Adolph Aschoff
Encyclopedia
Adolph Aschoff was a homestead
er in the U.S. state
of Oregon
in the late 19th century. He established the community of Marmot, Oregon
in the western foothills of Mount Hood
in the late 19th century. Most of the buildings burned down in 1931.
, Kingdom of Hanover
. Aschoff was born into a family of high rank; he was thought to have been a baron. As a young boy Aschoff was educated in the arts and in the sciences. At age nine, his talents led him to play in a piano recital in front of three-thousand people from Hanover royalty; including the King and his family. At seventeen he when he was the leader of an athletic club, he had an altercation with two Prussia
n officers who had been harassing local women and Aschoff was forced to flee. He was branded as a political agitator and at one point had to “hide out in a lake with only my nose sticking out for a day and a half.” He arrived in New York through Ellis Island in 1860 where he carved wood for a living for seven years before moving to Kansas where he became a cowboy.
and he raised and sold vegetables around town. Two years later, in March 1880, Aschoff and his family went to their final stopping grounds in Marmot. Aschoff loaded the family into a wagon in the middle of winter and drove up the mountain. When they hit snow, he installed sleigh runners and kept on going. They purchased 140 acre (0.5665604 km²) in the Marmot area. Aschoff had fallen in love with the beauty of the mountain and wanted to share it with all by building a resort known as the Aschoff Mountain Home.
The hotel at one point managed over 200 guests in 23 rooms with only his nine children, his wife and himself to do all the work. Adolph ran the post office, just across the road from his home.
Aschoff was a ranger, promoted in June 1904 to supervisor, of the newly-established Cascade Range National Forest. He helped to create one of the most pristine wilderness environments left in the Pacific Northwest. He was always trying to get the community involved and took many people up and around through the National Forest. He surveyed the Skyline Trail that now runs from Mount Hood to Mount Jefferson
, now part of the Pacific Crest Trail, and helped push the development of Timberline Lodge. (Mountain 23). Through time Aschoff's knowledge about the natural world around him grew, and so did his ranking. In 1906 Adolph became the forest supervisor for the Mount Hood National Forest. He is said to have saved a family of deer from a group of teenage boys visiting for the week, promptly explaining why deer are vital to the ecosystem (Mountain 19).
was constructed, diverting traffic away from Marmot. Aschoff had fewer and fewer customers, and closed the hotel in 1922 (Mountain 8).
Aschoff traveled frequently to the Forest Service cabin and many other beloved places to him before finally retiring in 1926. In 1930 Adolph, in very bad health, sold the house and moved to the city with his daughter. He sold the house to a personal friend, Percy T. Shelly of Sandy
/Marmot area. To him he said: “I cannot tell you how I feel giving up my place. My eleven children grew up here and I have gone through all kinds of hardships, but only my God and I know how I have loved this place.” Adolf died three days later. Over 2,000 people attended his funeral.
On July 4, 1931 the Mountain Home and all the surrounding buildings burned to the ground; The museum, post office, and store on the south side of the road were spared, though they no longer remain. The Shelly family lost everything but gained most of it back through donations.
In 1987, Clackamas County named a road that Aschoff had used as on of his nature trails after him, subsequently calling it "Aschoff Road." The Aschoff Buttes, about five miles (8 km) east of Marmot, were also named after him.
Homestead (buildings)
A homestead is either a single building, or collection of buildings grouped together on a large agricultural holding, such as a ranch, station or a large agricultural operation of some other designation.-See also:* Farm house* Homestead Act...
er in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
in the late 19th century. He established the community of Marmot, Oregon
Marmot, Oregon
Marmot is an unincorporated community in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States located in the Mount Hood Corridor. It is within the boundaries of the Villages at Mount Hood, on a ridge known at Devil's Backbone, which lies between the Sandy and Little Sandy rivers, along the historic Barlow Road...
in the western foothills of Mount Hood
Mount Hood
Mount Hood, called Wy'east by the Multnomah tribe, is a stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc of northern Oregon. It was formed by a subduction zone and rests in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States...
in the late 19th century. Most of the buildings burned down in 1931.
Early Life/Immigration
Adolph Aschoff was born in the city of CelleCelle
Celle is a town and capital of the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. The town is situated on the banks of the River Aller, a tributary of the Weser and has a population of about 71,000...
, Kingdom of Hanover
Kingdom of Hanover
The Kingdom of Hanover was established in October 1814 by the Congress of Vienna, with the restoration of George III to his Hanoverian territories after the Napoleonic era. It succeeded the former Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg , and joined with 38 other sovereign states in the German...
. Aschoff was born into a family of high rank; he was thought to have been a baron. As a young boy Aschoff was educated in the arts and in the sciences. At age nine, his talents led him to play in a piano recital in front of three-thousand people from Hanover royalty; including the King and his family. At seventeen he when he was the leader of an athletic club, he had an altercation with two Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n officers who had been harassing local women and Aschoff was forced to flee. He was branded as a political agitator and at one point had to “hide out in a lake with only my nose sticking out for a day and a half.” He arrived in New York through Ellis Island in 1860 where he carved wood for a living for seven years before moving to Kansas where he became a cowboy.
