Ings, Old and New, Water and Land, River Travel, Railroads and Interstate Highway Development
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A rhythm of and about a half mile beginnings and end- from the Willamette ings, old and new, River, where a ferry water and land, river had been making travel, railroads and crossings for the previ- interstate highway ous 64 years. The street development are all key leading by the church, bi- historical themes that have secting the small commer- shaped this property and cial center to the ferry was the surrounding community Wilsonville’s main drag, of Wilsonville. Boones Ferry Road. The Today, McMenamins road followed the same route invites you to enjoy and expe- of an ancient Native American rience the old and new and rhythm inherent in trail leading up the Willamette Valley. this site–a newly built restaurant crafted from The namesake of the road and ferry was new and old pieces to form what looks like a the Boone family. Patriarch, Alphonso Boone 100-year-old hop barn, and an historic, 1911 was grandson of, yes, the famous American church reinvigorated by some artful addi- frontiersman Daniel Boone (as well as cousin tions, not to mention a complete basement to John Daniel Boon, who had chosen to brewery! Linking the old and new is a grassy drop the final “e” in the family name– amphitheater, ideal for quiet conversations builder of McMenamins Boon’s Treasury and rollicking music performances. in Salem). Alphonso had settled this area in Grab a pint of Bill 1846, recognizing the great Flynn’s Gold, named for a business opportunity of legendary, local publican, establishing a regular ferry and explore the art, architec- service at the narrow point in ture and history that reflects the river where the well-worn the personalities and events trail crossed. Native Ameri- that have defined this property cans, who had a centuries-long and its surroundings over the tradition of crossings here, past couple centuries. were said to have helped ferry The simple, but grace- Boone’s earliest patrons via ful church, which literally their canoes. celebrates its centennial Well into the auto- during the same month of mobile age, Boones Ferry its opening as part of the remained a vital link in new McMenamins’ loca- this key route between tion, was completed in Portland and Salem. And August 1911 by the Wil- while the Boone name sonville Methodist Society. persevered in connection It’s just like poetry to learn with both the ferry cross- that its first minister, John ing and the thoroughfare, by W. Exon, had formerly been the late 1800s, the riverfront (and would be again) a respected riverboat community known to that point as Boone’s captain, whose career had taken him on many Ferry or Boone’s Landing, became known as journeys up and down the Willamette River, Wilsonville, named for Charles Wilson. Wil- with regular stops at Wilsonville. son, a native of Denmark, came to the area At the time of its construction, the church after a lengthy time in Minnesota, where he stood at the north end of the original village, had enjoyed a prosperous career as a merchant, sought whatever profits they could. In the 1950s, change again came to Wilsonville and hit the community hard. Bulldozers and road graders knocked on Wilsonville’s door, bringing with them the latest in transportation technology: the Interstate. What was lauded as a great har- binger of civic improvement initially looked like it was going to kill the town. The construction of I-5 and the as- sociated Boone Bridge over the Willamette brought an end to the ferry service in 1954, river pilot, brewery owner and saloon man. He after 107 years. It also effectively re-routed traf- brought this experience to Boone’s Landing, fic from the toodling stream that had flowed purchased several properties, including part of through town (where merchants made their the Boone acreage, and established a post of- livelihoods from the “stop-offs” often caused fice in 1876 and the community’s first general by ferry-crossing back-ups), to a 60-MPH store the next year. Wilson also made plans non-stop torrent that bypassed the commu- to plat the township of Wilsonville, but that Inside the Riverwood nity altogether. would be delayed for a couple decades. Eventually Wilsonville recovered Soon after the turn of the century, and thrived because of the interstate. Fam- news that the Oregon Electric Railway ilies desiring a more rural setting settled would be built south from Portland to here and commuted to work in Portland. Eugene via Wilsonville, and would feature Meanwhile, the community relocated its a great bridge over the Willamette at the town center one more time to create a new, edge of town, was met with much local more automobile-friendly site on the east excitement and activity. Almost overnight, a line of the freeway, on what had been farm- hotel, saloon and bank went up to serve the land. railroad builders, passengers, and anticipated The old Methodist Church, too, en- additions to the population. dured change. The original occupants moved The railroad’s decision to locate its depot to a new site in 1992, and after a few years with about a half-mile north of Wilsonville’s cluster of a different congregation, the church was va- business at the riverfront, prompted a shift of cated and sold to the Fred Meyer the community’s com- company. Thanks to local mercial center. Build- preservation efforts, the build- ings were moved and ing was saved, allowing for new ones raised along McMenamins’ renovation. Boones Ferry Road, In each of the historic opposite the depot, photos and painted panels the new community around the property, you’ll hub. find depictions of these This boom events and the people as- went bust during sociated with them, from the Great Depres- Rev. Exon (above) to Maurine sion of the 1930s. The Neuberger (below), a local girl railroad terminated its who became the U. S. Senator passenger service, the from Oregon during the 1960s. bank went belly up, and Walt Morey, author of Gentle Ben, was another times were tough. But the river still flowed, the notable and beloved resident here. ferry made its crossings, and farmers Riverwood’s famous patio. raised their crops and .