East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-01-03
HOW HERMISTON
WAS CHR|STENED
NAME TAKEN FROM
A STEVENSON NOVEL
J. +. Mcknight, Pioneer Settler at
HcImiston, Tells the Interesting
Story of the Selection of Name
for tho Headquarters of the Gov
ernmcnt Irrigation Projects.

Hermiston, Jan. ?, 1sO7.A(To the
East oregonian.) MANY have asked
me about the origin of the name of
our little but presumptious town
Hermiston.
l realize that but few other than
Herlnistonians will be interested in
this story, yet, having personal knowl-
edge of the fact that most of the
Hermistonians are friends of the "E
o." hazard the risk of having my
"cony' returned.
When l came to this place, three
years ago the 9Th of this month, there
. was absolutely nothing here, save a
passing track" a sign post and a
name. That name was Maxwell.
I undertook the reclamation of the
Maxwell and Cold Springs valleys and
organized a company for that pur-
pose.
The company began operations on
a large scale and necessarily had a
great deal Of correspondence. People
generally, had not learned that there
was no postoffice here, but seeing
the name, Maxwell on the maps, nat
uTally addressed their letters to that
place, which letters, after having
wandered over the state for some
weeks, would finally reach us through
the office at Umatilla. But all these
letters bore the stamp of Maxwell
Ore, which evidenced the fact that
there was a postoffice OF that name
somewhere in the state.
I. wanting to secure a postoffice at
this place, and having thus discover
ed that a Maxwell office already ex.
isted, found it necessary TO find an,
other suitable and appropriate name
appealed to my friends and &C.
quaintances to suggest names that
would not only be free from depart
mental objection, but would be ap-
propriate and If possible emblematic
"a name that would not only be eu-
phonious in sound, but have some
significance,
= = large Tiiimber of names were sug-
eested. such as Eagle Butte" "Mc-
Naughtown," ETC.. but the batch was
finally simmered down to two, viz:
"Clar-wis" and "Hermiston."
The former was suggested by Mrs.
]. F. Mcknight. 1t being the year
of the Lewis and Clark centennial
the idea of coming a word by taking
a part of each of the names Lewis
and Clark suggested itself to hen as
appropriate.
Clar-wis had a good many support
ers, hut Hermiston, which was sug-
gested by Charles McNamee, of Seat
tie. had the greater number of friends
and was adopted.
The original Eermiston is a beauti- |
ful spot in Scotland. and is beautiful !
ly described by Robert Louis Steven
son in his splendid novel called "Weir |
of Hermiston." In suggesting this |
name Mr.. McNamee caught a glimpse |
of the future and in his minds eye
sa va picture of the true Hermiston. |
Thus re have secured a name that |
not only means something, but has |
pleasant ring TO it, and has the spec !
ial distinction Of having no namesakes |
in this country--there is no other
Hermiston in America, to the eminent
satisfaction of all postal clerks and
the patrons of our office.
The name seems to have taken well
and 1 am often asked where did YOU
get .lt'"
l am free to confess that up to the
time of its suggestion had not read
Mr.. Stevenson's book, and had never
heard the name.
]. F. MNAUGHT.