Necanicum, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Necanicum is a historic unincorporated
community in Clatsop County
, Oregon
, United States. It is located about 13 miles southeast of Seaside
on U.S. Route 26
in the Northern Oregon Coast Range
, next to the Necanicum River
. Necanicum Junction is about a mile east of the site of the former post office, at the intersection of U.S. 26 and Oregon Route 53. It is served by the Seaside
post office.
The post office at this locale was originally named "Ahlers" after Herman Ahlers, a local resident and the first postmaster. Ahlers changed the name of the office to "Push" in 1899, because he expected the place to become an enterprising community. The name was changed to Necanicum in 1907, after the Necanicum River, and the office closed in 1916, with Ahlers still postmaster. "Necanicum" is one of many names in northwest Oregon beginning with ne, which is a Native American
prefix indicating a place. Necanicum is derived from Ne-hay-ne-hum, the name of a Native American lodge upstream. The journal of the Oregon Pioneer Association gave the name as "Nekonikon" in 1887. Herman Ahlers said the name meant "a gap in the mountains". The current spelling was adopted by a decision of the United States Board on Geographic Names
in 1915, as the most common local usage over "Necanacum" and "Nekanakum".
In 1915, Necanicum had a population of 50. As of 1990, there was a store and a café at Necanicum Junction.
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...
community in Clatsop County
Clatsop County, Oregon
Clatsop County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county is named for the Clatsop tribe of Native Americans, who lived along the coast of the Pacific Ocean prior to European settlement. As of 2010, the population was 37,039. The county seat is Astoria.-Economy:The principal...
, 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. It is located about 13 miles southeast of Seaside
Seaside, Oregon
Seaside is a city in Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. The name Seaside is derived from Seaside House, a historic summer resort built in the 1870s by railroad magnate Ben Holladay. The city's population was 6,457 at the 2010 census.-History:...
on U.S. Route 26
U.S. Route 26 in Oregon
In the U.S. state of Oregon, U.S. Route 26 is a major cross-state state highway, connecting U.S. Route 101 on the Oregon Coast near Seaside with the Idaho state line east of Nyssa. Local highway names include the Sunset Highway No. 47, Mount Hood Highway No. 26, and John Day Highway No...
in the Northern Oregon Coast Range
Northern Oregon Coast Range
The Northern Oregon Coast Range is the northern section of the Oregon Coast Range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges physiographic region, located in the northwest portion of the state of Oregon, United States. This section of the mountain range, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, contains peaks as high...
, next to the Necanicum River
Necanicum River
The Necanicum River is river on the Pacific coast of northwest Oregon in the United States, approximately long. It drains a timber-producing area of the Northern Oregon Coast Range northwest of Portland...
. Necanicum Junction is about a mile east of the site of the former post office, at the intersection of U.S. 26 and Oregon Route 53. It is served by the Seaside
Seaside, Oregon
Seaside is a city in Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. The name Seaside is derived from Seaside House, a historic summer resort built in the 1870s by railroad magnate Ben Holladay. The city's population was 6,457 at the 2010 census.-History:...
post office.
The post office at this locale was originally named "Ahlers" after Herman Ahlers, a local resident and the first postmaster. Ahlers changed the name of the office to "Push" in 1899, because he expected the place to become an enterprising community. The name was changed to Necanicum in 1907, after the Necanicum River, and the office closed in 1916, with Ahlers still postmaster. "Necanicum" is one of many names in northwest Oregon beginning with ne, which is a Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
prefix indicating a place. Necanicum is derived from Ne-hay-ne-hum, the name of a Native American lodge upstream. The journal of the Oregon Pioneer Association gave the name as "Nekonikon" in 1887. Herman Ahlers said the name meant "a gap in the mountains". The current spelling was adopted by a decision of the United States Board on Geographic Names
United States Board on Geographic Names
The United States Board on Geographic Names is a United States federal body whose purpose is to establish and maintain uniform usage of geographic names throughout the U.S. government.-Overview:...
in 1915, as the most common local usage over "Necanacum" and "Nekanakum".
In 1915, Necanicum had a population of 50. As of 1990, there was a store and a café at Necanicum Junction.