Oregon

Astoria is a main port city in Oregon as it sits on the Columbia River, near the Pacific Ocean. Founded in 1811, Astoria is the oldest city in the state of Oregon and was the first American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. Astoria attracted a host of immigrants: Nordic settlers, primarily Swedes, Swedish speaking Finns and Chinese soon became larger parts of the population. The Nordic settlers mostly lived in Dark bowl and took fishing jobs; the Chinese tended to do cannery work, and usually lived either east district or in bunkhouses near the canneries in the trade district. Astoria also has a significant population of Indians, especially Sikhs that work trade jobs in fishing, bead and wood working or as guides.

Dalles is smaller port town along the Columbia River, one of the main stops from the trail. The site of what is now the city of Dalles started as a major Native American trading center. In 1835 a branch of Jason Lee's Methodist Mission was established at Dalles, named the Wascopam Mission, after the native Wasco Indians. Around 1838 American settlers began to arrive in significant numbers, traveling overland via the Oregon Trail. The trail ended at the mission as it was not possible to take wagons farther west due to steep cliffs that fell straight into the Columbia River. Until the construction of the Barlow Road in 1848, the only way to reach Fort Vancouver and the Willamette Valley was by rafting down the river till the Sternwheelers started traveling in 1850. Many tended to stay at the camp, which lead to Dalles growing into a full town within the 1840s and becoming the second oldest in the state.

Fairfield was established in the early 1850's. There were reputedly several early burials along the top of the riverbank but no established cemetery for the small riverside community at the time. A church and cemetery where soon built, fallowing a post office was established and store which soon let the village grow. Soon more travelers stopped from the Willamette to take in the tavern or inn, or even settling in hopes to hit it rich in a mine, or to just have a simpler life on a farm. There is also those that get forced into work on the plantations.

Kenyonville is the third-oldest city in Oregon. Nestled at the base of one of the most difficult passes in the Applegate Trail, it was a natural stopping point. Crossing the Applegate Trail was unbelievably difficult, and the services of the town were critical to the survival of the pioneers. The name of the town was going to be Canyon but with a lot of the settlers being more non-native, and former slaves a name was picked to honor the heritage of those brought here by force.

Oregon City, the second oldest city and first capital of the territory is located southeast of Portland on the east side of the Willamette River, just below the falls. Its unique topography includes three terraces, which rise above the river. The lowest terrace, on which the earliest development occurred, is only two blocks or three streets wide, but stretches northward from the falls for several blocks. The location on the river made it a good port for steamers moving from Portland, or Salem. When the rail got laid, it became another stopping location for transfer of goods and passengers, however with the growing population and more usefulness of Portland the city has started to decline with more moving out while bandits come in.

Otterville was established in 1848 as a fishing village, having access not only to the Rogue River but also the Pacific Ocean. The west side of the river housed a large salmon fishery and cannery, while the east side soon had a saw mill built upon it. The village was originally only accessible by boat, or harsh trails but with the growing population and industry soon allowed a railway line to be laid to help shipping and travel. The Lutrin brothers packing company soon set upon the north bank of the river, upon the docks and became the main hub there.

Portland is a city of regional importance to the Pacific Northwest, sitting at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers it is the second major port city in Oregon. Growing into a major trading, and transportation spot within the state due to its location. In the 1830s Portland was just a small stopping place along the west bank of the Willamette River used by travelers in route between Oregon City and Fort Vancouver, it wasn’t till 1838 when the area started to see more settlers coming from Dalles. In the 1840s, the city started to become more of a port to transfer goods from steamers coming out of Astoria to boats going up the Willamette, or onto trains to go east.

Rivington was established in 1847, it started out as a gathering of camps for several logging camps nearby, many originally only accessible by boat up the Youngs River or by the Columbia and Nehalem River Railroad. The houses were burned by the natives, but rebuilt by McKenzie, a partner in the Pacific Fur Company located at Astoria. In 1850, the Western Cooperage Company camp was established. At this time the post office, store and church was first built. The Rivet Company soon built a mill close by, which brought in more workers and families to the town which got known for building sternwheeler and locomotive steam engines.

The town of Timberton was established between 1848 and 1849 by Joseph and Anthony Catt, two lovers who had immigrated to Oregon over the Trail. Part of Joseph's land claim became the community's townsite, where he built a school for Anthony to teach at. Joseph then helped build a sawmill where we would work at, fallowed by a gristmill. The town post office was soon built the fallowing year, and the name given as Timberton for all the trees in the area. The population soon started to grow as the town became a large exporter of grain, and timber.