Hilgard, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Hilgard is an unincorporated community
in Union County
, Oregon
, United States
, at the junction
of Oregon Route 244
with Interstate 84
/U.S. Route 30, near the Grande Ronde River
. It is also the site of a junction
(wye) of the Union Pacific Railroad
. Hilgard Junction State Recreation Area
is across the river from the community.
The Oregon Trail
passed through this location, where the covered wagon
s had to maneuver downhill from La Grande. Most emigrants camped at Hilgard before continuing back uphill towards Emigrant Springs
or Meacham
.
Hilgard was named for both Eugene W. Hilgard
, dean of the College of Agriculture at the University of California
, and for Henry Villard
, whose name prior to immigrating to the United States was Ferdinand Heinrich Gustav Hilgard. Villard was Hilgard's cousin, and when he built the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company
railroad line over the Blue Mountains
, he enlisted Hilgard to make an agricultural survey of the area. In July 1883, a post office named "Dan" was established. The name was changed to "Hilgard" in August of that year when the well-known Eugene Hilgard was in the Pacific Northwest
. The office closed in 1943.
In the early 20th century, the Hilgard vicinity had several sawmill
s. The Mount Emily Lumber Company had a mill there in the 1920s.
45.3520742°N 118.2280021°W
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Union County
Union County, Oregon
Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is included in the 8 county definition of Eastern Oregon. The county is named for the town of Union, which is located within its boundaries; in 2010, the county population was 25,748. The county seat is La Grande.-History:Union County...
, 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...
, at the junction
Intersection (road)
An intersection is a road junction where two or more roads either meet or cross at grade . An intersection may be 3-way - a T junction or fork, 4-way - a crossroads, or 5-way or more...
of Oregon Route 244
Oregon Route 244
Oregon Route 244 is an Oregon state highway running from Ukiah in Umatilla County to Hilgard in Union County. OR 244 is known as the Ukiah-Hilgard Highway No. 341...
with Interstate 84
Interstate 84 in Oregon
In the U.S. state of Oregon, Interstate 84 travels east–west, following the Columbia River and the rough path of the old Oregon Trail from Portland east to Idaho. For this reason, it is also known as most of the Columbia River Highway No. 2 and all of the Old Oregon Trail Highway No. 6 . It...
/U.S. Route 30, near the Grande Ronde River
Grande Ronde River
The Grande Ronde River is a tributary of the Snake River, long, in northeastern Oregon and southeastern Washington in the United States. It drains an area southeast of the Blue Mountains and northwest of the Wallowa Mountains, on the Columbia Plateau...
. It is also the site of a junction
Junction (rail)
A junction, in the context of rail transport, is a place at which two or more rail routes converge or diverge.This implies a physical connection between the tracks of the two routes , 'points' and signalling.one or two tracks each meet at a junction, a fairly simple layout of tracks suffices to...
(wye) of the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
. Hilgard Junction State Recreation Area
Hilgard Junction State Recreation Area
Hilgard Junction State Recreation Area is a state park in Hilgard, Oregon, United States, administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department...
is across the river from the community.
The Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
passed through this location, where the covered wagon
Covered wagon
The covered wagon, also known as a Prairie schooner, is an icon of the American Old West.Although covered wagons were commonly used for shorter moves within the United States, in the mid-nineteenth century thousands of Americans took them across the Great Plains to Oregon and California...
s had to maneuver downhill from La Grande. Most emigrants camped at Hilgard before continuing back uphill towards Emigrant Springs
Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area
Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area is a state park located in central Umatilla County, Oregon, United States, approximately 15 mi southeast of Pendleton...
or Meacham
Meacham, Oregon
Meacham is an unincorporated community in Umatilla County, Oregon. It is located on the old alignment of U.S. Route 30 off Interstate 84, in the Umatilla National Forest, near Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area and the route of the Oregon Trail...
.
Hilgard was named for both Eugene W. Hilgard
Eugene W. Hilgard
Eugene Woldemar Hilgard was a German-American expert on pedology...
, dean of the College of Agriculture at the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
, and for Henry Villard
Henry Villard
Henry Villard was an American journalist and financier who was an early president of the Northern Pacific Railway....
, whose name prior to immigrating to the United States was Ferdinand Heinrich Gustav Hilgard. Villard was Hilgard's cousin, and when he built the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company
Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company
The Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company was a railroad that operated a rail network of of track running east from Portland, Oregon, United States to northeastern Oregon, northeastern Washington, and northern Idaho...
railroad line over the Blue Mountains
Blue Mountains (Oregon)
The Blue Mountains are a mountain range in the western United States, located largely in northeastern Oregon and stretching into southeastern Washington...
, he enlisted Hilgard to make an agricultural survey of the area. In July 1883, a post office named "Dan" was established. The name was changed to "Hilgard" in August of that year when the well-known Eugene Hilgard was in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
. The office closed in 1943.
In the early 20th century, the Hilgard vicinity had several 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....
s. The Mount Emily Lumber Company had a mill there in the 1920s.
External links
- Historic image of Hilgard circa 1916
- Historic image of a train at Hilgard from Baker County Library
- Oral history of Union County, Oregon from the Oregon Historical SocietyOregon Historical SocietyThe Oregon Historical Society is an organization that encourages and promotes the study and understanding of the history of the Oregon Country, within the broader context of U.S. history. Incorporated in 1898, the Society collects, preserves, and makes available materials of historical character...
45.3520742°N 118.2280021°W