Oregon Geographic Names
By LEWIS A. MCARTHUR
INTRODUCTORY NOTE
[For introductory note by the editor of the Oregon Historical
Quarterly and for preface by Mr. McArthur , see page 309 of the
Quarterly for December , 1925. Mr. McArthur is particularly anxious
for corrections , criticisms and additions for this and previous numbers and will welcome such if addressed to him at Gasco Building , Portland , Oregon . - EDITOR Oregon Historical Quarterly.]
CORRECTIONS
GRANTS PASS , Josephine County . The origin of the name of the
town of Grants Pass was discussed by the writer in the Oregon His
torical Quarterly for June and September , 1926 , and doubt was
expressed that the place could have been named for General Grant , due to the fact that the Post Office Department reported that Grants Pass post office was established on March 22 , 1863. It now appears that information furnished by postal authorities was incorrect , and that the post office was established on March 22 , 1865 , with Thomas Croxton first postmaster . This puts quite a different light on the matter and tends to substantiate the theory that the community was named for General Grant as a result of Grant's first name having been applied to a natural feature , Grants Pass , about two miles north of the present town . The second postmaster , Obenezer Dimmick , was appointed October 27 , 1868 . The compiler regrets having published the error referred to , but it was not his fault . In the opinion of the writer , it may be assumed that Grants Pass was named for General Grant's victories in the Civil War .
PART V.
FAUBION , Clackamas County. This post office was established
late in 1925 and was named for a local family . The office is half a
mile southeast of Zigzag ranger station , on the Mount Hood Loop
Highway . W . J. Faubion was the first postmaster .
FIELDS , Lane County . Fields , a station on the Cascade line of the
Southern Pacific Company , was named for two members of the Lewis
and Clark party , Joseph and Reuben Fields . It is often said that
Fields station was named for L. R . Fields , for many years an operating official of the railroad company in Oregon , but such is not the case , as is shown by the company records .
FRAZIER , Lane County . Frazier , a station on the Cascade line of
the Southern Pacific Company , was named for Robert Frazier , a
member of the Lewis and Clark party . See also FIELDS , CRUZATTE
and PRYOR .
FRIENDLY REACH , Multnomah County . This is part of the Co
lumbia River , about 8 miles long , from the mouth of the Willamette
River eastward . It was named by Lieutenant W. R . Broughton on
October 31 , 1792 , in commemoration of the friendly behavior of an
old Indian chief , who acted as a guide . The name has been officially
adopted by the government .
FUEGO , Klamath County . This station on the Cascade line of the
Southern Pacific Company is named for Fuego Mountain to the
eastward . See under that name .
GATE CREEK , Wasco County . Gate Creek is a tributary of White
River . It was named because one of the Barlow Road tollgates was
located near the stream . See 0. H. Quarterly , volume XXV , page 167 .
GOOSE LAKE , Lake County . The Klamath Indian name for Goose
Lake was Newapkshi . Wilkes ' Narrative shows it as Pitt Lake , drained by what was shown as Pitt River , but properly Pit River . Goose Lake seems to have been named during pioneer days rather than in exploratory times . The compiler has no record as to who named it , but there was good reason to call it Goose Lake . Wild geese frequented central Oregon in large numbers in early days .
GRAY BUTTE , Jefferson County . There is a story , unconfirmed , that this butte was named for Dr. Asa Gray , the botanist , but residents nearby all say that name is due to the characteristic color .
HAGER MOUNTAIN , Lake County . Hager Mountain , about 10 miles
south of the town of Silver Lake , was at one time known as Hager
horst Mountain for a pioneer settler in Silver Lake Valley . For
many years it has been called by its modern name , which seems well
established .