Page:Oregon Geographic Names, third edition.djvu/286



in the other. When her horse reached the creek, he jumped suddenly, and the goose fell into the water. Ever since that event, the brook has been known as Goose Creek.

GOOSE LAKE, Lake County. The Klamath Indian name for Goose Lake was Newapkshi. Goose Lake seems to have been named during pioneer days rather than in exploratory times. The compiler has no record as to who named it, but there was good reason to call it Goose Lake. Wild geese frequented central Oregon in large numbers in early days. In his diary for October 21, 1832, John Work of the Hudson's Bay Company fur brigade, mentions "pit lake." On the next day the party camped near the lake itself. See California Historical Society Quarterly, September, 1943, page 205. This is clearly Goose Lake and the text of the diary implies that the trappers had been in those parts before. Pit River in this locality is shown on Arrowsmith's map of North America corrected to 1832-33. The map of the Territory of Oregon, prepared by direction of Colonel J. J. Abert of the U. S. Topographical Engineers, 1838, shows Pit Lake and the hot springs to the north. The name Pit Lake went out of use long ago.

GOOSEBERRY, Morrow County. Gooseberry is a locality west of Heppner near the west edge of the county. The place was known as Gooseberry Spring at least as early as 1872 and was well known to cattlemen. It was named for a large wild gooseberry bush just above the spring. Gooseberry post office is shown on the 1884 post office list, but it has been out of service for a good many years. There are many places in eastern Oregon named for wild gooseberry bushes.

GOOSEBERRY CREEK, Wallowa County. This stream flows into Chesnimnus Creek in township 3 north, range 46 east. In 1931 J. H. Horner of Enterprise told the compiler that it was named by Jack Johnson, George Vail and William Duncan because they found some very good wild gooseberries nearby, which they cooked and ate.

GOOSENECK CREEK, Polk County. Gooseneck Creek flows into Mill Creek southeast of Willamina. It is said to have received its name in early days because its course is curved like a goose neck.

GOPHER VALLEY, Yamhill County. Vernon Bailey in Mammals and Life Zones of Oregon lists no less than fifteen varieties of pocket gophers in the state, surely enough for all requirements. It is not surprising that a pleasant vale in the east foothills of the Coast Range was called Gopher Valley. This valley is north of Sheridan and drains south through Deer Creek into South Yamhill River. Gopher post office was established April 6, 1899, with Edward H. Taylor postmaster. The office was discontinued September 14, 1905. The office was on the east side of Gopher Valley about a mile south of Gopher School.

GORDON, Sherman County. Gordon post office, Gordon Butte and Gordon Ridge, all near Deschutes River in the west part of Sherman County, were named for one Gordon, a Scotch homesteader who lived there in early days. The compiler has been unable to learn Gordon's initials or any other facts of import. Gordon post office was established July 7, 1896, with James G. Walker first and only postmaster. The office was closed December 18, 1896.

GORDON CREEK, Union County. William Gordon, a rancher, had a place on this stream in the early '70s and it bears his name. Gordon Creek flows into Grande Ronde River a little below Elgin.