Page:Oregon Geographic Names, third edition.djvu/578



about fifteen miles from the ocean. It was named with the Chinook jargon word skookum for stout or strong, and the name has been applied to various geographic features nearby. White settlers drove the Indians out and took the fort. See Port Orford News, December 14, 1926. Skookumhouse was also a word used by early settlers to describe a jail.

SKULL SPRING, Malheur County. Skull Spring was so called long before the post office was established. The compiler was told many years ago that the name was applied because the bleached skull of a melancholy steer lay near a useful spring. Skullspring post office was established June 13, 1902, with Anna G. Riley first postmaster. The office was finally closed in October, 1927. It was in the high country about 20 miles east-southeast of Riverside, possibly not always in the same location. The name of the post office was in one word.

SKUNK CREEK, Josephine County. It is surprising how many people have the notion that a geographic feature may be made more attractive by changing its name. Every now and again someone wants to change the name of Skunk Creek, which is an agreeable brook flowing through the city of Grants Pass. Up till now champions of the old name seem to have had the best of the argument. If the compiler lived on Skunk Creek he would be glad of the publicity and would print a picture of the little black and white animal on his letterpaper. The skunk is independent, brave and capable. He produces, among other things, a fine fur that is made into coats for beautiful women who don't object to the name skunk. There are several varieties of skunk in Oregon, which are ably described in Vernon Bailey's Mammals and Life Zones of Oregon, beginning on page 308. The skunk is an animal of distinction. SlagLE CREEK, Jackson and Josephine counties. Slagle Creek is a tributary of Applegate River about ten miles southeast of Grants Pass. It was named for Conrad Slagle, a pioneer settler. A letter by Logan Wooldridge, of Murphy, Oregon, printed in Grants Pass Bulletin on June 4, 1937, says that Slagle was born in Tennessee and came across the plains to Oregon in 1852. He first settled in Lane County, but sold out and went to Jackson County in 1858, where he took up a claim on the creek which now bears his name. He died many years ago and was buried in the Sparlin cemetery on Williams Creek.

SLATER, Union County. Slater was a post office with an unusually short life. It was situated in the Grande Ronde Valley, probably near the middle of township 2 south, range 39 east, on the old stage road from Union to Summerville. The post office was established June 9, 1881, with Stowell L. Pavne first and only postmaster. The office was discontinued January 31, 1882, and the business turned over to Summerville. The office was at or near the site of an older office, Sand Ridge. See under that heading. At the time the post office was established James H. Slater of Union County was the United States senator from Oregon and it was doubtless named in his honor.

SLED SPRINGS, Wallowa County. These springs in township 3 north, range 44 east, were named for a broken-down sled that lay nearby for many years. It was abandoned about 1883 by James Alford and George Allen.

SLEEPY CREEK, Wallowa County. This is a tributary of Lightning