Page:Oregon Geographic Names, third edition.djvu/691



and its extension to the south are drained to the west by Williamson River and its tributaries. The Klamath Indian name was Yamsi, a form of Yamash, the north wind, referring possibly to the abode of the north wind. The Weaslet was supposed to live at Yamsay Mountain. See under CHASKI BAY. Yamsay Mountain was also supposed to be the abode of Kmukamtch, the supreme being of Klamath mythology, who at times appeared as the Marten, elder brother of Weaslet.

YANKTON, Columbia County. This community was settled about 1890 by several families from the state of Maine. It was known as Yankeetown. About 1894 a post ofhce was petitioned for and local residents suggested the name Maineville. Postal authorities did not like this name, and when Yankeetown was suggested they shortened it to Yankton and Yankton it has been ever since.

YAQUINA BAY, Lincoln County. Yaquina Bay, Yaquina station and Yaquina River which heads near the Benton-Lincoln County line, and flows into the bay, bear the name of the Yaquina Indians. The Yaquinas were a small tribe of the Yakonan family, formerly living about Yaquina Bay. Hale gives the name as Iakon and Yakone, in Ethnography and Philology, 1846, page 218; Lewis and Clark give Youikeones and Youkone; Wilkes' Western America, 1849, gives Yacone. Another form of the word is Acona. (OHQ, volume I, page 320.)

YAQUINA JOHN POINT, Lincoln County. Yaquina John Point is on the south side of the entrance to Alsea Bay just southwest of Waldport. It was named for Yaquina John, a chief or councillor of the Yaquina Indians, who lived in the vicinity of Alsea Bay. YA WHEE PLATEAU, Klamath County. This plateau is on Klamath Indian Reservation, southwest of Saddle Mountain. The name is derived from a Klamath Indian word meaning eastern. Various forms have been in use, including ye-wat, yah-wa, etc. The name is properly written in two parts in order to indicate the proper pronunciation, as Yawhee, written in one word is not satisfactory.

YELLOWSTONE CREEK, Linn County. This stream flows into Quartzville Creek about twenty-five miles northeast of Sweet Home and bears a descriptive name. The creek was named in the early '90s when there was a good deal of mining excitement along Quartzville Creek. The miners became attracted by the abundance of a yellowish, quartz-like bedrock in the channel of a branch entering Quartzville Creek from the northwest and crossed by the old Quartzville trail near its mouth. This side stream became known as Yellowstone Creek, the name by which it is still called. Yellowstone Mountain was named in 1919 when it was first used as a forest lookout station. It was named for the creek. Yellowstone Mountain, elevation 4320 feet, is a little to the west of Yellowstone Creek.

YEON MOUNTAIN, Multnomah County. Yeon Mountain is a prominent point on the south bank of the Columbia River east of Saint Peters Dome and west of Tumalt Creek. It is conspicuous from the Columbia River Highway. It was named for John Baptiste Yeon, who was born in Canada on April 24, 1865. After working in various places, he came to Oregon in 1885, and began his career as a logger at $2.50 a day. He accumulated a large fortune, and for many years was interested in the good roads movement in Oregon. He was among those who developed the idea of the Columbia River Highway. He