Ellendale, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Ellendale is a ghost town
in Polk County
, Oregon
, United States
, about two and a half miles west of Dallas
. It was the first White
settlement in present-day Polk County. The community's name changed over the years, with the first post office in Polk County being opened in this locality as "O'Neils Mills" in 1850. The post office was renamed "Nesmiths" (Or "Nesmiths Mills") in 1850 and discontinued in 1852. The community was eventually renamed Ellendale.
built the county's first gristmill
at the confluence of La Creole Creek (now Rickreall Creek
) and O'Neils Creek over the winter of 1844–1845. The site was chosen for its proximity to water power
for the mill, timber and a rock quarry
that could provide millstone
s. The most important factor for siting the mill at this location, however, was its proximity to the Siskiyou Trail
. A community formed around the mill as it was one of only two gristmills on the west side of the Willamette River
at the time and it served settlers from as far away as northern Yamhill County
and south as far as Linn
and Benton
counties. O'Neil offered lodging and a store for people who had made the long trip to his mill. Miners on their way to the California Gold Rush
would also stop at the community for flour for the journey.
In 1849, a flood destroyed the mill and O'Neil sold his interest to James W. Nesmith
and Henry Owen, who rebuilt it as "Nesmith's Mill". In 1856 the mill was sold again to Hudson & Company but in November 1857 it was closed because more mills had been built in the area and it was no longer needed. In 1863, the mill site, water power and land were sold to judge Reuben P. Boise
, whose donation land claim
adjoined the property. La Creole Creek was renamed "Ellen's Dale" after Boise's wife, and soon both the creek and the community were renamed "Ellendale".
In 1860, one of Oregon's earliest woolen mills was started in Ellendale by Boise and several others, who had bought and converted a sawmill
that had been built upstream from the gristmill in 1854. The sawmill had the only planer
in that part of Oregon, most boards still being hand-dressed
at the time. In 1870 Boise's mill burned down. Nothing is left at the site today.
The Pumping Station Bridge in the Ellendale area was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1979, however, it collapsed in 1987 and was removed from the list.
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
in Polk County
Polk County, Oregon
Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county is named for James Knox Polk, the 11th president of the United States. In 2010, its population was 75,403. The seat of the county is Dallas....
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, about two and a half miles west of Dallas
Dallas, Oregon
The city of Dallas is the county seat of Polk County, Oregon, United States. The population was 14,583 at the 2010 census.Dallas is located on Rickreall Creek, approximately 15 miles west of Salem, at an altitude of 325 feet above sea level...
. It was the first White
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
settlement in present-day Polk County. The community's name changed over the years, with the first post office in Polk County being opened in this locality as "O'Neils Mills" in 1850. The post office was renamed "Nesmiths" (Or "Nesmiths Mills") in 1850 and discontinued in 1852. The community was eventually renamed Ellendale.
History
James A. O'NeilJames A. O'Neil
James A. O’Neil was an American businessman and politician in the Oregon Country and later Oregon Territory. A New York native, he took part in the Champoeg Meetings and helped form the Provisional Government of Oregon...
built the county's first gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
at the confluence of La Creole Creek (now Rickreall Creek
Rickreall Creek
Rickreall Creek is a stream in Polk County, Oregon, United States rising on Laurel Mountain in the Central Oregon Coast Range and draining into the Willamette River west of Salem at Eola. The creek passes through the city of Dallas and the unincorporated community of Rickreall...
) and O'Neils Creek over the winter of 1844–1845. The site was chosen for its proximity to water power
Hydropower
Hydropower, hydraulic power, hydrokinetic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydropower has been used for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as...
for the mill, timber and a rock quarry
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
that could provide millstone
Millstone
Millstones or mill stones are used in windmills and watermills, including tide mills, for grinding wheat or other grains.The type of stone most suitable for making millstones is a siliceous rock called burrstone , an open-textured, porous but tough, fine-grained sandstone, or a silicified,...
s. The most important factor for siting the mill at this location, however, was its proximity to the Siskiyou Trail
Siskiyou Trail
The Siskiyou Trail stretched from California's Central Valley to Oregon's Willamette Valley; modern-day Interstate 5 follows this pioneer path...
. A community formed around the mill as it was one of only two gristmills on the west side of the Willamette River
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
at the time and it served settlers from as far away as northern Yamhill County
Yamhill County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Siuslaw National Forest *Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 84,992 people, 28,732 households, and 21,376 families residing in the county. The population density was 119 people per square mile . There were 30,270...
and south as far as Linn
Linn County, Oregon
Linn County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is named in honor of Lewis F. Linn, a U.S. Senator from Missouri who advocated the American occupation of the Oregon Country. By the 2010 US census the population of Linn county was 116,672 showing a 13.2% growth since the 2000 census...
and Benton
Benton County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Siuslaw National Forest *William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 78,153 people, 30,145 households, and 18,237 families residing in the county. The population density was 116 people per square mile . There were 31,980...
counties. O'Neil offered lodging and a store for people who had made the long trip to his mill. Miners on their way to the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
would also stop at the community for flour for the journey.
In 1849, a flood destroyed the mill and O'Neil sold his interest to James W. Nesmith
James W. Nesmith
James Willis Nesmith was an American politician and lawyer from Oregon. Born in Canada to American parents, he grew up in New Hampshire and Maine...
and Henry Owen, who rebuilt it as "Nesmith's Mill". In 1856 the mill was sold again to Hudson & Company but in November 1857 it was closed because more mills had been built in the area and it was no longer needed. In 1863, the mill site, water power and land were sold to judge Reuben P. Boise
Reuben P. Boise
Reuben Patrick Boise was an American attorney, judge and politician in the Oregon Territory and the early years of the state of Oregon. A native of Massachusetts, he immigrated to Oregon in 1850, where he would twice serve on the Oregon Supreme Court for a total of 16 years, with three stints as...
, whose donation land claim
Donation Land Claim Act
The Donation Land Claim Act of 1850 was a statute enacted by the United States Congress intended to promote homestead settlement in the Oregon Territory in the Pacific Northwest...
adjoined the property. La Creole Creek was renamed "Ellen's Dale" after Boise's wife, and soon both the creek and the community were renamed "Ellendale".
In 1860, one of Oregon's earliest woolen mills was started in Ellendale by Boise and several others, who had bought and converted a sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
that had been built upstream from the gristmill in 1854. The sawmill had the only planer
Planer
The term planer may refer to several types of carpentry tools, woodworking machines or metalworking machine tools.*Plane : a hand tool used to produce flat surfaces by shaving the surface of the wood...
in that part of Oregon, most boards still being hand-dressed
Plane (tool)
A hand plane is a tool for shaping wood. When powered by electricity, the tool may be called a planer. Planes are used to flatten, reduce the thickness of, and impart a smooth surface to a rough piece of lumber or timber. Planing is used to produce horizontal, vertical, or inclined flat surfaces on...
at the time. In 1870 Boise's mill burned down. Nothing is left at the site today.
The Pumping Station Bridge in the Ellendale area was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1979, however, it collapsed in 1987 and was removed from the list.
External links
- Historic images of Ellendale from Salem Public Library
- Historic images of Pumping Station Bridge from Salem Public Library