Page:Oregon Geographic Names, third edition.djvu/66



where pioneer post offices were situated and frequently they were moved around to fit the convenience of the postmasters.

BELLFOUNTAIN, Benton County. H. L. Mack, county clerk of Benton County, informed the compiler in December, 1926, that he lived in Bellfountain for thirteen years and there was no question in his mind but that it was named for a town of the same name in Ohio by local residents who had previously lived in the Ohio town. In Ohio the name is spelled Bellefontaine. A post office called Dusty was established in this locality December 6, 1895, with Helen Elgin first postmaster. The name of the office was not satisfactory, for obvious reasons. Postal records are not entirely clear, but it seems apparent that the name of the office was changed to Bellfountain July 31, 1902. The office was closed in January, 1905.

BELMONT, Douglas County. Belmont post office was named with the middle name of Durward Belmont Hunt, the first and only postmaster. The office was established July 5, 1913, and was discontinued August 15, 1914. Durward B. Hunt, then living at Redmond, wrote on February 28, 1947, substantially as follows: "Belmont post office was situated in section 31, township 24 south, range 3 west, on the Nathaniel H. Rone homestead, thirteen miles east of Oakland. As far as I know the name Durward Belmont originated in the novel Lena Rivers, written by Mary J. Holmes."

BEN JONES Bridge, Lincoln County. This concrete structure carries the Oregon Coast Highway over Rocky Creek north of Newport. It is named for the late Ben F. Jones, who is considered to be the father of the plan to build the coast highway. The span was dedicated to Jonesmemory on September 17, 1927. For account of dedication and picture, see the Oregonian, September 18, 1927, section I, page 1.

BEND, Deschutes County. This city derived its name from Farewell Bend, a point on the Deschutes River, which received its descriptive name because it was at this place travelers over the pioneer roads had their last view of the river. For a considerable distance Deschutes River occupies a canyon in central Oregon, and there are comparatively few places where it would have been easy in pioneer days to get a wagon down to the water's edge and ford the stream. The most accessible of these places, and the point where a canyon was not in evidence was at a pronounced double bend in the river where the city of Bend is now situated. It afforded a good place to camp in pleasant surroundings. It is certain that it was thus used in the days of the emigrations, but just how early cannot now be determined. It was also used when the road was opened over McKenzie Pass. The place began to be known as Farewell Bend, and the name was appropriate irrespective of the destination of the traveler, north, south, east or west. This origin of the name has been objected to on the ground that emigrant travelers would not say farewell when they meant goodbye, for farewell meant a place where the fare was good. Nevertheless the compiler is of the opinion that farewell in the sense of goodbye was not an uncommon use of the word, and meant that the emigrants were sorry to leave the pleasant spot. Bend was platted by Pilot Butte Development Company, and the plat was filed for record on June 7, 1904. The history of Bend post office is a little complex, and is given under the heading DESCHUTES in this volume. See also under Pilot

BUTTE. In November, 1927, Captain 0. C. Applegate of Klamath Falls