipsoo Peak and dozens Ridge, foti, Buckboard Creek, Wagontiro, OfOthe.3 Wagonwhocl Crook, Tombstone Crnk, Three- tus!hen the Spaniards,caine, exploring fingered Jack, and Conundrum Creek. , 0'3goncoast, they gave us Cape Arago, Those are only a few of Oregon's odd 8lanco, HecetaHead, Cape Perpetua. geographic names. Years laterthe English came and -3-

Cow Creek Frog Pond Butte Cougar Mountain Bear Wallow Springs Gunboat Canyon Jackass Mountains Horseshoe Butte Corset Creek Elk Mountain Moose Lake rflet stone Mountain Elk Creek Goosenest Butte Tincup Creek Cub Point Mule Mountain Spoon Creek Porcupine Peak Yellow Jacket Mountain Whistle Creek Sheep Creek The Camel Hump Coffin Butte Mudpuppy Lake Elephant Mountain Button Creek Horsefly Mountain Skunk Creek Coffeepot Flats Pigeon Prairie Swab Creek Mitten Springs Sardine Mountain Pheasant, town Backboard Creek Rooster Rock Goose Lake Wagontire, town Magpie Peak Coo seneck Creek augur Creek Ant Butte Mt. Bruno Nipple Creek Lionshead. Peak Fawn Mountain Shirt Creek Badger Creek Woodpecker Hill 30-30 Springs Bats Meadow Dollar Basin Grouse Point MINER7LS Dugout Butte Three Lynx Creek Tombstone Prairie Whale Cove Agate, town Shotgun Hollow Camel Mountain Gold. Hill, town Firecamp Lake Grizzley, town Gold Beach, town Battleax Mountain Dog Creek Nugget Butte Fisbhold Creek Doghouse Creek Nickel Creek Dairy, town Dead Dog Creek Gravel Creek Choptie Prairie Hawk Creek Granite, town Pistol Butte Bear Creek Marble Peak China Hat Butte Deer Creek Diamond, town Stovepipe Creek Crow Creek Copper Creek Teatable Mountain Horse Creek Ironsides, to'wn Sellers Marsh Dead Horse Butte Quart zville, town Dipping Vat Creek Wildhorse Canyon Lime Point Bluebuoket Creek Bruin Butte Coal Creek College Creek Goose Creek Opal Mountain Eat Point Eagle Mountain Twin Obsidian Buttes flaystack Rook Htmsningbird Mountain Pumice Flats Washbotrd Ridge Bug Mountain Soda Springs M&I]cshaker Buttes Furinybug Mountain Eigh Deck Mountain Grasshopper Point MI SCELLAEOUS Packsad.dle Mountain Crawfish Mountain LOoldngglass Creek Badger Butte Hoodoo Mountain Mirror Lake Mosquito Creek Dungeon Rock Tailowbox Mountain Baboon Creek Bald. Peter Peak Steamboat Creek Porcupine Creek Ha±±cut Mountain Picket Butte Antelope, town Wart Peak Bark ShantyCanyon Trout Meadows Fuji Mountain Bell Mountain Trout Creek GitTem Creek Gmsight Butte Marmot Creek Backbone Ridge Wing Butte Wakeup Valley ANIMALKTT'w Two Bear Creek Fandango Canyon Fox, town Virtue Flats RabbitCreek Bull Prairie crazy Creek Mi1O Lake Horsepasture Creek Devil Grave Butte Hhll Beaver Meadow Devil's Knob sakePeek Chicken Hill Devilish Creek WildcatMountain Gander Creek Seven Devils Mountain 0g Creek Hereford, tovm Hardscrabble Creel: