Buena Vista, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Buena Vista is an unincorporated
community in Polk County
, Oregon
, United States
. It is located on the Willamette River
, and is the western landing for the Buena Vista Ferry. It is approximately 6 miles south-southeast of Independence
.
there in 1847. Some of Hall's relatives had participated in the Battle of Buena Vista
during the Mexican–American War
. About the same time he named the community, Hall also started Halls Ferry across the Willamette. The ferry later became known as the Buena Vista Ferry, which is still in operation today. Later one of Hall's sons, B.F. Hall, operated another Halls Ferry north of Independence
.
Buena Vista was once the home of a pottery factory that shipped its wares all over Oregon via the Willamette River. One of the earliest settlements in Oregon, it once had a much greater population because of the pottery industry, as well as being an important hops
-growing area. Buena Vista had saloons, a hotel, a school, a church, an I.O.O.F. hall and a store. The town later went into decline, especially because the railroad bypassed Buena Vista and instead was routed through Independence. Today, most of the principal buildings are gone and the community is considered a ghost town
by authors of ghost town guidebooks, although local residents tend to disagree. Buena Vista formerly had a post office by the same name. The post office ran from 1866 to 1935.
Buena Vista means "good view" or "beautiful view" in Spanish, and is pronounced "byoona vista" locally.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
community in Polk County
Polk County, Oregon
Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county is named for James Knox Polk, the 11th president of the United States. In 2010, its population was 75,403. The seat of the county is Dallas....
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located on the Willamette River
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
, and is the western landing for the Buena Vista Ferry. It is approximately 6 miles south-southeast of Independence
Independence, Oregon
Independence is a city in Polk County, Oregon, United States, on the west bank of the Willamette River along Oregon Route 51, and east of nearby Monmouth. It is part of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
History
Buena Vista was named in about 1850 by Reason B. Hall, who settled on a Donation Land ClaimDonation Land Claim Act
The Donation Land Claim Act of 1850 was a statute enacted by the United States Congress intended to promote homestead settlement in the Oregon Territory in the Pacific Northwest...
there in 1847. Some of Hall's relatives had participated in the Battle of Buena Vista
Battle of Buena Vista
The Battle of Buena Vista , also known as the Battle of Angostura, saw the United States Army use artillery to repulse the much larger Mexican army in the Mexican-American War...
during the Mexican–American War
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known as the First American Intervention, the Mexican War, or the U.S.–Mexican War, was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S...
. About the same time he named the community, Hall also started Halls Ferry across the Willamette. The ferry later became known as the Buena Vista Ferry, which is still in operation today. Later one of Hall's sons, B.F. Hall, operated another Halls Ferry north of Independence
Independence, Oregon
Independence is a city in Polk County, Oregon, United States, on the west bank of the Willamette River along Oregon Route 51, and east of nearby Monmouth. It is part of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
Buena Vista was once the home of a pottery factory that shipped its wares all over Oregon via the Willamette River. One of the earliest settlements in Oregon, it once had a much greater population because of the pottery industry, as well as being an important hops
Hops
Hops are the female flower clusters , of a hop species, Humulus lupulus. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor, though hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine...
-growing area. Buena Vista had saloons, a hotel, a school, a church, an I.O.O.F. hall and a store. The town later went into decline, especially because the railroad bypassed Buena Vista and instead was routed through Independence. Today, most of the principal buildings are gone and the community is considered a ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
by authors of ghost town guidebooks, although local residents tend to disagree. Buena Vista formerly had a post office by the same name. The post office ran from 1866 to 1935.
Buena Vista means "good view" or "beautiful view" in Spanish, and is pronounced "byoona vista" locally.
External links
- Historic photos of Buena Vista from Salem Public Library
- Polk County Place Names
- Pioneer History: Polk County, Oregon from Churches of Christ & Christian Churches in the Pacific Northwest