Page:Oregon Geographic Names, third edition.djvu/246



The office was on the Davis farm on the road between Philomath and Bellfountain, and got its name because of the fern-covered hill nearby. The Davis place was about four miles west of Greenberry.

FERNHILL, Clatsop County. Fernhill has been used as a locality name in Clatsop County for many decades. The place is about eight miles east of Astoria, close both to railroad and highway, Fern Hill post office was established October 24, 1879, with Mrs. Mary A. Dennis postmaster. This office was closed April 1, 1881. An office called Fernhill was established November 16, 1901, with Margaret Lewis first postmaster. This office was closed May 12, 1922, with papers to Svensen. The fern growth is heavy in that part of the state, especially on cleared land, and the name of the plant has been used frequently in geographic nomenclature. The most prolific fern in the locality of Fernhill is the eagle brake or bracken.

FERNVALE, Douglas County. Fernvale post ofhce was about four miles northeast of Glendale on Windy Creek. The office was established October 9, 1906, with Helma Nelson first postmaster, and operated until May 31, 1924. The locality has a descriptive name with a mildly sentimental touch.

FERRY, Curry County. The post office Ferry took its name from the early-day means of getting across Chetco River at a point about a mile up from the stream's mouth. The ferry was not far from the present Oregon Coast Highway bridge but the writer does not know the exact location. Ferry post office was established March 5, 1888, with Sarah E. Cooley first postmaster. The office was discontinued September 22, 1898, and the business turned over to Harbor post office.

FERRY, Wasco County. Ferry post office was named for the postmaster, William T. Ferry. The office was established October 26, 1912, and was at or near the place called Dillon, close to the Celilo Canal. The name of the office was changed to Dillon on April 8, 1914, and to Celilo on May 20, 1915. For information about the name Dillon, see under that heading. According to Judge Fred W. Wilson of The Dalles, Ferry at one time worked for the railroad and may have been employed on the construction of the Celilo Canal. He was a man of considerable clerical ability.

FERRY CREEK, Coos County. Ferry Creek is south of the town of Coos Bay and east of Delmar. In August, 1943, Mrs. Mary M. Randleman of Coquille wrote the compiler that the stream was named for the Ferry family, pioneer settlers, and not for a ferryboat.

FERRY CREEK, Coos County. This stream flows into Coquille River near Bandon. According to information from Mrs. Emma Drane, a pioneer resident of the locality, John Lewis operated a ferry on Coquille River near the mouth of this stream in 1870, and the creek took its name from the ferry. The style Fairy Creek is wrong according to Mrs. Drane. There was, however, an earlier ferry at this locality, mentioned by William V. Wells in a story of experience in southwest Oregon in Harper's Magazine, October, 1856, page 595, describing conditions in October, 1855. Wells says the scow ferry was operated by a Yankee and an Englishman and was "for man and beast." There is nothing to indicate that Ferry Creek was named for the first ferry.

FIDDLE CREEK, Lane and Douglas counties. Fiddle Creek heads in the Coast Range and flows westward into Silicoos Lake. The origin