A Brief History of Brownsville
Brownsville, one of Oregon's early settlements, had its beginnings
in 1846, when a group of families including the Kirks, Browns
and Blakelys, came west on the Oregon Trail and continued south
to claim land in the lush valley of the Calapooia River.
Alexander and Sarah Kirk established a small, hand-hauled ferry
across the Calapooia River the following year. Travelers on
the east side Territorial Road used the ferry during the deep
water periods, and the place became known as "Calapooya" or
simply "Kirk's Ferry". Kirk's ferry operated until 1853, when
a covered bridge was built over the Calapooia - the first built
in Linn County with county funds.
To further serve travelers as well as the local residents,
Hugh Brown and his nephew James Blakely established a store
south of the river. In 1853, Blakely laid out a town on part
of his land claim and named it after his uncle.
In 1858, both North Brownsville and the town of Amelia developed
as separate communities on the north side of the river. A dam
was constructed three miles upriver, and a ditch (millrace)
was dug to supply reliable water power for industry in the new
towns. First a grist mill, then a woolen mill, and later a sawmill,
furniture factory, and tannery, were established on the north
side of the river. The railroad came to town in 1880, and by
1884, North Brownsville had become a bustling manufacturing
and trade center serving a population of 300, as well as travelers
on the railroad and the Territorial Road.
In 1895, the north and south sides of the river consolidated
as the City of Brownsville. Pictured below is Main St. facing North in 1911 before the population reached
1,000 in 1912. In 1919, a fire destroyed many buildings in the downtown
area, but the energetic tradespeople conducted "business as usual"
in tents and homes until the town could be rebuilt.
Brownsville
continues to be the home of people who take pride in their historic
town, who value its past and its peaceful small-town atmosphere,
and who are working to help it move gracefully into the future.
Pioneer Picnic History
Pioneer Picnic is Oregon's oldest continuing celebration.
The first Picnic, a reunion of Pioneers, was held in Crawfordsville
in 1887. At the second annual reunion, the constitution was
adopted for the Linn County Pioneer Association. Membership
requirements were as follows: "All emigrants, male and female,
prior to the first day of January, 1855, and now residents
of Linn county are eligible to be members of the association."
The 3rd, 4th, and 5th annual reunions were held in South Brownsville,
the 6th in a grove near Halsey. All subsequent meetings have
been held in Brownsville on land that is now the Brownsville
City Pioneer Park.
At early picnics, families from all over Linn County came
by buggy, horse, and wagon; pitched their tents in the park
and settled in for three days of fun, worship, and fellowship.
They entertained each other with recitation, plays, and musical
numbers. Picnic cloths were spread beneath the trees. Spirited
Sunday sermons were also an important part of the annual celebration.
With the passing of time and the actual pioneers, the membership
requirements have been revised to include all Linn County
residents and other entertainment and activities have been
added to keep pace with changing times and tastes. The Picnic
welcomes all those who enjoy old-time fun and good fellowship.
Brownsville's Railroad:
The Oregonian Railway Company
From Stations West, The Story of Oregon Railways,
Edwin D. Culp, 1972, pages 65, 66, 67 and 77.
A group of Scot Capitalists, headed by the Earl of Arlie, paid
off the indebtedness of the DS&GR (Dayton, Sheridan & Grand Ronde
Railroad Company) in 1879 and took over it's operation. The line
was renamed and the terminal at Dayton on the Yamhill River was
moved to Fulquartz Landing on the larger and more navigable Willamette
River. On the opposite side of the Willamette from Fulquartz Landing
the established Ray's landing, another rail terminal (near St.
Paul). From this point trackage was constructed through St. Paul,
Woodburn, Silverton, and on to Brownsville and Coburg. Headquarter's
for the Oregonian Railway were at Dundee, a spot selected on higher
ground above Fulquartz Landing and named after the city in Scotland.
Steamboat service left Portland in the morning and reached
Fulquartz and Ray's Landings in the early afternoon, making
connections with the trains for destinations into the Willamette
Valley.
Competition from the Portland and Willamette Valley Railway
Company, formed in 1886 eliminated the need for a steamboat
service formerly used to bring passengers and freight from
Portland to a connection with the Oregonian Railway. Tensions
grew as freight and passenger revenues became inadequate
to meet company expenses. The pay car that brought wages
to employees was seen less and less. One conductor -and
an honest one- assumed the responsibilities of the workers.
