Page:Oregon Geographic Names, third edition.djvu/419

 fice on or near the Meadows called Meadowville. It was closed in 1874 and on May 10, 1880, a new office was established called Meadows. The office was closed to Echo December 19, 1882.

, Umatilla County. One of the pioneer post offices of Umatilla County was called Meadowville. It was situated near what is now Stanfield, but it passed from the picture many years ago. Meadowville post office was established February 2, 1867, with Hawkins Shelton first postmaster. The office was closed October 26, 1874.

, Linn County. The place called Mealey was near the foot of Moss Butte about seven miles southeast of Foster on the military road. It was named in compliment to Charles Mealey and his wife Mary Jane, nee Settlemier, who came to Oregon in separate wagon trains in 1852. After marriage, the Mealeys lived in Brownsville and also in Albany, before homesteading near the South Santiam River in 1874. This homestead was near the middle of section 4, township 14 south, range 2 east. Mealey post office was established August 19, 1892, with Orange J. Mealey first and only postmaster. The office was discontinued March 1, 1898, with papers to Foster. Information about the Mealey family was sent the compiler in September, 1946, by William R. Mealey of Foster, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mealey and brother of Orange J. Mealey. William Mealey was born in Albany in September, 1870, and was brought up on the Mealey place described above.

, Jefferson County. Mecca is a place on the east bank of Deschutes River a few miles east of Warm Springs Agency and in days gone by it sported not only a post office but it was a station on the Oregon Trunk railway line. The old wagon road from Madras to Warm Springs Agency came down from Agency Plains on a hair raising grade, and crossed the Deschutes at Mecca. There is some uncertainty about the origin of the name Mecca as applied to the railroad station, but it is generally believed that the name was used because when the railroad was built to this point it was out of the worst part of Deschutes Canyon and one of its main objectives had been reached. Mecca post office was established September 18, 1911, with Edward Chaoupka first postmaster. The office was discontinued May 31, 1924, A new highway has been built from Madras to Warm Springs and a new bridge has been installed more than a mile upstream from Mecca. The railroad has been torn out. Mecca, Oregon, is not now a focal point for tourists and pilgrims.

, Tillamook County. Meda post office was on Little Nestucca River about midway of Oretown and Dolph. This post office was established May 11, 1887, with Wallace Yates first postmaster. In May, 1948, Mrs. Affolter of Hebo told the compiler that Meda was the name of Yates' sweetheart in England. The sentimental side of this story is tinctured with melancholy because Meda is reported to have died just before or just after Yates left England. In any event it was in her memory that he named the post office. This office was out of service from 1892 to 1915. It was discontinued again in September, 1920. The Meda schoolhouse is still in service. Meda post office had seven different postmasters and it seems probable that it moved around a little as time went on.

, Jackson County, Richard Koehler, a resident of Oregon for more than a half a century and for many years operating head of Southern Pacific Company lines in this state, told the compiler that the town of Medford was named by David Loring who was at the time of