First Settlements of Washington State

Attitude of The Hudson’s Bay Company-Michael T. Simmons and Associates Proceed Northward-Settle At Budd Inlet-Puget Sound-Highlands-Tumwater-Bush Prairie-Chambers Prairie -Neah Bay – Marriages and Births-The Indians Pronounce Against The White Man-Effect of California Gold Discovery -The Timber Trade-Towns Laid Oct-Whidbey Island Settled- Occupation of the Coast Country

Building the New Territory, Washington

In the previous chapter I have made the reader acquainted with the earliest American residents of the territory north of the Columbia, and the methods by which they secured themselves homes and laid the foundations of fortunes by courage, hardihood, foresight, by making shingles, bricks, and cradling-machines, by building mills, loading vessels with timber, laying out towns, establishing fisheries, exploring for coal, and mining for gold. But these were private enterprises concerning only individuals, or small groups of men at most, and I come now to consider them as a body politic, with relations to the government of Oregon and … Read more

History of Hampton County, Virginia

Dear old Hampton, with its colonial, Revolutionary, 1812, and Civil War memories, has endured and survived much. We of the present Hampton, we who love this old place either because it is our home by inheritance or adoption must carry on and remember that we are its guardians and makers and that the Hampton of the future will be the sort of place we are making it today. With a deep and abiding love for the place of his birth and a keen interest in her welfare the first steps were taken by Hunter E. Booker, youngest son of Major … Read more

A Portrait of Georgetown

plat of georgetown small

A Portrait of Georgetown, partly of its physical features, its streets, its houses and gardens, some of which still exist in their pristine glory but, alas, many of which have gone the way of so-called progress. Not only of its physical side do I wish to tell, but I want to paint a picture of the kind of people who lived here, from the beginning up through the gay nineties–nearly one hundred and fifty years.

History of Addison, Addison County, Vermont

THE town of Addison lies on the shore of Lake Champlain, in the western part of Addison county, and is bounded on the north by Panton; east by Waltham and Weybridge; south by Bridport, and west by Lake Champlain. The surface of the town is level or with a gradual slope towards the lake, except the extreme eastern part, which becomes hilly or mountainous, the highest elevation being Snake Mountain (or Grandview Mountain, as it is now called; this elevation rises to a height of 1,310 feet above sea level, and is the highest point in the county west of … Read more

Gazetteer of Lamoille County Vermont for 1883-84

Smith and Worthen Livery and Stable Morrisville VT

This collection stems from a manuscript published by Hamilton Child in 1887 which provided a gazetteer for Lamoille and Orleans County. Within that manuscript was a brief history of each community, a directory of each community, and short biographical sketches of some of the leading citizens for each town.

History of Fort Bend County Texas

Fort Bend County Texas Map

This collection contains 42 biographies and various historical references from the manuscript History of Fort Bend County by W. M. Morrison. Included with the history are articles on the Meir Expedition, Billy Bowlegs, Terry Rangers, and a list of early land titles.

History of Portland Oregon Unitarian Churches

In the year 1878-79, the present edifice on the old site, was completed at a cost of $20,000. The former church building is now the chapel and Sunday School room. In addition to the Christian Union, above named, there are connected with the church a “Postoffice Mission” for disseminating religious literature, and the W. G. Eliot Fraternity of Young People. The society also supports a Mission Sunday School in South Portland with ten teachers and sixty scholars. The Unitarian Church of America, originating in the New England Controversy of 1820-30, is a small, loosely organized but powerful body, identified everywhere … Read more

Value of Portland Oregon Property

“Between Portland and Astoria, one steamer, much smaller than the boats of today, made three trips each week and did all the job towing on the Columbia below Rainier. On the same route now two large boats ply regularly on alternate days, and over forty tugs and smaller steamers are engaged in towing and general work. ” The valuation of property reached twelve million two hundred and ninety-one thousand three hundred and fifty dollars. Wheat and flour exports were estimated at a value of about three million dollars. The population was estimated at nineteen thousand one hundred and twenty-eight, but … Read more

Value of the Labor of the Oregon Pioneers

In the work of the pioneers, whose efforts we have been tracing up to this period, we have seen that already the country was practically the territory of the United States by the highest and best title in existence, the actual occupation and control of it by her citizens. This question was, therefore, virtually settled by the inauguration of the provisional government in 1843, but from that time until the treaty of 1846 was signed it was a prominent issue in American political life. Mr. Polk, the democratic candidate for President, made his campaign on a party platform, which declared … Read more