Kansas
Aschoff was known as a storyteller. One of his stories came from the time when he was a cowboy in Kansas. A group of men had been bragging and complaining about the sudden changes in Oregon’s weather. Aschoff suddenly stood up and said,Oregon
Aschoff met and married Dorotea Gein in Rush County, Kansas, before moving to Oregon in 1878, where he settled in Mount TaborMount Tabor, Portland, Oregon
Mount Tabor is the name of a volcanic cinder cone, the city park on the volcano, and the neighborhood of Southeast Portland that surrounds it, all in the U.S. state of Oregon. The name refers to Mount Tabor, Israel. It was named by Plympton Kelly, son of Oregon City pioneer resident Clinton...
and he raised and sold vegetables around town. Two years later, in March 1880, Aschoff and his family went to their final stopping grounds in Marmot. Aschoff loaded the family into a wagon in the middle of winter and drove up the mountain. When they hit snow, he installed sleigh runners and kept on going. They purchased 140 acre (0.5665604 km²) in the Marmot area. Aschoff had fallen in love with the beauty of the mountain and wanted to share it with all by building a resort known as the Aschoff Mountain Home.
The hotel at one point managed over 200 guests in 23 rooms with only his nine children, his wife and himself to do all the work. Adolph ran the post office, just across the road from his home.
Aschoff was a ranger, promoted in June 1904 to supervisor, of the newly-established Cascade Range National Forest. He helped to create one of the most pristine wilderness environments left in the Pacific Northwest. He was always trying to get the community involved and took many people up and around through the National Forest. He surveyed the Skyline Trail that now runs from Mount Hood to Mount Jefferson
Mount Jefferson (Oregon)
Mount Jefferson is a stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc, part of the Cascade Range, and is the second highest mountain in Oregon. Situated in the far northeastern corner of Linn County on the Jefferson County line, about east of Corvallis, Mount Jefferson is in a rugged wilderness and is...
, now part of the Pacific Crest Trail, and helped push the development of Timberline Lodge. (Mountain 23). Through time Aschoff's knowledge about the natural world around him grew, and so did his ranking. In 1906 Adolph became the forest supervisor for the Mount Hood National Forest. He is said to have saved a family of deer from a group of teenage boys visiting for the week, promptly explaining why deer are vital to the ecosystem (Mountain 19).
Later years
The mountain home served as a hotel until 1918 when Aschoff's wife Dora died unexpectedly. Aschoff became a secluded, quiet man and his hotel reflected him. The buildings deteriorated. Soon after, the new Mount Hood HighwayMount Hood Highway
The Mount Hood Highway No. 26 is the Oregon Department of Transportation's designation for a 93.84-mile highway from Portland east around the south side of Mount Hood and north via Bennett Pass to Hood River. It is marked as U.S...
was constructed, diverting traffic away from Marmot. Aschoff had fewer and fewer customers, and closed the hotel in 1922 (Mountain 8).
Aschoff traveled frequently to the Forest Service cabin and many other beloved places to him before finally retiring in 1926. In 1930 Adolph, in very bad health, sold the house and moved to the city with his daughter. He sold the house to a personal friend, Percy T. Shelly of Sandy
Sandy, Oregon
Sandy is a city located in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States, and named after the nearby Sandy River. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 5,385, however the 2006 estimate shows 7,070 people....
/Marmot area. To him he said: “I cannot tell you how I feel giving up my place. My eleven children grew up here and I have gone through all kinds of hardships, but only my God and I know how I have loved this place.” Adolf died three days later. Over 2,000 people attended his funeral.
On July 4, 1931 the Mountain Home and all the surrounding buildings burned to the ground; The museum, post office, and store on the south side of the road were spared, though they no longer remain. The Shelly family lost everything but gained most of it back through donations.
In 1987, Clackamas County named a road that Aschoff had used as on of his nature trails after him, subsequently calling it "Aschoff Road." The Aschoff Buttes, about five miles (8 km) east of Marmot, were also named after him.
See also
- Barlow RoadBarlow RoadThe Barlow Road is a historic road in what is now the U.S. state of Oregon. It was built in 1846 by Sam Barlow and Philip Foster, with authorization of the Provisional Legislature of Oregon, and served as the last overland segment of the Oregon Trail...
– a pioneer road, built in 1845, that passed through Marmot. Final leg of the Oregon TrailOregon TrailThe Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
. Locally known as the "Devil's Backbone Road" in Aschoff's time, and "Marmot Road" today.
Works Cited/References
- Jonsrud, Phil. 80 Years in the Same Neighborhood. Clackamas: Sandy Historical Society, 2003.
- Jonsrud, Phil. Whistle Punks and Misery Whips. St. Paul, OR: Sandy Historical Society, 1989.
- "Adolph Aschoff Dies." Oregonian [Portland, OR] 17 May 1930: unknown.
- "Historic Building Gone." Oregonian [Portland, OR] 6 July 1931: Unknown.
- Brewster, Ginny. "Adolph Aschoff." Mountain Journal [Villages of Mount Hood, OR] 6Mar. 1972: 8-22.
- White, Bill."Aschoff Forest Service Cabin." Mt. Hood History.1 Apr. 2004. Sandy Historical Society. 18 May 2007 http://www.mounthoodhistory.com/Buildings/AschoffsCabin.html.
- White, Bill."Aschoff Mountain Home." Mt. Hood History.1 Apr. 2004. Sandy Historical Society. 18 May 2007 Aschoff Mountain Home.
- White, Bill."Marmot History." Mt. Hood History.1 Apr. 2004. Sandy Historical Society. 18 May 2007.
- Ron Aschoff. Adolph's great grandson. December, 2007
- Marmot. the Story of a Town and a Family from Mount Hood Magazine.