The railroad was conveyed june 2, 1879, to a company representing the new investors, the willamette valley railroad company, and the old company was dissolved. Popular oregon history books showing 150 of 5 the oregon trail. Browse this interactive collection of maps to explore all the middle willamette valley has to offer, with filters for amenities. Eugene and springfield bicycle maps from city of eugene springfield and eugenes extensive road and path systems are displayed on a pdf map with bike shops and other points of interest. History of the narrow gauge railroad in the willamette valley by leslie m. The institution started as a normal school to train teachers. Wvr operates freight service from a connection with up at woodburn to stayton, or 29.
Eugene and springfield bicycle maps from city of eugene springfield and eugenes extensive road and path systems are displayed on a pdf map with. The shortlived oregon traction company began grading for such a line in 1905, but it was the oregon electric railway that brought the plan to fruition. Oregon historical quarterlyvolume 20history of the. The willamette valley is oregon most populous region, extending 120 miles south from portland through salem, albany, corvallis and eugene. Portlands streetcars, willamette valley railways, and portlands. Contract for construction had been let in april, 1878, and the track between dayton and sheridan opened for traffic october 24, 1878. The mission of the willamette valley model railroad and operating museum, wvmrom, is to educate visitors about the heritage, history and evolution of railroads in oregon and their effect on the growth of local agriculture and industry using a model railroad layout as one of the tools for providing the education. Railroading in the lower willamette valley benton county museum. History of the willamette valley, oregon 1987 edition. Union pacific currently the important main line from portland south into california is owned by this. See more ideas about oregon, salem oregon and marion county. Willamette valley railways images of rail kindle edition by richard thompson.
The shortlived oregon traction company began grading for such a line in 1905, but it was the oregon electric railway that brought the plan to. The narrow gauge or yamhill railroad, initiated in 1877 between dayton and sheridan, in yamhill county, with a branch to dallas in polk county, grew in 187981 to be an ambitious system, embracing the length of the willamette valley, from portland to airlie 80 miles on the west side, and to coburg, 123 miles on the east side, a total trackage of. A small museum in montana is raising money to restore the oldest surviving willamette locomotive in existence. The willamette valley and coast railroad abandoned rails. Documents the history of a streetcar network that served the employees of the pennsylvania railroad as well as the community. Lewis and drydens marine history of the pacific northwest. More than 200 historic images illustrate portlands interurban railway from its. History of the willamette valley, oregon by robert carlton clark, 1987, s. Chris schwab, of the silverton country historical society, recalls when. This book gives an excellant history of the development of the willamette steam locomotives. Willamette valley railways, by thompson, richard, arcadia publishing, 2008. The account covers their histories from inception until sale or abandonment or until 1993 if still active. This is the story of the pioneering local railways that started it all as they built south.
Willamette valley railroad engine heading south from woodburn, or, to mt. Monroe alpine jct corvallis gerlinger whiteson newberg, or 84. Victor hugo dunton house 1916 and the dunton family farm home of the. Oregon historical quarterlyvolume 20history of the narrow. New arrivals train, railroad, transportation books from karens. Mar 14, 2011 the railroad featured here is not mentioned in the encyclopedia of western railroad history. Willamette valley railways local and regional history books. We chose ctr100 since it is easy to apply and we can put the track back in service quickly. Long before modern light rail vehicles, electric trains were providing portland and the willamette valley with reliable, elegant transportation that was second. Hauff, steve and gertz, jim, the willamette locomotive shays, 1977, h.
This railroad website was created in december, 2003. The northern pacific railroad, the sioux, and the panic of 1873 by m. Another line cut south into the fertile willamette valley, accessing. Ho layout an exhibit that is a series of operational realistic miniature representations of the historic southern pacific railroad. The official website of the oregon secretary of state chronology of events in oregon history from 1851 to 1900.
Congress authorizes corvallisyaquina bay military wagon road and willamette valleycascade mountain military wagon road. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. This company continued to operate the line to the mountain fir lumber company until this lumber facility closed in may of 1992. Beginnings of the southern pacific,the by, joselyn, d. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. On august 15, 1867, articles of incorporation were filed for a new entity called the willamette valley and coast railroad company, with a group of 14 benton county citizens listed as incorporators. Gibbs was a geologist and ethnologist who participated in treaty negotiations between the u. The willamette valley is oregon most populous region, extending 120 miles south from. The railroad featured here is not mentioned in the encyclopedia of western railroad history. The willamette valley sketch map depicts purchases and reservations made by the board of commissioners with native americans in oregon. This page is about a historical oregon pacific railroad.
The remains of the line was purchased in late 1984 or early 1985 to the willamette valley railroad company. The southern pacific railroad paints the backdrop for the history and heritage of the story of oregon and its riches that ride the rails. Train, railroad, transportation books from karens books. The oregon and california railroad efforts at the first railroad in the willamette valley and portland.
