Laurel, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Laurel is an unincorporated community
in Washington County
, Oregon
, United States
. Settled in 1872, the community is located between Hillsboro
and Newberg
, in the southern portion of the Tualatin Valley
in the foothills of the Chehalem Mountains
. The community retains its agricultural heritage. Laurel is served by the Hillsboro School District
and includes the century-old Laurel Valley Store.
Native American group. Smallpox epidemics struck the Atfalati and by the mid 1830s only 10 percent of the tribe was left. An 1855 government treaty removed the remaining Atfalati to the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation
where there are still about 20 individuals who identify themselves as Atfalati.
In 1872, the Mulloy family settled the area that is now Laurel. In May 1879, the Laurel post office
was established with Alfred Mulloy, Sr. as postmaster. Mail was delivered once per week until 1881 when deliveries increased to twice per week. The population was 150 people in 1880, but dropped to 29 in the 1900 census.
The Laurel Valley Store was opened in 1893 by Gus, Maud, and Jacob Messinger. A small one-room school
house was built later. A telephone line was extended to Laurel in 1904 from Hillsboro with four customers. The population grew to 50 residents in 1910. In 1923, Laurel Community Hall was constructed for about $5,000. The post office was closed in 1935.
church was also started that year by the Brown, Steventon, Shamly, and Messinger families. The Mulloy family donated 2 acres (8,093.7 m²) to the church in 1878 for a chapel and cemetery, and a church was built and named the Mount Olive Baptist Church during the summer. The cemetery was laid out in 1880.
Laurel Church had its beginnings around 1888 when J.M. Beaumont, an Evangelical
preacher, started preaching at the Baptist church. In 1892, the church was transferred to the Hillsboro mission of the church from the Newberg mission. In 1897, Rosilla and George Hathorn donated land and a new church was built, named Bethany United Evangelical Church. In 1800, the United Brethren Church was organized by Phillip Otterbein, with the churches merging in 1946.
In 1947, Lester Moore began the church's first full-time pastor. On September 22, 1948, the original church building burned down. A new structure was erected, and a dedication ceremony was held on January 29, 1950. In 1960, a new parsonage was added, followed by an expansion started in 1974.
, Hillsboro, or Beaverton
for work. The Laurel Valley School of Dance has provided dance lessons in the Laurel Hall for over 30 years. The old school building has been turned into the Laurel Apartments. Children attend schools in the Hillsboro School District
, with Farmington View serving as the elementary school. Fire protection services are provided by Washington County Fire District 2.
The two main cross streets in Laurel are SW Laurel Road, and SW Campbell Road. These used to be Laurel Road North, Laurel Road South, Laurel Road East, and Laurel Road West. These were changed to their present name when the county got rid of the old route/box number of addresses and implemented the present street address system, which is more common in the western United States. Laurel is located along the Washington County Scenic Loop.
At the northwest corner of the main intersection in Laurel is the largest contiguous walnut orchard
in Oregon's Washington County. Laurel Valley Store is located at the same intersection and has been in operation since 1893. The current two-story building was constructed in 1913.
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 Washington County
Washington County, Oregon
- Major highways :* Interstate 5* Interstate 205* U.S. Route 26* Oregon Route 6* Oregon Route 8* Oregon Route 10* Oregon Route 47* Oregon Route 99W* Oregon Route 210* Oregon Route 217* Oregon Route 219-Demographics:...
, 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...
. Settled in 1872, the community is located between Hillsboro
Hillsboro, Oregon
Hillsboro is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and is the county seat of Washington County. Lying in the Tualatin Valley on the west side of the Portland metropolitan area, the city is home to many high-technology companies, such as Intel, that compose what has become known as the...
and Newberg
Newberg, Oregon
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 18,064 people, 6,099 households, and 4,348 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,599.4 people per square mile . There were 6,435 housing units at an average density of 1,282.2 per square mile...
, in the southern portion of the Tualatin Valley
Tualatin Valley
The Tualatin Valley is a farming and suburban region southwest of Portland, Oregon in the United States. The valley is formed by the meandering Tualatin River, a tributary of the Willamette River at the northwest corner of the Willamette Valley, east of the Northern Oregon Coast Range...
in the foothills of the Chehalem Mountains
Chehalem Mountains
The Chehalem Mountains are a mountain range located in the Willamette Valley in the U.S. state of Oregon. Forming the southern boundary of the Tualatin Valley, the Chehalems are the highest mountains in the Willamette Valley...
