Page:Oregon Geographic Names, third edition.djvu/249

OREGON GEOGRAPHIC NAMES of Gales Creek. The office of Fir was established with the name Bateman on June 30, 1890, with Clara J. Collins postmaster. It was named in compliment to an early settler of the locality, whose name has been perpetuated in the Bateman store which is also about four miles northwest of Gales Creek office. On April 27, 1891, the name of the office Bateman was changed to Fir and it operated with the name until October 9, 1900. Clara J. Collins continued as postmaster through the life of Fir post office. The compiler does not know the exact origin of the name of Fir post office. It may have been named for the trees which grow so vigorously in the locality, or it may have been suggested by the name of Fir Creek, a small stream flowing east from the Coast Range to join Gales Creek just southeast of the Bateman store. Fir Creek School is situated on the creek at the toe of the foothills on a side road about two miles northwest of the town of Gales Creek. For information about the varieties of firs growing in Oregon, see under.

, Klamath County. On July 29, 1938, the men fighting a forest fire in the Cascade Range west of Chemult found this spring in the southwest quarter of section 26, township 27 south, range 61/2 east. This was the only available water supply except that carried in by airplane, and in the circumstances, it was called Fire Spring. The name has been approved by the USBGN.

, Polk County. Firholm post office was very close to the place called Elk Horn. Elk Horn office, with Thomas R. Blair postmaster, was closed October 4, 1882. Nathan Blair, son of Thomas, decided to petition for the reestablishment of postal facilities in the locality. It was planned to use a small shop near the Blair home, and as there were some prominent fir trees close by, the name Firholm was suggested for the new office. Firholm was established April 8, 1883, with Nathan Blair postmaster. This office was closed July 9, 1883.

, Linn County. This stream is the first tributary of South Santiam River from the north, east of Lebanon, and is named on that account. It has also been known as Calloway Creek, but federal mapping agencies use the style First Creek.

, Linn County. First Lake is one of a series of four on the east bank of the Willamette River north of Albany. These lakes are named in order from Albany north. First Lake is the one nearest the city.

, Clackamas County. Firwood is a nice descriptive name, and considering the enormous quantity of firs in Oregon, it is remarkable that there are not more geographic names with "fir" in them. There are many Pine creeks and Cedar creeks, but few Fir creeks. Firwood is a community near the Mount Hood Loop Highway southeast of Sandy. It has been so called for many years.

The fir is Oregon's most important forest growth. These trees may be divided into two classes, the Douglas fir, and the Balsam firs. The Douglas fir is also known as the Douglas spruce, and its botanical name is Pseudotsuga taxifolia. It is not of the fir family, but is a false hemlock, as its name indicates. It was discovered and named by the great botanist David Douglas. He was the first person so far known to have used the name Cascade Range. See under that heading for information about the matter. The Douglas fir is of great commercial importance in Oregon. The Balsam firs are the true firs, and there are six that are of interest to