Jeffro
Silver Member
In the early 1830s, retiring Hudson's Bay Company employees began to settle on the prairies along the river they had previously trapped. These early settlers in present day Marion County were soon followed by missionaries and then the early pioneer emigrants. With the first settlements came mills, warehouses and ferry landings. The river not only provided a means of transportation but also a way in which to transport crops to market.
As early as 1846, Robert "Doc" Newell, ex-trapper, had three flatboats operating between the Willamette Falls and Champoeg, the center of trade on the middle river. The Mogul, Ben Franklin and Great Western traveled the distance of eighteen miles in seven to ten hours. The Indian-powered, paddle-driven craft were claimed to have "good sailing and pulling qualities". The passenger fare was fifty cents and trips were made twice-weekly.
By 1849, the gold discovery in California caused a mass exodus of fortune- seekers. Those that stayed hurried to increase agriculture production to supply the miners needs. Sawmills and flour mills ran at maximum speed. Gold poured into the territory. Landings and ferries operated at full capacity.
Many of the landings were crude plank affairs under fir trees or anchored among willows that had no warehouses for storage. The grain and produce were stacked on the riverbank and had to be sheltered from the weather and guarded from thieving Indians and despoiling game. The more prosperous landings were those that had warehouses.
In 1940 Captain Arthur Riggs compiled a list of the landings on the Willamette River. They were published in 1973 in a book by Howard McKinley Corning entitled "Willamette Landings." The following list itemizes the landings, as they were located, from Clackamas County upriver to the Polk Co border.
WILLAMETTE RIVER LANDINGS IN MARION COUNTY
Buchanan's, now Kenyon's Landing. On the south side one mile below Butteville Landing.
Red Warehouse. One-fourth miles below Butteville on the south side.
Butteville (aka LaButte). On the south side or east shore of the river. Established in the 1840s by George Abernethy and Alanson Beers, it was little more than a river landing, with a warehouse and a few dwellings. During the flood of 1861 it incurred extensive damage. By the 1870s, most of the local agriculture was being shipped via the Oregon & California Railroad which had been constructed several miles to the east.
Dave Weston's Landing. On the south side, one and one-half miles below Champoeg.
Swan's Mill Landing. On the south side, one mile below Champoeg.
Champoeg Landing. On the south side, or east shore. Established as a grain shipping port, the warehouse at Champoeg, owned by Dr. McLoughlin, stood on the first ledge of the bank with one timbered end extending over the water. The site also contained a general store, a blacksmith shop and approximately a dozen cabins. It continued to prosper and grow until it was decimated by the November 1861 flood. By the time the waters drained away, it was observed that "the flood swept this town entirely clean of houses, and the site is now as bare as a sand beach." It was estimated that two hundred to three hundred and fifty houses and businesses were washed away. The town never recovered and the location today is occupied by the Champoeg Memorial Park.
Jim Eldridge Landing. On the south side, one-half mile above Champoeg.
Frank Osborne's Landing. On the south side across the river from Abernethy's Landing.
Everhart's Landing. On the south side, one-fourth mile above Frank Osborne's Landing.
Gearin's Landing. On the south side, three miles below Newberg.
Markley's Landing. On the south side or east shore.
Yeager's Landing. On the east side, at the head of Ash Island.
Ray's Landing. This landing on the east side, was the original Davidson's Landing. It was here that the steamer Elk's boiler exploded in 1875.
Hell-Roaring Smith's Landing. On the east side, one-fourth mile below Mission Landing.
St. Paul or Mission Landing. On the east bank.
Brantana's Landing. On the south side or east shore, one mile above Mission Landing.
Cantianna Bar and Landing. On the east side.
Coffey's Landing. On the east bank, across the river from Sager's.
Jackson Bend Landing and Warehouse. On the east side, about three miles above Coffey's Landing.
Phiester's Rock Landing. On the east bank, at upper end of Jackson Bend.
Durett's Landing. On the east shore, two miles below Fairfield.
Fairfield. On the east shore. With the increased harvest of wheat from French Pairie it became necessary to find a more convenient shipping point for the area farmers. Fairfield lay in a quiet arm of the river, protected by firs and spruce of enourmous size. By 1853 the landing had become a prosperous grain-shipping port with two warehouses. The November 1861 that destroyed so many of the landings had little effect on Fairfield and it continued to prosper into the early 1870s. From that point it gradually declined until it returned to being a small ranching community with orchards and livestock.
Imlaw's Landing. On the east side about one mile above Fairfield.
Eldridge's Warehouse Landing. On the east bank.
East Wheatland Landing or Lafollette Landing.
Garrison's Landing. One and one-fourth miles above Upper Wheatland, on east shore. This was the Lee Mission site.
Joe Simmons' Landing. On the east side, three and one-half miles above Wheatland.
Labische Landing. On east shore.
Spong's Landing. On the east side, across the river from Lincoln.