History of Portland Oregon’s Educational Institutions

St. Helen’s Hall opened September 6th, 1869, in the building then known as St. Stephen’s Chapel, standing at the southwest corner of Fourth and Madison streets. There were fifty pupils on the opening day. By November 1, the number had increased to eighty and the principals, finding that they had more than they could do, called Miss Atkinson, now Mrs. F. M. Warren, Jr., to share their duties. Since then, the Misses Rodney have constantly taught in the school and continued to direct it, having had a gradually increasing corps of able assistants. Of them, Miss Lydia H. Blackler and Mrs. … Read more

Statistics of Portland Exports

Noticing some of the imports we find ten thousand bricks from England-evidently brought by way of ballast. Bags, also, were brought from England to the value of $79,086. The trade from China was very largely in rice, a considerable portion of which was for the Chinese consumers in our midst; 731,926 pounds. From the Sandwich Islands there were imported 160,839 pounds of rice; of sugar, 3,353,552 pounds; of molasses, 1088 gallons. This is evidently before the monopoly of Spreckles in California. During 1876 business rapidly revived and the general enthusiasm prevailing throughout the entire United States did much to inspire … Read more

Status of the Courts Prior to Territorial Government

The book was brought to Oregon in 1843; it was called the “blue book,” and was bound in blue boards. On the 27th of June, 1844, the Legislative Committee adopted an Act “Regulating the Executive Power, the Judiciary and for Other Purposes,” of which Art. III, Sec. 1, was as follows: “Sec. 1. All the Statute Laws of Iowa Territory passed at the first session of the Legislative Assembly of said Territory and not of a local character, and not incompatible with the condition and circumstances of the country shall be the law of the government, unless otherwise modified; and … Read more

River Navigation

In approaching this subject one finds that, as in all other lines, Portland has gradually become the center of all the navigation companies of Oregon. To indicate the sources of her present facilities it will therefore be proper to mention the efforts made in other places in our State which ultimated upon Portland. This can be done in no manner so satisfactorily as by inserting here two extracts; one of them being from a speech of Senator J. W. Nesmith, and the other from Hon. Win. Strong, before the Oregon Pioneer Association. The former is a racy narrative of the … Read more

History of Portland Oregon’s Settlement

It is to be borne in mind that there was in Oregon an ancient circles of cities whose rise and growth belong to a day earlier than that of Portland. By reference to the chapter upon the earliest times and the provisional government, one will see that Astoria, down near the Ocean, had already been flourishing, amid its gigantic spruce trees and sea breezes, for more than thirty years, and for a part of the time figured as the sole American city on the Pacific Coast. It had furthermore so far attracted the attention as to have become the subject … Read more

Portland Oregon Social Features and Noted Public Events

Portland Oregon Social Features and Noted Public Events: The Cosmopolitan Character of Portland-Changing Character of its Early Population-Their Vices and Habits-Moral and Social Conditions of Early Days-General Stability of Present Society-Culture and Refinement of the People-Public Amusements-Excursions, Public Festivities and Celebrations-Events Connected with the Celebration of the Completion of the Northern Pacific Railroad.

Provisions of the First Railroad Bill

The point of value in the bill was its land grant. Opposition to the giving of the public domain to corporations had not yet developed, and the subsidy worth $5,000,000 at the least was sufficient to induce capitalists to lend money on a work costing not more than $30,000,000. Great stress was laid in arguing for the bill on the fact that the Pacific sea-board was open to the attacks of a foreign enemy, and that to make the Union and Central Pacific railways effective in repelling invasion there should be a rail line parallel to the coast to allow … Read more

History of Portland Railroads

  Portland is now well supplied with railway connection, not only with all parts of the Northwest, but with the whole of North America. She is the terminus of three transcontinental lines-the Northern Pacific, by the O. R. & N. and the Oregon Short Line, and the Union Pacific systems, respectively, and of the Southern Pacific by the Oregon and California Railway. She is also a terminus of the Northern Pacific on its own rails across the Cascade mountains and by way of Tacoma and Kalama, and, by the routes on Puget Sound, communicates directly with the Canadian Pacific. The … Read more

Reorganization of the Judicial System after the Creation of Oregon Territory

Judge William Strong arrived by water in August, 1850, and Judge Nelson in April, 1851. On the same ship with Strong came General Edward Hamilton, territorial secretary, who subsequently took up his residence at Portland and became an active member of the bar there. He was associated for some years with Benjamin Stark, under the firm name, Hamilton & Stark. Judge Strong’s district was the Third and was wholly included within the present State of Washington, and he took up his residence at Cathlamet on the Columbia. Chief Justice Thomas Nelson had the first district, but when the controversy about … Read more