Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1911-05-02
EARLY LODGE HISTORY
"REMINISCENCES OF BUENA VISTA
LODGE NO. "a, l. o. o. f.
Interesting Account of mcendiary
Fires That Retarded Progress of
Pioneer Town.

Pioneer Town.
At the recent anniversary held by
Buena Vista Lodge No. "a, Independ
Vista, one of the most interesting fea
lures of the celebration was the paper
read by F. ]. Smith, a well-knowr
writer, who is considered an authority
on that part of the valley and it's in.
stitutions. Mr.. Smiths account gives
some interesting bits of pioneer his
tory, and portrays the difficulties that
confronted the struggling growth OF
fraternal society and a perseverine
young steamboat town. By his per-
mission, it is presented herewith:
In order that the web of this mar
three important facts are to be taken
into consideration, namely: location,
time, and last but not least, the incl
dents that form the bone and sinew
of the article.
Founding of Buena Vista.
" w tilio IL Will NC HCCCoodi III
give brief outline of the location of
this quiet little hamlet that has by
frequent conflagrations by incendiar-
ism and insurance greed, been retard-
ed when on the eve of success. The
present site of Buena Vista was the
year 1916, long before the gold fever
of 1849 reached the states east of the
Mississippi river, and started the flood
of immigration westward.
In those days Independence was
unknown. A strip of ash timber
prairie in the rear. Corvallis was a
small collection of houses, known as
Marysville. Albany boasted of a few
houses adjoining a large camp of
Indians that were living at the mouth
of the Calapooia river, and the only
that time was Tak-kee- nah, an Indian
word, meaning 'in, place"
Fruitless Aspirations.
Jefferson was unknown, although
crude means of crossing the Santiam
river was established a few miles be-
under the name of Santiam City, had
aspirations to become a town, but
failed. In September, 1851, the side
wheel steamer Multnomah, the first
steamboat to arrive thus far up the
stream, landed at this point, and as a
rnSfnH1On In, ha-
tween the crossing on the Luckiamute
river and this landing, called Bloom
ington, and later as Halls Ferry
which crossed the river from the foot
of what is now known as Main street.
This landing place for the steamers
was of great prominence, on account
of the territory reached Through it's
shipping. This territory reached to
the east as far as the present location
of Scio and Jefferson, and on the west
to Kings Valley, and the once aspir-
ing settlement of Tampico.
Reason B. Hall, who had taken up
this claim under the donation land
act of 1846, in the late sos named the
landing Buena Vista, a name derived
from the Spanish, and signifying
Good View, and in 1862 he laid out
townste eight blocks long on the riv-
er bank, and seven blocks in depth.
Village Grew Rapidly.
The little pioneer village began to
grow rapidly, and soon stores of all
small shops, a pottery,
grist and saw mills appeared, each
doing a thriving business on account
of the large territory adjacent thereto.
When at the height of its first am
bition in 1870 an incendiary fire de-
stroyed several stores and dwellings,
the result of feud caused by the
better element encompassing the
downfall of a groggery bearing the
name of BUST Head Gulch." In 1880
the town again gave up its offering
to the fire fiend in the loss of a store
public hall, and a dwelling
house.
In 1889 and in 1905 she again
placed on the altar of fire store build
disasters that would kill the ambi-
ion of an ordinary town. In 1889 the
arge pottery and terra Gotta works
moved to Portland, seriously Gripping
he resources of the village, but ow-
ng to the fact that the town is situ-
lted in the heart of the largest hop
growing districts in the state. amidst
'ruit and grain farms, and is the CEN
er of the numbering industries of the
over Luckiamute and Santiam riv-
RS, it still shows a gradual growth.
The Bond of FraternalIsm.
In 1868 the only organization then
n existence. aside from the churches
md Sunday schools, held in the
chool house near the corner of Main
md Meridian streets. was a small but
Elective lodge of Good Templars.
Inown as Morning Star Lodge No. As.
The need OF an organization to ce-
nent the bond Of fraternalism was
elt, and during the fall of 1868, after
much planning and work, six citizens
anne together and applied for a char
er TO form a lodge of the Independ-
mt Order of Odd Fellows.
on Wednesday evening, November
g. 1858. W. l. Riggs. A. J. Brown.
I. Holman. Joseph H Miller. ID. Z.
-homas. and DR.. J. ]. o. Nicklin met
nd Instituted Buena Vista Lodge No.
4. in the public hall over the store !
4 Abe Well. on East Second street.
ear Main. this being at that time the I
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