State of Oregon - Oregon City, Clackamas County

Oregon City, Clackamas County, PO, incorporated city and county seat, is on the east bank of the Willamette, 38 miles north of Salem and thirteen miles south of Portland. Here the hills upon each side approach the river, crowding it through a deep canon, and forcing the water over a ledge of rocks of from twenty to thirty feet in height, furnishing a power for manufacturing purposes of unlimited capacity. In this canon is Oregon City, its business houses crowded to the water's edge by the steep bluff 100 feet high, upon top of which show conspicuously many line residences. Formerly the tran-shipment of goods from steamers below and above the falls constituted an important business, but in 1872 a series of locks were constructed on the west side of the river at a cost of $400,000, which enable steamers to pass from the lower to the upper river. The great water-power given by the falls is, comparatively, but slightly appropriated, but as applied it is with great success. There are flour, saw and woolen mills and other machinery operated by it, but these could be multiplied indefinitely. The Oregon City Woolen Mill has gained a wide celebrity from the excellence of its manufactures. The annual consumption of wool amounts to 500,000 pounds, and it sends its goods to every market on the Pacific Coast. Historically, Oregon City stands next to Astoria, as it was there the first industrial settlement was made. The first cabin was built by Dr. McLaughlin, the chief factor of the Hudson Bay Company, in 1835, who laid claim to the town site, appreciating the great value of the water-power. Afterwards, in 1840 the pioneer Missionaries settled here and the first Governor, elected by the Provisional Government in 1845, was inaugurated here as the capital. The first newspaper published west of Missouri was issued in Oregon City in 1845. The town now contains five churches, an excellent public school and a graded school, and numerous societies. One newspaper, the Oregon City Enterprise, is published weekly.
Ackerman S & Bro, general merchandise, and wool dealers
Allbright & Logas, butcher and pork packer
Athey M C, sowing machine agent
Atkinson George H Kev, clergyman (Cong)
Bacon John M, postmaster, books, stationery, and fancy goods
Barin L T, attorney at law
Barlow & Fuller, groceries, provisions, and bakery
Braden A M, human hair, and hair work
Bray Charles, proprietor Cliff House
Broughton William, lumber manufacturer, and carpenter
Buck A J, blacksmith
Buck H S, carpenter, and millwright
Caufield Charles H, general merchandise
Charman Thomas, general merchandise
Colbath E J, sash, blind, and door manufacturer
Comstock A, proprietor Imperial Flour Mills
Eastham E L, attorney at law
Fields & Strickler, groceries and liquors
Fish Walter, general merchandise
Franz Henry, barber
Eraser J M, livery stable
Fuchs George, liquor saloon
Grup, Pease & Company lumber manufacturers
Haas G A, liquor saloon
Harding Le Grand, millwright
Harding & Potter, liquor saloon
Highfield W H, watches and jewelry
Himmler Theodore, barber
Huelat Septimus, attorney at law
Hughes B A, general merchandise
Humbel Henry, brewery
Johnson & McCown, attorneys at law
Kelly E D, dry goods, and groceries
Kester Charles M, bag manufacturer
La Roeque, Savior & Company flour manufacturers
Levy A, general merchandise
May hew C F, liquor saloon
McCue Charles, shoe maker
McDonald John S, liquor saloon
Miller J F, boots and shoes
Miller, Marshalls, Company proprietors Oregon City Flour Mill
Milne James, carpenter, and builder
Moreland W W, attorney at law
Myers John, general merchandise
Nicholson Thomas, principal Oregon City Seminary
NOLTNER A, notary public, and proprietor Oregon City Enterprise
Norris J W, physician
OREGON CITY ENTERPRISE, A Noltner, proprietor
Oregon City Woolen Manufacturing Company R Jacobs, president
Oregon Wooden Ware Manufacturing Company A B Clark superintendent
Parker Scholay, physician
Pease George A, proprietor Oregon City Water Works
Pittock H L & Company paper manufacturers
Pope, C W & Company stoves, tin, and hardware
Pope S D, teacher
Randall N W, groceries, and provisions
Ross, H W, physician
Saal Louis, restaurant
Schram John, harness and saddlery
Selling Isaac, general merchandise
Sellwood John W Rev, clergyman (Episc)
Shepard J H, shoe maker
Singer William, sash, door, and furniture manufacturer
Smith David, blacksmith, and wagon maker
Starr N L, clergyman (Meth)
Trembath John, fish market
Upton James B, attorney at law
Vincent Joseph, photographer
Walsh J L', shoe maker
Ward J P, paints, oils, drugs, and liquors
Ward & Harding, drugs, medicines, paints, oils, etc
Weatherson & Mullins, manufacturers' furniture and upholstery
Welch John, dentist
Wilde Ferdinand, gunsmith
Williams C T. agent Wells, Fargo & Co
Williams & Harding, groceries, provisions, and bakery
Willis & Broughton, livery stable
Worth _____, clergyman, (Bapt)
Wortman Jacob, groceries and provisions
Zigler Lewis, cooper

Pacific Coast Business Directory | Oregon Territory Index

Oregon Directory and Gazetteer

Source: Pacific Coast Business Directory for 1876-78, Compiled by Henry G. Langley, San Francisco, 1875.