Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 26.djvu/375



"An enterprise of the highest order of importance for kindling and sustaining interest in Oregon history is inaugurated by Lewis A. McArthur with his first installment in this number of the Quarterly on "Oregon Geographic Names." Mr. McArthur indicates in his statement preliminary to the listing of names with their origins that he has had this project in progress for years. In addition to this, however, it needs to be said that he always works assidiously with most effective scientific methods and exercises keenest scrutiny for accuracy. Still, the nature of his objective here, that of attaining an approximately complete record of the origin of Oregon geographic names, is such that only as most generous and general co-operation in every community is elicited can this objective be realized.

Mr. McArthur's devotion to the cause of compacting the richest meaning into the map of Oregon and his ability to achieve in this line are attested in his work on Oregon lakes (Ore. Hist. Soc. Quar. v. XXVI, p. 1) and also by the advanced stage to which he has progressed toward the completion of an adequate relief map of the state. So fully has he demonstrated a masterly expertness in the map lore of Oregon that his aid is sought whenever any project of more intensive mapping of any section of the state is undertaken by the federal agencies. It is, therefore, exceedingly fortunate that he is here committed to the task of searching out and compiling all available data on Oregon geographic names. Every item of fully authenticated information bearing on the origin of any name given to any feature of the Oregon landscape, however flatly it may contradict what he has tentatively offered here, will by him receive most grateful acknowledgement.—Editor Quarterly."

The origin of geographic names in Oregon may be traced roughly to five periods in the history of the state, and in most instances the names themselves indicate approximately during which epoch they were applied. These five periods may be described as follows:

—The period of the exploration by sea along the Oregon coast line, with resulting names strongly Spanish in flavor, with an English admixture.

—The period of overland exploration, develop ing into the fur trading period, with the application of French, Indian and additional names of English and American origin.

—The pioneer period, resulting in the application of a large number of eastern place names to Oregon communities, generally for sentimental reasons, and also