Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 26.djvu/383

Rh, Lane County. The post office at Alpha was established July 23, 1890, and was named for Alpha Lundey, a young girl living in the community. Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet.

, Benton County. It is presumed that this little settlement was named because of its location in a mountainous district, although characteristics of the Coast Range in that neighborhood are not particularly suggestive of the Alps.

, Benton and Lincoln Counties. Alsea is a corruption of Alsi, the original name of a Yakonan tribe that lived at the mouth of Alsea River. Lewis and Clark give Ulseah. Duflot de Mofras gives Alsiias in his Exploration (1844), volume II, page 335. Lt. Wm. P. McArthur gives Alseya on his chart accompanying the report of the U. S. Coast Survey for 1851. The name has numerous variations, but there is no doubt but that it was originally pronounced with three syllables, and not with two as at present. Alsea River rises in the Coast Range and flows into Alsea Bay at Waldport. The town of Alsea is in the southwest part of Benton County. The U. S. Geographic Board has adopted the form Alsea.

, Klamath County. This community is just southeast of Klamath Falls, and is said to have been named for Altamont, the famous racehorse. The word is derived from the Spanish, meaning "high mountain." It was applied to the community by Jay Beach, a prominent horseman.

, Lane County. Alvadore is a town about 10 miles northwest of Eugene on a branch line of the Southern Pacific. It was named for Alvadore Welch of Portland, a prominent public utility promotor and manager, who built the Portland, Eugene & Eastern Railway through the community. This railway was subsequently acquired by the Southern Pacific Company.

, Harney County. This is an alkali lake