Immerse yourself into worldclass art, exciting history, and mindbending science. Following three false starts during the ten years after the american civil war, the railway was launched in july 1874. When the first trains arrived in hillsboro in 1871 under the banner of the. History of the narrow gauge railroad in the willamette valley. Late in life, the line briefly operated as the willamette valley railway. Between 1908 and 1915, two large systems, the oregon electric railway and the. Talk of building a longdistance electric interurban railway south from portland along the west bank of the willamette river began in the 1890s. Willamette valley railways tells the story of the electric interurban railways that. Part of the cascades geological province that extends from british columbia to northern california, the valley is an elongated, relatively flat body of land extending approximately 150 miles from the columbia river south to the calapooya divide. The 10 best willamette valley history museums with photos. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading willamette valley railways images of rail. Apr 18, 2018 the railroad was conveyed june 2, 1879, to a company representing the new investors, the willamette valley railroad company, and the old company was dissolved. Appears in 121 books from 18142007 more page 22 the object of your mission is to explore the missouri river, and such principal streams of it, as, by its course and communication with the waters of the pacific ocean, whether the columbia, oregan, colorado, or any other river, may offer the most direct and practicable water communication. The willamettes were the only geared locomotives produced in the northwest and designed specifically for northwest logging.
Willamette valley railway news newspapers books scholar. The line was abandoned in 1935, according to the southern pacific in oregon. The southern pacific few cities in the willamette valley can mention their history without also mentioning the name of this company. Company railroad reaches umatilla providing transcontinental links. Learn about important events in oregon history, the unique oregon wine history, and many other aspects of its life and culture. The stayton line was built by the narrow gauge oregonian railroad chartered in 1878 and absorbed by sp in 1890. A portion of the line between salem and east salem was abandoned in 1995. Oregon historical society volume xx june, 1919 number 2. Thousands of emigrant pioneers in the mid to late 1800s made the harrowing overland journey to make their home in this lush valley, which came to be. Final 15 minutes of the ring of fire movie is now on the site. Powerland heritage park a campus community of independent museums and event spaces reflecting the preservation, restoration, and operation of antique equipment, vehicles, steampowered machinery, and farm implements. In 1966, david lett planted the first vitis vinfera vines in the volcanic red jory soils of the dundee hills in the willamette valley, oregon. But the roots of this railroad are rich in tradition dating back to the days of southern pacific. Operations commenced in february 1993 under a 20year lease from sp.
Clackamas southern railway company willamette valley southern railway willamette valley railway 1911 to 1939. However, in the early 1870s that picture began to change. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our. Check out the best museums in willamette valley to visit in 2020. Portland area interurbans 18911958, oregon electric railway 19081933, united railways 19111923, sp red electrics 19141929, willamette valley southern 19151933, salem street railways 18891927, albany street railways 18891918 and eugene street railways 18911927. Montana museum aims to restore oldest surviving willamette. View more articles from the quarterly of the oregon historical society. May 6, 2020 looking to get inspired on your trip to willamette valley. Oregon railroad history pnwcnrhs pacific northwest chapter.
Scott forty years ago the willamette valley was eager for railroads, just as now for automobile highways. The cottage on the campus of western oregon university in monmouth. The map in that book makes the line appear to have operated between what is now patton valley road and the tualatin river. The abandoned western cascade mountain railroad tunnels. The 10 best museums youll want to visit in willamette valley. The willamette valley, bounded on the west by the coast range and on the east by the cascades, is the largest river valley in oregon. Oregon state archives photo normal schools open in monmouth, ashland and drain to train teachers. The willamette valley is the name of the broad, fertile swath of land oregons fertile crescent swooping from portland south to past the city of eugene, to the rogue and umpqua valleys. It leased a line from woodburn to stayton from the southern pacific transportation company in february 1993, as well as a branch from geer west to salem partly abandoned in 1995, and purchased the property in 1996. New book includes a piece of silvertons rail history statesman.
This houses the willamette valley model railroad museum. Traffic includes lumber, plywood and other forest products, grain, fertilizer, food products and sand. Salem celebrates history of 100yearold railroad station. On the opposite bank of the willamette, the railroad built rays landing. History corvallis had been the most important town in oregons willamette valley for many years. By robert lowry, kenneth munford, and harriet moore originally published in the horner museum tour guide series, 1979 in the past 100 years, dozens of companies have set out to build railroads in the willamette valley. Willamette wineworks join the historic folsom station and. A group of scot capitalists formed the oregonian railway company, limited after purchasing the bankrupt dayton, sheridan and grande ronde railroad in 1879 the first changes made were to move the dayton terminal, on the yamhill river, to fulquartz landing on the willamette river. Thanks to brian edwards for contributing information. The wvmrom was organized in february of 1979 in salem oregon and was incorporated as a non profit organization. This line was leased from sp, and short line service started february 22, 1993. History of the willamette valley, being a description of the valley and its resources, with an account of its discovery and settlement by white men, and its subsequent history.
Jan 14, 2014 willamette valley railroad engine heading south from woodburn, or, to mt. While other cool climate varieties were planted at the time pinot gris, chardonnay, and pinot blanc it was the noble pinot noir that the early settlers hung their hats on and that continues to be the driving force behind the willamette valley. It should not be confused with the modern oregon pacific railroad, a shortline operating several pieces of disconnected track in northwestern oregon. The proposed route would parallel the southern pacific railroads tracks through the willamette valley.
See more ideas about oregon, historical photos and train. The navigable river which drains the valley was an easy avenue of transportation, but wagon roads leading to. All known common carrier steam powered operations of ten or more miles are included, plus numerous logging companies, electric traction and diesel operations. Willamette valley railways tells the story of the electric interurban railways that ran through oregons willamette valley and of the streetcars that operated in the towns they served. The historical photos are outstanding as are the carefully researched history of each of the 36 locomotives produced.
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