Trip Report

Early Oregon history was the focus of the September bus trip to Oregon City. Our first stop was the original development site near Willamette Falls. Established in 1829 by Dr. John McLoughlin, chief factor of the Hudson Bay Fur Company, the settlement was originally called Willamette Falls. In 1842, McLoughlin surveyed and laid out the town and rechristened it Oregon City. Dr. McLoughlin assisted and encouraged early American settlers and is considered ‘the father of Oregon’.

We rode the Municipal Elevator, the only designated vertical street in North America, to the upper level of town. This provided the opportunity to walk the Promenade, giving us a wonderful view of the river, Willamette Falls and surrounding areas.

Our picnic lunch stop was at Abernathy Green, the nationally recognized official end of the Oregon Trail. The End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, marked by giant covered wagons, is located there. This museum focuses on the 19th century history of the Pacific Northwest, including fur trading, railroading, and other pioneer trades and crafts. The Interpretive Center building is currently closed for renovation, but will be an interesting place to visit on a future trip.

The focal point of our trip was the visit to the McLoughlin House, built in 1846 then moved up the hill in 1909. After receiving a history lesson from a well-informed volunteer in the Barclay House next door, we viewed the many original and period furnishings in the National Park Service managed house.

The last stop in Oregon City was the Stevens-Crawford House, built in 1908. The house and furnishings were donated to the Clackamas County Museum by Mertie Crawford, daughter of Medorum Crawford. Mr. Crawford was a participant at Champoeg where the American provisional government was established in the Oregon Country.

On the way home we visited Bauman Farms near Woodburn, one of our favorite stops for ice cream, beautiful plants, fresh fruits and vegetables.