Valsetz, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Valsetz was an unincorporated
community and timber company town
in Polk County
, Oregon
, United States
, west of Falls City
in the Central Oregon Coast Range
. It no longer exists.
says that the William W. Mitchell Company started the town in 1919 and named it as a portmanteau of Valley and Siletz Railroad
, whose terminus was at that location. Company town researcher Linda Carlson says the town was founded by the Cobbs & Mitchell company of Cadillac, Michigan
during World War I
. Valsetz post office was established in 1920.
In 1947, Cobbs & Mitchell sold the town to its sales agent, Herbert Templeton. He operated it as the Valsetz Lumber Company until 1959, when its sawmill
and timber
stands were sold to the Boise Cascade Corporation
.
After the depletion of the old growth
timber in the area in the 1970s, the railroad was torn up.
In 1983, Boise Cascade announced that all operations at Valsetz would end early the next year. About that time, the town's population was about 300. In 1984, the town and most of its structures were removed, as everything in the community, property and streets included, was owned by the corporation. The post office closed the same year. The site became part of the Valsetz Tree Farm
.
Valsetz Lake, an artificial lake next to the townsite that was formed by damming the South Fork Siletz River
, was drained in 1988.
.
The place was nationally known for its record rainfalls and for its newspaper, the Valsetz Star, which was started in the 1930s by 9-year-old Dorothy Anne Hobson. At one time the population of Valsetz was over one thousand, and served by its own elementary and high school, which fielded championship basketball teams.
Near the site of the former community is the "Valley of the Giants
", 51 acres (206,389.9 m²) of Bureau of Land Management
-protected old growth Douglas-fir
and Western Hemlock
forest on the North Fork of the Siletz River
. The valley was set aside for protection in 1976.
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 and timber company town
Company town
A company town is a town or city in which much or all real estate, buildings , utilities, hospitals, small businesses such as grocery stores and gas stations, and other necessities or luxuries of life within its borders are owned by a single company...
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...
, west of Falls City
Falls City, Oregon
Falls City is a city in Polk County, Oregon, United States. The population was 966 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
in the Central Oregon Coast Range
Central Oregon Coast Range
The Central Oregon Coast Range is the middle section of the Oregon Coast Range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges physiographic region, and located in the west-central portion of the state of Oregon, United States roughly between the Salmon River and the Umpqua River and the Willamette Valley and the...
. It no longer exists.
History
Oregon Geographic NamesOregon Geographic Names
Oregon Geographic Names is an authoritative compilation of the origin and meaning of place names in the U.S. state of Oregon. , the book is in its seventh edition and is compiled and edited by Lewis L. McArthur, who took over from his father, Lewis A. McArthur, as of the fourth edition...
says that the William W. Mitchell Company started the town in 1919 and named it as a portmanteau of Valley and Siletz Railroad
Valley and Siletz Railroad
The Valley and Siletz Railroad is a defunct railroad located in Polk County and in Benton County, Oregon, United States. The railroad began construction in 1912. It was long by 1915, long by 1917, and was extended to and completed later that year...
, whose terminus was at that location. Company town researcher Linda Carlson says the town was founded by the Cobbs & Mitchell company of Cadillac, Michigan
Cadillac, Michigan
Cadillac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is the county seat of Wexford County. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 10,000. The city is situated at the junction of US 131, M-55 and M-115...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Valsetz post office was established in 1920.
In 1947, Cobbs & Mitchell sold the town to its sales agent, Herbert Templeton. He operated it as the Valsetz Lumber Company until 1959, when its sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
and timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
stands were sold to the Boise Cascade Corporation
Boise Cascade
Boise Cascade Holdings, LLC, which uses the trade name Boise, is an American pulp and paper company, ranked as the thirteenth largest forest products company in the world....
.
After the depletion of the old growth
Old growth forest
An old-growth forest is a forest that has attained great age , and thereby exhibits unique ecological features. An old growth forest has also usually reached a climax community...
timber in the area in the 1970s, the railroad was torn up.
In 1983, Boise Cascade announced that all operations at Valsetz would end early the next year. About that time, the town's population was about 300. In 1984, the town and most of its structures were removed, as everything in the community, property and streets included, was owned by the corporation. The post office closed the same year. The site became part of the Valsetz Tree Farm
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
.
Valsetz Lake, an artificial lake next to the townsite that was formed by damming the South Fork Siletz River
Siletz River
The Siletz River flows about to the Pacific Ocean through coastal mountains in the U.S. state of Oregon. Formed by the confluence of its north and south forks near Valsetz in Polk County, it winds through the Central Oregon Coast Range. The river, draining a watershed of , empties into Siletz Bay,...
, was drained in 1988.
Legacy
Former residents of Valsetz gather for an annual reunion in Falls City, which is the site of a Valsetz memorialMemorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....
.
The place was nationally known for its record rainfalls and for its newspaper, the Valsetz Star, which was started in the 1930s by 9-year-old Dorothy Anne Hobson. At one time the population of Valsetz was over one thousand, and served by its own elementary and high school, which fielded championship basketball teams.
Near the site of the former community is the "Valley of the Giants
Valley of the Giants (Oregon)
The Valley of the Giants is a forest preserve owned and managed by the Bureau of Land Management and is located in a remote portion of the Oregon Coast Range of Northwest Oregon in the United States, near the former company town of Valsetz. Receiving greater than of rain annually, the preserve...
", 51 acres (206,389.9 m²) of Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
-protected old growth Douglas-fir
Douglas-fir
Douglas-fir is one of the English common names for evergreen coniferous trees of the genus Pseudotsuga in the family Pinaceae. Other common names include Douglas tree, and Oregon pine. There are five species, two in western North America, one in Mexico, and two in eastern Asia...
and Western Hemlock
Western Hemlock
Tsuga heterophylla. the Western Hemlock, is a species of hemlock native to the west coast of North America, with its northwestern limit on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, and its southeastern limit in northern Sonoma County, California.-Habitat:...
forest on the North Fork of the Siletz River
Siletz River
The Siletz River flows about to the Pacific Ocean through coastal mountains in the U.S. state of Oregon. Formed by the confluence of its north and south forks near Valsetz in Polk County, it winds through the Central Oregon Coast Range. The river, draining a watershed of , empties into Siletz Bay,...
. The valley was set aside for protection in 1976.
External links
- "Valsetz, 1928" image and history from the Oregon Historical SocietyOregon Historical SocietyThe Oregon Historical Society is an organization that encourages and promotes the study and understanding of the history of the Oregon Country, within the broader context of U.S. history. Incorporated in 1898, the Society collects, preserves, and makes available materials of historical character...
- Historic photos of Valsetz from Salem Public Library
- Image of the Valsetz veneer mill being burned in 1984 from Abandonedrailroads.com
- Privately maintained Valsetz site