Page:Oregon Geographic Names, third edition.djvu/671



decades. This weather vane is kept carefully painted and is an object of considerable veneration. In May, 1946, James F. Abel then at Berkeley, California, wrote the compiler that the name Whitehorse Creek appears as early as 1866 on Colonel R. S. Williamson's map of the Steens Mountain country. Mr. Abel continues: "Some thirty years ago a vaquero from the ranch told me that it was named for a beautiful white horse ridden by an Indian chief who frequented that section in the early days. His statement is to some extent verified by the Humboldt Register. The issue of September 23, 1865, in telling of an Indian fight in Quinn River Valley has the following: 'One horse, which had often before attracted notice, was again conspicuous on this occasion – a white animal that defied all efforts to approach its rider'." There is another mention of this white horse in the issue of December 30, 1865, where it is said that he was ridden by Black Rock Tom, a local sub-chief who was captured and killed at the Big Meadow on Humboldt River December 26, 1865. The newspaper account says that Tom did not ride his "pale horse" in the last foray and as a result the animal remained with other Indians. It is Mr. Abel's belief that Whitehorse Creck and Whitehorse Ranch owe their names to Tom's pale horse, which appears to have ranged as far north as the Alvord Valley.

WHITEMAN Bar, Marion County. Whiteman Bar is on the cast bank of Willamette River about one mile southwest of Sidney. It was named for S. J. Whiteman who owned land nearby in pioneer days.

WHITESON, Yamhill County. The postmaster in 1926 wrote the compiler that this place was named for Henry White, who gave the right-ofway to the railroad, and laid out the townsite. Steel says it was named for William White. The reader may do his own guessing. Possibly there were two men, of the same family. A post office called Whites was established here on October 3, 1889, with Dennis A. Browne first postmaster. The name of the office was changed to Whiteson on October 2, 1890. The writer recalls that when he was a very small boy, the railroad station was also called Whites. This was the place where the old narrow gage railroad from Portland to Airlie crossed the standard gage line from Portland to Corvallis.

WHITEWATER CREEK, Linn and Marion counties. This stream was named by the Marion County road surveying expedition in 1874. See article by John Minto, OHQ, volume IV, page 249. The name was applied because of the light colored glacial silt held in suspension by the water.

WHITEWATER River, Jefferson County. This stream rises on the northeast shoulder of Mount Jefferson and flows into Metolius River. It carries much glacial silt in suspension, and the name is descriptive. It was named many years ago, and for a time was known as Whitewater Creek, but this caused confusion with Whitewater Creek, a tributary of North Santiam River west of Mount Jefferson. As a result, the eastern stream is now generally known as Whitewater River.

WHITFORD, Washington County. This station was named for W. A. White and A. C. Bedford, prominent capitalists of New York City, who were directors of the Oregon Electric Railway Company during the early history of the line.

WHITNEY, Baker County. This town was named for C, H. Whitney, a pioneer land owner of the county.