Kaiser's Landing. Three miles below Salem, on the east bank.
Salem. On the east bank, at the mouth of Mill Creek.
Brown's Island Landing. Just above Salem on east bank.
As early as 1846, Robert "Doc" Newell, ex-trapper, had three flatboats operating between the Willamette Falls and Champoeg, the center of trade on the middle river. The Mogul, Ben Franklin and Great Western traveled the distance of eighteen miles in seven to ten hours. The Indian-powered, paddle-driven craft were claimed to have "good sailing and pulling qualities". The passenger fare was fifty cents and trips were made twice-weekly.
By 1849, the gold discovery in California caused a mass exodus of fortune- seekers. Those that stayed hurried to increase agriculture production to supply the miners needs. Sawmills and flour mills ran at maximum speed. Gold poured into the territory. Landings and ferries operated at full capacity.
Many of the landings were crude plank affairs under fir trees or anchored among willows that had no warehouses for storage. The grain and produce were stacked on the riverbank and had to be sheltered from the weather and guarded from thieving Indians and despoiling game. The more prosperous landings were those that had warehouses.
In 1940 Captain Arthur Riggs compiled a list of the landings on the Willamette River. They were published in 1973 in a book by Howard McKinley Corning entitled "Willamette Landings." The following list itemizes the landings, as they were located, from Clackamas County upriver to the Polk Co border.
WILLAMETTE RIVER LANDINGS IN MARION COUNTY
Buchanan's, now Kenyon's Landing. On the south side one mile below Butteville Landing.
Red Warehouse. One-fourth miles below Butteville on the south side.
Butteville (aka LaButte). On the south side or east shore of the river. Established in the 1840s by George Abernethy and Alanson Beers, it was little more than a river landing, with a warehouse and a few dwellings. During the flood of 1861 it incurred extensive damage. By the 1870s, most of the local agriculture was being shipped via the Oregon & California Railroad which had been constructed several miles to the east.
Dave Weston's Landing. On the south side, one and one-half miles below Champoeg.
Swan's Mill Landing. On the south side, one mile below Champoeg.
Champoeg Landing. On the south side, or east shore. Established as a grain shipping port, the warehouse at Champoeg, owned by Dr. McLoughlin, stood on the first ledge of the bank with one timbered end extending over the water. The site also contained a general store, a blacksmith shop and approximately a dozen cabins. It continued to prosper and grow until it was decimated by the November 1861 flood. By the time the waters drained away, it was observed that "the flood swept this town entirely clean of houses, and the site is now as bare as a sand beach." It was estimated that two hundred to three hundred and fifty houses and businesses were washed away. The town never recovered and the location today is occupied by the Champoeg Memorial Park.
Jim Eldridge Landing. On the south side, one-half mile above Champoeg.
Frank Osborne's Landing. On the south side across the river from Abernethy's Landing.
Everhart's Landing. On the south side, one-fourth mile above Frank Osborne's Landing.
Gearin's Landing. On the south side, three miles below Newberg.
Markley's Landing. On the south side or east shore.
Yeager's Landing. On the east side, at the head of Ash Island.
Ray's Landing. This landing on the east side, was the original Davidson's Landing. It was here that the steamer Elk's boiler exploded in 1875.
Hell-Roaring Smith's Landing. On the east side, one-fourth mile below Mission Landing.
St. Paul or Mission Landing. On the east bank.
Brantana's Landing. On the south side or east shore, one mile above Mission Landing.
Cantianna Bar and Landing. On the east side.
Coffey's Landing. On the east bank, across the river from Sager's.
Jackson Bend Landing and Warehouse. On the east side, about three miles above Coffey's Landing.
Phiester's Rock Landing. On the east bank, at upper end of Jackson Bend.
Durett's Landing. On the east shore, two miles below Fairfield.
Fairfield. On the east shore. With the increased harvest of wheat from French Pairie it became necessary to find a more convenient shipping point for the area farmers. Fairfield lay in a quiet arm of the river, protected by firs and spruce of enourmous size. By 1853 the landing had become a prosperous grain-shipping port with two warehouses. The November 1861 that destroyed so many of the landings had little effect on Fairfield and it continued to prosper into the early 1870s. From that point it gradually declined until it returned to being a small ranching community with orchards and livestock.
Imlaw's Landing. On the east side about one mile above Fairfield.
Eldridge's Warehouse Landing. On the east bank.
East Wheatland Landing or Lafollette Landing.
Garrison's Landing. One and one-fourth miles above Upper Wheatland, on east shore. This was the Lee Mission site.
Joe Simmons' Landing. On the east side, three and one-half miles above Wheatland.
Labische Landing. On east shore.
Spong's Landing. On the east side, across the river from Lincoln.
Kaiser's Landing. Three miles below Salem, on the east bank.
Salem. On the east bank, at the mouth of Mill Creek.
Brown's Island Landing. Just above Salem on east bank.
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