Union High School - Bobcat Yearbook (Union, OR)

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EARLY DAYS IN THE GRANDE RONDE Pre-eminent among the cities of the Inland Empire noted for its beautiful, comfortable homes, surrounded by luxuriant groves is Union, in the heart of the Grande Ronde Valley. It is one of the most beautiful spots in the world and perhaps deserves rank among the most sublime scenic poems of the world. Bancroft, leader of an emigrant train, early in 1845 beheld the valley with delight. Bancroft tells us that some of the emigrants expressed wishes to remain in it permanently, but its distance from the base of supplies and the fact that the settlers would be at the mercy of the savages rendered its settlement impossible until a later date. A few years later a surveyor and a couple of guides sent by a man named Francis Brown came to the valley to make terms of peace with the Indians and plan out a future settlement for the valley. A few months later the emigrants came. During the winter of 1861, Mr. Brown commenced to build the first individual house in the valley. It will therefore be seen that to Mrs. Francis Brown belongs the honor, not alone of being the first woman settler in the valley but to the matron of the first home. Among the first social activities of the tiny community was a New Year’s Ball. “At early candlelight the ball started, my family and I went home at 12 o’clock, later the ball broke up because of the Fiddlers giving out or it would have been going on yet.” Although the country was settling up with considerable rapidity its population did not extend over five hundred people when the new county of Union was organized by an act of legislature passed October 14, 1864. In 1864 a small sawmill was established on Catherine Creek about six miles above Union. For several years this mill busied itself by turning out lumber for the supply of the local demand. Meanwhile the work of subduing the wilderness was going on apace. The besom of mother earth was being lacerated with the spade and plow. The days of nomadic and shiftless Indians was fast passing into night that was to be eternal and the day of energy was here. In July 1876, the Mountain Sentinel, the only and leading newspaper of Union, summed ud the business of the town as follows: At present Union has three large wholesale and retail mercantile establishments, two fancy notion stores, one stove and tin shop, and express office; flouring mill, two first class hotels, two fine churches, a splendid hall; one livery stable, one shoemaker’s shop, two saloons, and a fine brick court house. The Eastern Oregon Republican was incorporated in 1888 with a capital stock of $5000 for purpose of publishing a newspaper of Union. The first issue came out on August 2, 1888 in an eight column folio size under editorship of G. M. Erwin. Today the people who pass through the Grande Ronde Valley over the

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railroad never realize the size and importance of Union though its striking location is apparent to all. From the windows of a fleeting passenger train as it winds its way down Pyles Canyon and enters the head of the valley the traveler catches a glimpse of a magnificent grove lying eastward close to the base of the foothills. How peaceful it looks, how quiet, restful, and beautiful, and now as the coach sweeps around the curve and gives the traveler another vision. The view this time is assisted by the twinkling lights among the somber hues of the trees, and from their number he gathers the place is of considerable size. But as the train leaves the station behind little does the traveler know of the size and importance of the city whose beauty he has so much admired. By Norma Cox