Palmer House (Dayton, Oregon)
Encyclopedia
The Palmer House is the historic residence of Oregon pioneer Joel Palmer
(1810–81), who co-founded Dayton, Oregon
, United States
.
The house, located at 600 Ferry Street in Dayton, is one of Oregon's finest historic homes. It has been on the National Register of Historic Places
since March 16, 1987,
and is on the Oregon Historic Register. It was the first of 48 Dayton properties to be listed and is the town's oldest standing structure.
Shortly after arriving in the Oregon Country
in 1845, Palmer filed a donation land claim for himself in the Corvallis
area, and one for his brother-in-law in the Dayton area. Palmer returned to Indiana
for his family and came to Oregon again in 1847, to find that his land claim had been jumped. His brother-in-law decided not to return to Oregon, so Palmer settled that claim instead, located about six miles (10 km) south of Dayton.
Palmer was called away around December 15, 1847, to be Commissary General of the Military Forces of Oregon Territory to handle the Cayuse War
at the Whitman Mission, and afterward left for the California Gold Rush
. During his absence, his daughter Sarah married Andrew Smith and settled on Smith's land claim at the mouth of the Yam Hill River
.
When Palmer returned in February 1850, he purchased part of Smith's land and merged it with his brother-in-law's, Palmer's son's and daughter-in-law's to form a 465 acres (188.2 ha) tract which he platted to be Dayton.
The first building and Palmer's home was a hotel in the center of the newly-platted area. He kept it for a few years, but then built Palmer House near the town's outskirts in 1852 or 1857. The house has survived several floods and at least one major fire.
The house is located near the mouth of the Yamhill River
at the Willamette River
, and near Palmer Creek (previously known as Smith Creek), which was of early interest for powering machinery. Palmer operated a sawmill, a hotel and several other enterprises.
Since 1996, the house has functioned as an upscale restaurant featuring creative local cuisine.
Joel Palmer
General Joel Palmer was an American pioneer of the Oregon Territory in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. He was born in Canada, and spent his early years in New York and Pennsylvania before serving as a member of the Indiana House of Representatives.Palmer traveled to the Oregon...
(1810–81), who co-founded Dayton, Oregon
Dayton, Oregon
Dayton is a city in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States. The population was 2,119 at the 2000 census. As of July 2007 its estimated population was 2,495.-History:...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The house, located at 600 Ferry Street in Dayton, is one of Oregon's finest historic homes. It has been on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
since March 16, 1987,
and is on the Oregon Historic Register. It was the first of 48 Dayton properties to be listed and is the town's oldest standing structure.
History
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
in 1845, Palmer filed a donation land claim for himself in the Corvallis
Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
area, and one for his brother-in-law in the Dayton area. Palmer returned to Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
for his family and came to Oregon again in 1847, to find that his land claim had been jumped. His brother-in-law decided not to return to Oregon, so Palmer settled that claim instead, located about six miles (10 km) south of Dayton.
Palmer was called away around December 15, 1847, to be Commissary General of the Military Forces of Oregon Territory to handle the Cayuse War
Cayuse War
The Cayuse War was an armed conflict that took place in the Northwestern United States from 1847 to 1855 between the Cayuse people of the region and the United States Government and local Euro-American settlers...
at the Whitman Mission, and afterward left for the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
. During his absence, his daughter Sarah married Andrew Smith and settled on Smith's land claim at the mouth of the Yam Hill River
Yamhill River
The Yamhill River is an tributary of the Willamette River, in the U.S. state of Oregon. Formed by the confluence of the South Yamhill River and the North Yamhill River about east of McMinnville, it drains part of the Northern Oregon Coast Range...
.
The first building and Palmer's home was a hotel in the center of the newly-platted area. He kept it for a few years, but then built Palmer House near the town's outskirts in 1852 or 1857. The house has survived several floods and at least one major fire.
The house is located near the mouth of the Yamhill River
Yamhill River
The Yamhill River is an tributary of the Willamette River, in the U.S. state of Oregon. Formed by the confluence of the South Yamhill River and the North Yamhill River about east of McMinnville, it drains part of the Northern Oregon Coast Range...
at 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 near Palmer Creek (previously known as Smith Creek), which was of early interest for powering machinery. Palmer operated a sawmill, a hotel and several other enterprises.
Since 1996, the house has functioned as an upscale restaurant featuring creative local cuisine.