Sandy post., July 06, 1972, Image 13

Eagle Creek once good place for fun
E a g le C re e k a re a T h e y la id Ih e
fou nd adu n fo r w h a t w e h a v e
e n jo y e d theae m a n y y e a r« and
fo r w h ic h w e should e v e r be
g ra te fu l
A m o n g th e m , o u r sub ject fo r
th is s t o r y , H e n r y W ilb e r n .
W h ile not one of the e a rlie s t
s e ttle rs , he c o n trib u te d a g re a t
d eal to th e e ffo rts o f those w ho
c a m e in e a r lie r y e a rs .
'E d it o r 's N o te : E .L . M e y e rs
re c a lls the events o f the G a y
N in e tie s in the E a g le C ree k
a re a w hen W ilb e rn H a ll and
the lo c a l saloon w e re T H E
p laces to g o .)
BY E L M EYERS
T h e re w e re a n u m b e r of
p r o m in e n t p io n e e r s in t h e
A
M
'
W ilb e r n
w as
b o rn
in
H a n o v e r, G e rm a n y , in 1833 H e
c a m e to N e w Y o rk c ity in 1848
w h e re he c le rk e d u n til the gold
fe v e r lu re d h im west to San
F r a n c is c o v ia s a ilin g s h ip
aro u n d C a p e H o rn in 1853
T h e re he jo in e d w ith tw o o th ers
and o p e ra te d a g e n e ra l store.
San F ra n c is c o w a s a law less
tow n d u rin g th e 1850’s and
* íWlf F W
i
*',* A
POKING EOK the grand opening of Craig
Stlngley's saloon in the IfUW's at Eagle
Creek are early patron* of the estabiish-
ment. In front row from left are: Giles
Sarver, Henry Wilbern, Old Man Stingley,
Craig Stingley (on barrel). Daniel Suter
and George Brown. In the back are (from
left) Joe Suter. James Marklasander. E.
N. Poster. Charley Van Curen, Jim Suter,
Noah Stingley. E ll Suter, Gu* Burnett and
Ed Burnett.
( Photo courtesy of E. I,. Meyers)
W ilb e rn 's firs t ac tio n w a s to
jo in up th e V ig ila n c e C o m ­
m itte e , S am B ra n n a n being
th e ir le a d e r
W ilb e rn took a v e ry a c tiv e
p a rt w ith th e v ig ila n te s and , In
due tim e , a ft e r m a n y h an gin gs
th e c ity e m e rg e d a d ecen t p lace
in w h ic h to liv e . T h e s to ry and
re ig n o f th e V ig ila n ts has been
p u b lis h e d in m a n y b o o k s ,
n e w s p a p e r s a n d p e r io d ic a ls
and
is one
of th e g re a t
h is to ric a l sagas o f th e f a r west.
In 1871 W ilb e rn c a m e w ith his
f a m ily to E a s t P o rtla n d looking
fo r a g e n e ra l sto re lo c a tio n . H e
w as to ld th a t P h ilip F o s te r,
then o p e ra P n g th e sto re and
post o ffic e at E a g le C re e k ,
w a n te d to sell out.
W ilb e rn , w ith a M r G eddes,
h ire d a h orse and b uggy and
d ro v e out to see F o s te r and
m a k e th e purch ase
A short
tim e la te r W ilb e rn b e c a m e
p o s tm a s te r, a post he h eld fo r
som e 35 y e a rs
H e bought
G e d d e s ’ in te re s t soon a ft e r the
p urch ase.
In 1873 W ilb e rn d ecid ed the
c itize n s of E a g le C re e k needed
a p la c e f o r m e e t in g s a n d
fo rth w ith b u ilt a la rg e tw o-
s to ry b u ild in g n e a r his store.
