The Washington County Hatchet’s nameplate as it appeared in a September 5, 1895 edition of the paper.
WESTERN WASHINGTON COUNTY – It was a bustling time for the region. Even in the midst of a severe economic depression (the Panic of 1893 lasted into 1897), the city of Forest Grove, a cornerstone of Washington County culture and politics, was home to the Washington County Hatchet, a Republican newspaper published weekly every Thursday.
With a mix of local, state and national news, the paper chronicled events throughout the county, including in areas of interest to our readers, such as Gales Creek (or Gales City, as it was usually known), Greenville, which, at the time, dwarfed what would later become Banks (known as Wilkes at the time), Buxton, Glenwood, Mountaindale, and other rural logging and farming communities. At the time, hops reigned supreme in the agricultural industry.
Contained herein are newspaper clippings of the goings-on of the region. They can be viewed in person at the Forest Grove City Library and online at https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/.
You won’t find news from the city of Banks in this column for awhile – in 1895, it was dwarfed by the larger community of Greenville, which had a post office, school, and several businesses. September 5, 1895
An early mention of the Salmonberry – at the time, access was even more limited to the region than it is today, with no railroad to ease passage into the Salmonberry Canyon and surrounding region. September 12, 1895
While the location of the breakdown is scarce, this would likely be somewhere in the Tillamook Forest west of Gales Creek. September 12, 1895
We’re not sure where Gales Spur is located – have a tip? Send it to [email protected]! September 19, 1895
N.C. Lilly was a Gales City businessman and store owner – and a relative of this newspaper editor. September 19, 1895
An individual hurt in Portland by a car – sound familiar? It was already happening in 1895! September 26, 1895