. The community retains its agricultural heritage. Laurel is served by the Hillsboro School District
Hillsboro School District
The Hillsboro School District 1J is a unified school district located in Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. The district operates 26 elementary schools, four middle schools, and four high schools. Founded in 1851, the school district covers Hillsboro, Scholls, Reedville, North Plains, West Union,...
and includes the century-old Laurel Valley Store.
History
When the Euro-American settlers came to what is now Washington County, the area was inhabited by the AtfalatiAtfalati
The Atfalati, also known as the Tualatin were a tribe or band of the Kalapuya Native Americans who originally inhabited the Tualatin Valley in the northwest part of the U.S. state of Oregon...
Native American group. Smallpox epidemics struck the Atfalati and by the mid 1830s only 10 percent of the tribe was left. An 1855 government treaty removed the remaining Atfalati to the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation
Grand Ronde Indian Reservation
The Grand Ronde Community is an Indian reservation located on several non-contiguous sections of land in southwestern Yamhill County and northwestern Polk County, Oregon, United States, about east of Lincoln City, near the community of Grand Ronde...
where there are still about 20 individuals who identify themselves as Atfalati.
In 1872, the Mulloy family settled the area that is now Laurel. In May 1879, the Laurel post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
was established with Alfred Mulloy, Sr. as postmaster. Mail was delivered once per week until 1881 when deliveries increased to twice per week. The population was 150 people in 1880, but dropped to 29 in the 1900 census.
The Laurel Valley Store was opened in 1893 by Gus, Maud, and Jacob Messinger. A small one-room school
One-room school
One-room schools were commonplace throughout rural portions of various countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland and Spain in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In most rural and small town schools, all of the students met in a single room...
house was built later. A telephone line was extended to Laurel in 1904 from Hillsboro with four customers. The population grew to 50 residents in 1910. In 1923, Laurel Community Hall was constructed for about $5,000. The post office was closed in 1935.
Churches
In 1876, community members started a congregation at Mountain Top with W.C. Kantner as preacher. A BaptistBaptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
church was also started that year by the Brown, Steventon, Shamly, and Messinger families. The Mulloy family donated 2 acres (8,093.7 m²) to the church in 1878 for a chapel and cemetery, and a church was built and named the Mount Olive Baptist Church during the summer. The cemetery was laid out in 1880.
Laurel Church had its beginnings around 1888 when J.M. Beaumont, an Evangelical
Evangelical Synod of North America
The Evangelical Synod of North America, before 1927 German Evangelical Synod of North America, in German Evangelische Synode von Nord-Amerika, was a Protestant Christian denomination in the United States existing from the mid-19th century until its 1934 merger with the Reformed Church in the...
preacher, started preaching at the Baptist church. In 1892, the church was transferred to the Hillsboro mission of the church from the Newberg mission. In 1897, Rosilla and George Hathorn donated land and a new church was built, named Bethany United Evangelical Church. In 1800, the United Brethren Church was organized by Phillip Otterbein, with the churches merging in 1946.
In 1947, Lester Moore began the church's first full-time pastor. On September 22, 1948, the original church building burned down. A new structure was erected, and a dedication ceremony was held on January 29, 1950. In 1960, a new parsonage was added, followed by an expansion started in 1974.
Present
Laurel lost its post office, school, and its recognition as a town in the early 1900s. The community has several agricultural farms and plant nurseries, although most of its residents commute to PortlandPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Hillsboro, or Beaverton
Beaverton, Oregon
Beaverton is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States, seven miles west of Portland in the Tualatin River Valley.As of the 2010 census, the population is 90,267. This makes it the second-largest city in the county and Oregon's sixth-largest city...
for work. The Laurel Valley School of Dance has provided dance lessons in the Laurel Hall for over 30 years. The old school building has been turned into the Laurel Apartments. Children attend schools in the Hillsboro School District
Hillsboro School District
The Hillsboro School District 1J is a unified school district located in Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. The district operates 26 elementary schools, four middle schools, and four high schools. Founded in 1851, the school district covers Hillsboro, Scholls, Reedville, North Plains, West Union,...
, with Farmington View serving as the elementary school. Fire protection services are provided by Washington County Fire District 2.
The two main cross streets in Laurel are SW Laurel Road, and SW Campbell Road. These used to be Laurel Road North, Laurel Road South, Laurel Road East, and Laurel Road West. These were changed to their present name when the county got rid of the old route/box number of addresses and implemented the present street address system, which is more common in the western United States. Laurel is located along the Washington County Scenic Loop.
At the northwest corner of the main intersection in Laurel is the largest contiguous walnut orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
in Oregon's Washington County. Laurel Valley Store is located at the same intersection and has been in operation since 1893. The current two-story building was constructed in 1913.