Page:Oregon Geographic Names, third edition.djvu/642



units, prepared for 40,000 inhabitants, and was the nation's largest single war-housing town. Construction officially started September 14, 1942, and from point of time, the development was remarkable. The place was frequently referred to as Kaiserville, an informal honor to the shipbuilder, Henry J. Kaiser. For an interesting account of the maintenance problems on a project of this sort, see the Oregonian, August 16, 1943. Vanport was destroyed on May 30, 1948, by a disastrous flood.

VANSYCLE CANYON, Umatilla County. This canyon opens into the Walla Walla Valley east of Wallula. The name is universally spelled Vansycle, and most historical records indicate that it was given for J. M. Vansycle, a local resident. However, T. C. Elliott of Walla Walla, investigated the matter for the compiler and found the name signed to a deed in the form J. M. Vansyckle. An advertisement of Wallula Hotel, in the Washington Statesman, 1864, is printed over the name J. M. Van. syckle. Vansyckle may have used different forms of his name at different periods of his life. In any event it would probably be impossible to get the spelling of the name changed at this late date. Vansycle post office operated from 1882 to 1900.

VEATCH, Lane County. This is a station on the Southern Pacific Company line about three miles southwest of Cottage Grove at an elevation of about 700 feet. It was named for Frank Veatch, a nearby resident.

VEAZIE CREEK, Crook County. Edmund F. Veazie came to Oregon from Maine about 1858, and in 1868 settled in the Ochoco Valley, near what is now known as Veazie Creek, but in a short time moved to Hay Creek where he lived until he was drowned in John Day River in 1877, in mysterious circumstances. His home on Hay Creek was approximately the same location as what was later known as Heisler. He married Harriet Lyle, a member of a pioneer Polk County family, and their four children have been prominent citizens of the Pacific Northwest. See editorial page Oregon Journal, December 17, 1926.

VEDA LAKE, Clackamas County. This small lake lies on the western slope of the Cascade Range, about five miles south of Government Camp. It has an elevation of approximately 4300 feet. It was named in 1917 when Vern Rogers and Dave Donaldson packed into the lake with a load of trout fry. George Ledford, local forest ranger, named the lake for these two men by appropriating the first two letters of the first name of each.

VENATOR, Harney County. Venator was named for Alphene Venator (pronounced Venatta), a native of Linn County, who settled in the Harney Valley as a youth in 1872. He established himself on a stock ranch in the east part of the county in 1884, and the locality was soon known as Venator. The post office was established February 18, 1895, with Mrs. Louella Venator first postmaster. This office was later moved about two and a half miles north to a station on the Union Pacific Railroad.

VENATOR CANYON, Harney and Lake counties. Venator Canyon heads in Harney County and drains west into the Alkali Valley. It was named for Jezreal Venator, a pioneer settler in the vicinity of Albany, who crossed the plains in 1852. He took part in the Rogue River Indian War and was wounded. He moved to the Goose Lake Valley, in the fall of 1870, buying the Crane property on Crane Creek south of what is now Lakeview. In August, 1881, he started on a business trip to Harney County to pick up some horses. His saddle horse got