Page:Oregon Geographic Names, third edition.djvu/385



Libby, Coos County. Libby is a place in the Coalbank Slough area two or three miles south of Coos Bay, named for a well-known Indian woman, Libby, who was kind to white settlers. The locality was once called Eastport and was the location of coal mining activity. Libby post office was established June 11, 1890, with Enoch Gore postmaster. This office was closed July 5, 1892, but the locality still goes by the name Libby. The historic name Eastport could not be used for the post office in 1890 because of possible confusion with East Portland, then an incorporated community with its own post office.

LIBERAL, Clackamas County. Liberal is a community about four miles north of Molalla. It is said to be named for Liberal, Missouri. The late Dee Wright told the compiler that Liberal, Missouri, was named because of liberal credit terms by a pioneer storekeeper in the community. However reference works say that the Missouri town was named because of the liberal views of the citizens. Harrison Wright, a pioneer of 1844, settled near the present site of Liberal, Oregon, and was instrumental in securing a pioneer post office with the name Molalla, established April 9, 1850, with Wright first postmaster. This office was not at the present site of Molalla, but was moved to that place in the '70s. Liberal post office was established March 25, 1893, with Katie Willett postmaster. The office was discontinued April 30, 1918.

LIBERTY, Benton County. Gill's map of Oregon, 1874, shows a place called Liberty to the northeast of Corvallis and about a mile south of what is now Wells. The post office was established in April, 1856, with James Gingles first postmaster. The office was finally discontinued in May, 1867. The compiler does not know the reason for the name unless it was a patriotic one.

LIBERTY, Marion County. Liberty is a well-known community situated about four miles south of Salem on the old highway south to Albany. It is about a mile west of the new Pacific Highway East. It is the center of a very productive fruit section. Liberty post office was established January 24, 1895, with J. R. Willard postmaster. The office was closed March 19, 1901, and the community is now served through the Salem office. The community took its name from Liberty School, which was probably established prior to 1875. H. R. Crawford of Salem wrote the compiler in November, 1945, that Liberty School apparently was named because it was on the Liberty road running south from Salem, and the road got its name because it was an extension from Liberty Street in Salem itself.

LIBERTY, Wheeler County. Liberty post office was on West Branch Bridge Creek about twelve miles southwest of Mitchell on the old road to Prineville, now the Ochoco Highway. It was near the foot of the hill where the road started up grade over the Ochoco Mountains. Liberty post office was established January 2, 1889, with James M. Mansfield postmaster. The office was closed July 24, 1894. Liberty was named for Liberty Ann Ross, mother of Mrs. Mansfield.

LICK CREEK, Wallowa County. Lick Creek was named in early days by hunters and stockmen because of the alkali and salt licks which attracted elk and deer. Lick Creek flows into Little Sheep Creek in township 4 south, range 46 east.

LIGHTNING, Wallowa County. In April, 1907, Lightning post office was established with Eva P. Johnston postmaster. The office operated