A NATIVE AMERICAN TRAIL
Native peoples crossed the Blue Mountains long before the first explores and fur trappers. In 1834, John Kirk Townsend found the Cayuse and Nez Perce, very friendly towards us, each of the chiefs taking us by the hand with great cordiality,... anxious to point out to us the most expeditious route to the lower country.""... the indians came to us in abundance ... and traded us some of their horses for cattle and shirts & Brought us plenty of Salmon fish and Sold for shirts and powder and lead...." -- Abalsom B. Harden, August 30, 1847
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WAGON WHEELS TO AUTOMOBILES
During the mid-1800s, thousands of American emigrants labored along this ridge. Since then, stage coach, train and automobile roads have paralleled the Oregon Trail over these mountains.Only traces of the original road remain, yet the ideals of those who crossed the continent in wagons have not been lost. As we pursue our dreams for a better life, we join the emigrants on the Oregon Trail."Through all our trials I cannot say that I have ever regretted that we have undertaken this journey." -- Asahel Munger, August 31. 1839

A BEAUTIFUL ROUGH ROAD
"Commenced the ascent of the Blue Mountains It is a lovely morning, and all hands seem to be delighted with the prospect, of being so near timber again, after weary months of travel, on the dry dusty sage plants, with nothing to receive the eye; just now the men are halloing, to hear their echo ring through the woods." -- Amelia Stewart Knight, August 18, 1853Although pleased by the change in scenery, emigrants found little time to enjoy these forested slopes.Here we began climbing the Blue Mountains, and if they don't beat the devil." -- David Maynard, September 2, 1850

ON THIS RIDGE…
"... we traveled on for the Blue Mountains cutting our way through the fallen timber... We found it very laborious ... with our dull axes that we had not ground since we left Missouri having no grinding stone to grind them & our hands being very tender - cutting those dry sticks which sprung the skin loose from our hands." -- Ninevah Ford, emigrant of 1843 (recollection)
"... Here we found and passed some of our advanced company repairing a broken wagon ... we camped on the ridge and drove down into a deep hollow to water and grass. We had to carry water half a mile up a very steep hill to camp. We are now in the Blue mountains and find it very rough country. Much more so than the Rocky mountains, and our worn-out teams seem to appreciate the difference equal to ourselves." -- P.V. Crawford, August 22-22, 1851

PARADE OF SURVIVORS
On August 15, 1853 Henry Allyn wrote the following about his second day in the Blue Mountains: "Elizabeth and father still quite unwell ... We noon on the mountain and take our mules down into a doleful cavern and found a little grass and water, the pines growing as though they intend to tower above the mountains."A parade of emigrants wore the Oregon Trail into the landscape. Determined survivors of the long trek became worn much like the trail."Found hard hills to day and very stoney. Saw 5 graves and 5 dead cattle. The weather cold and dusty." -- Martha S. Reed, September 21, 1852

Long before the first pioneer settlers arrived here in the 1840’s, this area was occupied by the ancient Mound Builders and then the Kalapuya Indians. The relative ease of finding food in the valley made the Kalapuya vulnerable to intruders, including other tribes, because they did not need to fight or go very far for food.

At the time of Lewis and Clark, about two thousand were distributed in forty villages in the valley. The town was first called Kirk’s Ferry when Alexander Kirk established a ferry across the Calapooia River around 1846-47. It was operated by his wife, Sarah, on the frequent occasions that Alexander Kirk had to be away. A bridge was built just upriver from the ferry around 1853.

When Henry H. Spalding (earlier a missionary to the Nez Perce) was appointed first Postmaster in 1850, the name changed to Calapooya. Linn County’s first organizational meeting was held in Spalding’s Schoolhouse in 1849. In 1853 James Blakely laid out a town plat on his claim south of the river, naming it for Hugh L. Brown, his partner in the Brown & Blakely store located along the East Side Territorial Road.