Page:Oregon Geographic Names, third edition.djvu/540



Roman Nose MOUNTAIN, Douglas County. This name is said to have been applied by government surveyors, who determined its elevation, 2856 feet (USGS). The pioneer name was Saddle Mountain, which was considered unsatisfactory because of frequent duplication.

ROME, Malheur County. This post office was established July 26, 1909. The first postmaster was Leonard R. Duncan. The writer is informed that the place was named by Wm. F. Stine because the peculiar geological formations nearby suggested the ruined temples of Rome, Italy.

ROME, Marion County, Rome post office was established June 30, 1851, with Christopher C. Cooley postmaster. It was discontinued March 19, 1852. It is not shown on early maps available to the writer but the Cooley claim was a little east of the present site of Woodburn and it may be assumed that the office was in that locality. There seems to be no record of the reason for the name,

RONDOWA, Wallowa County. Rondowa is a made up name. The station is at the junction of the Grande Ronde and the Wallowa rivers and railroad officials coined the name by taking parts of the names of the two streams.

ROOSEVELT BEACH, Lane County. For some years this community was known as Heceta, in honor of the Spanish explorer who is mentioned under the heading HECETA HEAD. Heceta post office was near the lighthouse, but a few years ago the office was moved several miles north to a ranch near the mouth of Big Creek. The name was changed to Roosevelt Beach in 1922, at the suggestion of Mrs. Gladys Murrow, of Portland. This was because the Roosevelt Coast Military Highway was projected through the ranch, and the name Heceta seemed no longer appropriate because the office had been moved from the cape. The name comes of course from Theodore Roosevelt. The place was not on the post office list in 1939. The 1900 post route map shows a post ofhce named Samaria near the mouth of Big Creek, but the compiler has no information about the origin of the name.

ROOSTER Rock, Clackamas County. This conspicuous peak, elevation 4628 feet, is in the south part of the county near Molalla River. It was named by Bob Ogle of Molalla, a prospector of the early '60s, because of its resemblance to a rooster's comb. This information was furnished by Dee Wright of Eugene. Rooster Rock, Multnomah County. This is probably the rock mentioned by Lewis and Clark as their camping place on the night of Saturday, November 2. 1805. Wilkes, in U. S. Exploring Expedition, volume XXIII, Hydrography, refers to it as the Obelisk, a name that has not persisted. The modern name is of phallic significance. A post office called Rooster Rock was established in May, 1876, with John Gilstrap first postmaster. The name was changed to Latourell Falls in August, 1887. There is nothing in the records to show that the office was always in the same place.

ROOTS CREEK, Lincoln County. This stream flows into Siletz River from the east about a mile north of Mowrey Landing. It was named for a local settler. Roots post ofhce was established in this locality on May 24, 1897, with Thomas A. Roots first postmaster. The office was