30
Wednesday, November 1, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
CEMETERY:
Program revealed
hidden history
Continued from page 1
Migration west on the Oregon
Trail followed, as adven-
turers, cattlemen, and gold
seekers established trails
across the Cascades from the
Willamette Valley to Central
Oregon.
In 1865, the meadow
became known as Camp Polk
when returning Civil War
soldiers from Polk County in
the valley were sent to estab-
lish a fort to protect travel-
ers along the Santiam Wagon
Road from “hostile Indians,”
of which there were none at
the time. They were com-
manded by Captain Charles
La Follette and were only
encamped in the meadow
from September 1865 through
May 1866.
After traveling west from
Omaha on the Oregon Trail
in 1862, to the Albany area,
Samuel and Jane Hindman
came over the mountains
and settled at the abandoned
Camp Polk. In 1871, with the
help of friends, Samuel built
the 75-by-50-foot barn and
stable using hand-hewn pon-
derosa beams, one of which
came from one single tree.
The outside was shingled with
western larch. Unfortunately,
only the framing timbers
remain standing today.
The Hindman Station, as it
was called, provided for trav-
elers with a store, lodging,
and food and shelter for their
animals. In 1875, the first
post office west of Prineville
was established at Hindman
Station. Samuel had to travel
over the mountains to Albany
for supplies not available east
of the mountains.
This was a successful
period in Samuel’s life as he
rose in prominence to become
the first justice of the peace
for Crook County (which
included all the area of later
Deschutes and Jefferson
counties) and he moved to
Prineville. In 1884 Jane died
and was buried in Prineville.
When a new bridge across
PHOTO BY SUE STAFFORD
Martha Taylor Cobb Hindman Olson
regales visitors to Camp Polk with
the stories of her many years on
the land.
Whychus Creek was built
in Sisters in 1891, direct-
ing travelers away from the
Hindman Bridge at Lower
Bridge, Hindman Station lost
its position of prominence.
The post office had been
moved to Sisters in 1887.
After returning to Albany at
age 64, a bad second marriage
and debts brought Samuel
back to Camp Polk with his
son Charlie. At age 94 he died
and was buried in Prineville
next to Jane.
Although Samuel and Jane
are not lying in the quaint
Camp Polk cemetery, many
who came after them are,
and visitors on Friday were
treated to snippets of their
life stories by actors dressed
in authentic early settler garb.
Local characters like A. J.
Weston, who enjoyed his
liquor, worked at the sawmill,
spending his off time at the
Owl Tavern. A. J. shared his
side of the story regarding
the murder of Robert Klug,
supposedly killed by A. J.
because of reportedly hidden
gold in Klug’s cabin. A. J.
was found guilty, spent some
time in prison in Salem, was
pardoned by the governor,
and returned to his stool at the
Owl Tavern.
The Farthings shared their
sad story of how they out-
lived all of their children and
how Warren was cared for
by grandson Vine after his
wife’s death. The Farthings
owned and ran the commu-
nity hall in Sisters that hosted
dances, plays, community
events, skating, and traveling
shows. Molly became known
as Aunt Molly to the residents
of Sisters until her death in
PHOTO BY SUE STAFFORD
Timbers are all that remain of the Hindman Barn at Camp Polk Meadow.
1934. Her grandson Vine died
in 1989 and was probably
known by longtime Sisters
residents.
Other characters included
Joe Claypool who owned the
roadhouse at Fish Lake and
died in 1933 at the age of 83.
Theodor Borstal accidently
shot himself while watching
sheep at Dutchman’s Flat.
Alfred Cobb ran the Cobb
roadhouse, the first develop-
ment on the current Lazy Z
ranch, and the only place to
eat and sleep between Fish
Lake and Prineville.
The Fryrears, the Taylors,
Martha Taylor Cobb Hindman
Olson, Perry South, the
Grahams of Graham Corral,
and Ray Eyerly, who was
named the State Painter by
Governor Tom McCall, are
all buried in the Camp Polk
Cemetery and came forward
last Friday to share their
stories.
After each spirit spoke,
a candle was placed on their
grave in remembrance of
them and their life in Sisters.
The Deschutes Land
Trust cemetery event is the
brainchild of Kelly Madden,
retired educator, Deschutes
Land Trust volunteer, and
member of the Deschutes
County Historic Landmarks
Commission.
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