Page:Oregon Geographic Names, third edition.djvu/644



hay tedder about 1894, while working on Sauvie Island and died a few months later at the home of Judson Weed, apparently near St. Helens. Vernonia post office was established January 11, 1878, with David F. Baker first postmaster.

VESPER, Clatsop County. Vesper is not now a post office, although it has been in the past. It is in the Nehalem Valley. It is said to have been named by William Johnston for the evening star. The name Vesper is generally applied to the planet Venus when it is east of the sun, and therefore shines brightly after sunset. Vesper post office was established January 30, 1879, with Johnston first postmaster. It was then on the Clatsop County list, but near the east boundary of the county, and at times the office has been in Columbia County, depending upon who was postmaster.

VICTOR, Wasco County. Victor was a post office serving an area on Juniper Flat about midway between Tygh Valley and Wapinitia. The office was established November 14, 1893, with Viola Jones first postmaster. The office was closed in November, 1912, and the business turned over to Maupin. The U. S. Geological Survey map of the Dufur quadrangle shows Victor School in this locality, as of 1930.

VICTOR View, Crater Lake National Park, Klamath County. Victor View is a natural viewpoint on the east wall of Crater Lake, north of Kerr Notch and above Sentinel Rock. It was named on January 4, 1933, by the USBGN in honor of Mrs. Frances Fuller Victor, Oregon poet and historian, who visited Crater Lake in 1872. For information about Mrs. Victor, see Scott's History of the Oregon Country, volume I, page 142. She was born at Rome, New York, May 23, 1826, and died in Portland, November 14, 1902. For many years a natural feature on the southwest rim of Crater Lake was called Victor Rock, but in 193031 the Sinnott Memorial was built on this rock, making it necessary to name another point for Mrs. Victor.

VIDA, Lane County. The original name of this place was Gate Creek. This name resulted in confusion with Gales Creek in Washington County. The name Vida was selected because it was the name of the daughter of the postmaster, Francis A. Pepiot. Vida post office was established April 12, 1898. The community is where McKenzie Highway crosses Gate Creek

VIDAE RIDGE, Crater Lake National Park, Klamath County. Vidae Ridge is a very prominent, rugged backbone extending south from the rim of Crater Lake. Applegate Peak is the highest point at its north end. The compiler has been unable to learn about the origin of the name.

VIENTO, Hood River County. Dr. T. L. Eliot of Portland, who was familiar with the history of Hood River and vicinity, told the writer that this railroad station was named by taking the first two letters of the names Villard, Endicott and Tolman. William Endicott of Boston was a capitalist who was heavily interested in Henry Villard's railroad enterprise. Tolman was a railroad contractor. Viento is also a Spanish word meaning wind and this word is peculiarly fitting when applied to this station, but Dr. Eliot said the Spanish origin had nothing to do with the matter.

VIEWPOINT, Lake County. Viewpoint was the descriptive name of a post office established during the homesteading wave just after the