Standing in the Gap for Oregon

Blockhouse in Dayton, in honor of General Palmer There He makes the hungry dwell, that they may establish a city for a dwelling place, And sow fields and plant vineyards, that they may yield a fruitful harvest. Psalm 107:37-38    Yamhill County, like Clackamas, Champooick, and Twality, was one of the first four districts created by the Oregon Provisional Government in 1843. It was, of course, huge, as the British and Americans has not yet determined who would control the Oregon territory, or where the boundaries should be. Ewing Young, whose untimely and intestate death in 1841 actually precipitated the creation of the Provisional Government (in order to settle his estate), settled in Yamhill County in the 1830’s. As one of the earliest locations in Oregon to be settled, Yamhill County is rich in history. We have written a little about Yamhill and Lafayette here, but there is another small town in Yamhill that has an interesting backstory – Dayton. General Joel Palmer...

  Toledo Church, Lincoln County, OR For evildoers will be cut off; but those wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the land. Psalms 37:9 Lincoln County, named after President Lincoln, is just south of Tillamook County. Its long western edge paralleling the Pacific Ocean, it stretches from Lincoln City in the north to Yachats in the south. Newport, about mid-way, is a popular tourist destination, and is the county seat. Lincoln County is the Central Coast region of Oregon. The economy is supported by tourism, fishing, and timber. A few years ago, I was vacationing in Newport and saw a large multi-storied structure high on a hill. It was in the process of being renovated, but part of it was open as the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center. We were able to tour the open sections. This year, from February 2 to May 7 the Center will present the exhibition of Portraits in Red: Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Portrait Painting Project by indigenous artist Nayana Lafond. So far, she...

Neahkahnie Mountain Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business on great waters, they see the works of the Lord, And His wonders in the deep. Psalm 107:23-24 Tillamook County was the 12 th to be organized in Oregon’s early days (1853). It has a population of about 27,787 spread over 1,127 square miles. The town of Tillamook is the county seat. This area of the state is full of fascinating and romantic features. The Tillamook State Forest, the reforested site of the catastrophic Tillamook Burn, a series of fires that destroyed 350,000 acres of old growth forest in the coast range during the years 1933 – 1951, is now a beautiful recreation and timber area. Tourism is a big part of the economy with vacationers renting cottages and campsites all along the Pacific Coast. They visit the Tillamook Air Museum at the site of the former Naval Air Station, and the Tillamook Cheese factory as well as the seafood restaurants, saltwater taffy shops, art galleries all up and down Hig...

  Mt. Hood from Washington County, OR Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. Proverbs 31: 8-9 NIV The city of Portland lies within three counties, Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington. Washington County is mostly made up of the Tualatin Valley which is separated from the northwest edge of Portland by the Tualatin Mountains. One of the smart things Portland did in 1850 was to build a plank road to connect Portland with the Tualatin Valley, ensuring the commerce of Oregon centered on Portland rather than Oregon City. The Tualatin Valley, which contains larger towns such as Beaverton, Forest Grove, and Hillsboro (the county seat), is surrounded by mountains. The Chehalem Mountains separate it from the Willamette Valley itself, and it is bordered on the north and east by the Coast Range. While much of the area is urbanized and Washington County is the second mos...