Standing in the Gap for Oregon

Cloverdale Church, Tillamook County, OR And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. Isaiah 32:18 Tillamook County, just south of Clatsop, is a continuation of the romance and mystery of Oregon’s north coast. It is believed to be one of the first places Sir Francis Drake set foot on the West Coast, and there are fascinating stories of buried treasure and shipwrecks from the 1600s. Neahkahnie Mountain, a headland between the counties of Clatsop and Tillamook, was considered a sacred place by the Tillamook Indians. There have long been rumors of treasure buried there by Spanish sailors, as well as a shipwreck that left huge amounts of beeswax and pottery along the beach just south of the headland. It wasn’t just the Spanish who washed up at the foot of the sacred mountain – Japanese junks and sailors are also rumored to have landed there. Tillamook County, OR Modern-day Tillamook County offers lush rural farms and communitie...

Astoria-Megler Bridge Sing to the Lord a new song, and His praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you coastlands and you inhabitants of them! Isaiah 42:10 Clatsop County has to be one of the most romantic and historically interesting counties in Oregon. The Lewis and Clark Expedition ended their trek and spent the winter of 1805-06 along the Clatsop County coast. The first settlement in the Pacific Northwest, Astoria, was carved out of the wilderness by the men of John Jacob Astor’s expeditions in 1811 – one overland and one on the ill-fated Tonquin, a ship that sailed around the Horn, but then was attacked by Native Americans north of Astoria and blown up by one of the sailors to prevent the natives from gaining control of it. Fascinating history includes the stories of the maritime trade before the advent of steamboats, and the kidnapping and shanghaiing of men to sail the ships. There are tales of shipwrecks, and lost treasure – The...

Mt. Hood and Hood County, Oregon Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, Lord, preserve both people and animals. Psalm 36:6 Hood River County is the last of the North Central Region of Oregon as we head west into the Willamette Valley. The town of Hood River is the county seat. The county is the second smallest in land area in the state and was established in 1908. This county is known for many things, including a great deal of charm and beauty. The famous Barlow Road was built here, the first alternative created to the original Oregon Trail and the final treacherous ride down the Columbia River to the Willamette Valley. Oregon’s iconic Mt. Hood is in Hood River County, along with Timberline Lodge. The interior of the county is known for fruit orchards and farms, and the scenic route along the Columbia River for waterfalls and the views of the mighty river itself. It is a great place to buy fruit, vegetables, and salmon. See more o...

The Dalles, Oregon Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the  Lord  is coming. It is close at hand — Joel 2:1 NIV Blow the shofar in Tziyon! Sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all living in the land tremble, for the Day of  Adonai  is coming! It’s upon us !  Joel 2:1 Complete Jewish Bible   Wasco County, originally one of the oldest and largest counties in the state, has long been an important crossroads in the Pacific Northwest. Celilo Falls, before being drowned by The Dalles Dam in 1957, was an important gathering and fishing place for the indigenous tribes for about 15,000 years, and The Dalles was an important destination along the Oregon Trail, as well as a gathering and trading place for the natives for centuries before the settlers appeared. Today, I-84 passes through The Dalles, the county seat, and is intersected by major highways going north ...

Grass Valley Cemetery, Sherman County, OR Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. Matthew 18: 19-20 Coming into Sherman County we are once again in one of the least populated counties in the state, a county bordered by three rivers, the John Day, Deschutes, and Columbia, and known for wheat farming and windfarms. Biggs Junction, a stopping place along the Columbia and I-84, is probably the most familiar place in Sherman County, but going south along Highway 97 travelers encounter the towns of Moro – the county seat – and Wasco, the biggest town in the county. You can read more about the early history and the early churches of Sherman County here , here , and here . Sherman County, OR Sherman County is one of the dwindling number of Oregon counties operating under the County Court system with two commiss...

Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them . Psalm 126:6 NIV The geographical heart of Oregon includes Crook County, Deschutes, and Jefferson. We are taking a look at Jefferson County. You can see earlier posts here , here , and here . The photo, right, is of Ashwood Church, in Ashwood, a ghost town about thirty miles northeast of Madras. The elected officials of Jefferson County include the three County Commissioners, Mark Wunsch, Wayne Fording, and Kelly Simmelink . Katherine Zemke is the County Clerk, and Steven Leriche is the District Attorney. The Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division sometimes only has one deputy for the entire county on duty, but they are working to increase the division so that there can be at least two at any given time, both for the safety of the officers and to meet the community's needs. Currently, the jail in Jefferson County has a population of around 70 inmates daily. The Sheriff is Jas...

Deschutes County, Oregon. Charlotte Lake The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; Isaiah 35:1 Just to the west of Crook County is Deschutes, which has the distinction of being the youngest county in the state, created in 1916, and is also the fastest growing. The population has exploded to nearly 200,000 in recent years, and the county is now considered the political and economic center of Central Oregon. Bend is the county seat. The other incorporated towns are La Pine, Redmond, and Sisters. You can read more about Deschutes County history here , here, and here . Deschutes County, OR A recent letter in the Bend Bulletin pointed out that the county has had three commissioner positions since 1971 when Deschutes County had about 30,000 population. It now has over 200,000 but is still represented by three commissioners, spreading representation pretty thin. The county has already made changes in the county board, ...