Oregon Native Place Names in the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, Part 1

In the map collections of Oregon Historical Society there is a selection of Coast Survey maps. Most of these maps date from 1874 and there are some later. They are blueprint copies of the original maps, which are likely in College Park, Maryland in the NARA Cartography collection center. These maps I had found and photographed some five years previously (very badly). Then I “discovered” that a couple of the maps had some Native Place names. It is on maps # 770 b & c where there is documentation of the survey from Siletz to the Tillamook area. The maps … Continue reading Oregon Native Place Names in the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, Part 1

Wagon Roads From Grand Ronde to the Coast

In the 1860’s, the Indians of the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation needed a route to get to the coast to gather fish. The Indian agents developed a fishery at the Salmon River and allowed the tribes to travel the mountain trials to the river to gather fish. The trail was originally small and barely able to pass a wagon in the summertime, and took about 2 hours on a good horse. The soils and weather would not allow easy travel in the winter. This route was well traveled and allow the Salmon river peoples, the Nechesne, to get to the … Continue reading Wagon Roads From Grand Ronde to the Coast