W ilb e r.-: H a l l
becam e a
fam o u s p la c e a n d fo r m a n y
y e a rs w a s th e m e e tin g p la c e fo r
th e G ra n g e , fr a te r n a l groups,
b asket socials, c h u rc h serv ic e s ,
d a n c e p a r tie s , school e n ­
t e r t a i n m e n t s a n d p o lit ic a l
m e e tin g s
M a n y im p o rta n t p o litic a l b ig ­
w igs o ra te d to v o ters. A m o n g
th e m U .S . S e n a to r M itc h e ll,
U S A tto rn e y G e n e ra l G e o rg e
H . W illia m s , G o v e rn o r T .T .
G e e r, G o v e rn o r O s w a ld W est,
G o v e rn o r J a y B o w e rm a n and
m a n y lo cal cou nty o ffic ia ls ,
R e p u b lic a n , D e m o c r a t a n d
P o pu lists, too n u m ero u s to
m e n tio n . T h e r e w e r e a ls o
m e d ic in e shows a n d c irc u it
rid in g p re a c h e rs
J:
K rC : .
T h e m ost use o f W ilb e rn H a ll
■
(C o n tin u e d on Page 4)
SANDY, OREGON, THURSDAY. JULY 6, 1972
SECTION TWO
O regon T rail S ayings
LOCAL B ELLES of the Gay 90's pose on
the steps of Wilbern’s Hall at Eagle Creek.
They include Alice Suter. Vanchi Walkie.
Miss Gard. M ary and Bertha Martin, Lillie
Wilbern, Lydia O'Neill and Addie Landis.
The hall, once a favorite meeting place was
built in 1873.
(Photo courtesy of E. L. Meyers)
You are invited to help celebrate the 5th Anniversary
of your INDEPENDENT locally owned savings and loan.
IC T C D
I t i n H f . • at any Oregon Trail Office
ENTRY COUPON BELOW!
or one of
4 OTHER VALUABLE PRIZES
1ST PRIZE
1972 VEGA
2-DOOR
SEDAN
iO FREE J
TS FOR J
o s tro *?
* CC0U
s in »
WITH *
TR
A GROUP of hardy pioneers struck a pose
for the photographer on the steps of
Wilbern Hall in the 1890's. Included are
Joe. Jim and E li Suter with their father.
"W AT TO GO - - N A D EA U 'S"
WOOPS! SCHOOL'S STARTED
'2 N D PRIZE
PORTABLE 3RD PRIZE
TELEVISION PORTABLE 1
T ? m m r - - _ S T E R E O SET
V
OWE OF
•°nun,
L T - * * * ”
B.» * •*
¿J
'S-s-
,e4 C « * *
« « .C W *
.lenon* 1
mlum
J
4 th prize
/ BARBEQUE
F
GRILL
5TH PRIZE
THERMAL
CHEST Cr JUG
JUST F IL L O U T O F F IC IA L EN
TR Y CO U FO N , OR F A C S IM IL E .
B R IN G C O U FO N TO A N V ONE
OF O R EO O N T R A IL 'S ] OF
FICESI No Seymgi Deposit Re
qui red Anyone oyer 16 veers of
age u eligible Entriss musi be
pieced in officisi bosee et en y one
of oui three offices by contestent
by July 2 8 1 9 )2 Winners will be
notified eftei August 1. 1 9 )2 by
meal
s Gem»"’4
A r t * " ’"
Egbert Noyes Koster. Richard Bradley,
A ll. Burnett. Henry Wilbern. Noah and
Craig Stingley and Kred Wilbern.
i Photo courtesy of E. L. Meyers)
ie> *•«•"
RAIL
SHOES OF ALL KINDS
BINGO...TIE SsNIFT PMCHNMORK
y \ \ O F HOT MULTI-COIORS
/ * V FOR ALL THE “C O O L”
HAPPENINGS IN
TOUR GROWING
GIRLS LIFE!
VI
’ YX<
“ LV
A cco u n ti m tu rati
to S X .O O O b y tba
Farfara! Saving! A
Loan C orporation
SANDY BRANCH:
CHERRY 8 PROCTOR STS
SANDY. PHONE 668 4185
N A D ÍA U S'
77WA4X
V o A in € c i
t