As he told it, he would toss the money collected from the
rail fares into the air inside the coach, and that which
balanced on the bell cord was turned over to the railroad,
while that which fell to the ground went into his pocket
to be paid to the employees along the line.
Revenues continued to drop, and the line fell into receivership. The
Scot investors, becoming increasingly concerned about their
money, granted Henry Villard of the O&C (Oregon & California)
a long-term lease which allowed him complete control of
the Oregonian Railway. At Villard's exit from the Oregon
railroad scene, the line fell into the hands of the Southern
Pacific Company, which converted the track into standard
gauge and used it for feeder service to their own operations.
Brownsville, one of the oldest cities in the Willamette
Valley, was a farming community. Countless colonists from
the East went there to make their homes. For a time the
town was served by a narrow gauge line of the Oregonian
Railway Company, Ltd. In 1890 the mayor of Brownsville and
a group of towns people joined a work party of SP trackmen-
the SP then owned the line - to change the track from narrow
to standard gauge, thus allowing a free interchange of cars
from all the railroads servicing the town instituted special
colonist rates for March and April, 1909.
Several Rules and Regulations of the Oregonian Railway Company
dated June 16, 1880 were: - The maximum speed of freight
trains was twelve miles per hour. - At trains' meeting points,
five minutes were to be allowed for possible variations
intrainmen's watches. - The use of "spiritous liquors" while
on duty was strictly prohibited. - No engineer was allowed
to run at night without a headlight. - Engineers were warned
not to blow the whistle except when necessary since "
too much sounding of the whistle impairs it's value as a
signal of danger" - The fireman was instructed to close
the ash pan when crossing the trestles.
The Big Fire
July 12, 1919, was an unforgettable Saturday in Brownsville.
Fire was discovered around the Hazelwood creamery about 3
p.m. that summer afternoon. No one knows the cause of the
fire. It may have been boiler sparks from the creamery or
a cigarette carelessly tossed in dry grass near the building.
Whatever the cause, around three blocks of Brownsville's
northern business and residential district from Spaulding
Avenue south to the river and east across Averill Street were
destroyed or damaged. Losses were estimated from $40,000 to
$100,000, with fifteen to twenty per cent covered by insurance.
Ironically, Brownsville's respected pioneer black barber,
Minor Jackson, had insured his business building and attached
residence for twenty years, and was one of those who had allowed
his policy to lapse.
Insurance rates were high for Brownsville because the flammable
wood buildings were erected too closely together and fire
protection services were decidedly inadequate.
Brownsville Hose Company No.1, organized in 1905, included
a fire chief, hose cart, fire bell and eager volunteers. But
the volunteers had lost their zeal, and during the intervening
war years the company lacked even a chief. The local paper
often scolded the city fathers for not providing proper quarters
for the ladder and hose cart, which were often stored at random
in separate buildings.
Volunteer help came from all around, and even children helped
remove possessions to safer locations.
The telephone operator remained at her post calling for assistance
until forced to leave the office on Spaulding and Averill.
Albany, Lebanon and Corvallis responded to the call, bringing
their hose carts on trucks. However, Brownsville's unique
brass couplings did not fit all the assisting fire fighting
equipment.
Records show that eleven business buildings and twenty residences
were burned. The brick Howe building pictured below on Main and Spaulding
was believed to have saved the rest of the business district
by serving as a fire barrier The concrete block shell of the
building now occupied by the Brownsville Public Library was
gutted by the blaze.
Entertainment
Brownsville's first settler's were hard-working, pious people
with scant time for idle relaxation and frivolous entertainment.
The brief school term, with its spelling bees and programs,
and church gatherings furnished most of their social life.
Weddings and funerals were times of reunion and talk.
Most of the early churches were extremely strict and the Sabbath
was so rigidly observed even non-whistlers were tempted to
pucker-up on Sunday. Catechism study and family dinners were
acceptable Sabbath activities, along with Sunday School and
preaching services.
Everyone anticipated the arrival of the circuit riders, who
made their rounds to remote farms, schools and meeting houses.
Camp meetings were popular among Shouting Methodists, who came
from miles around for days of preaching, praying, and baptizing.
In time, people became more worldly accepted musical instruments
in their homes and churches. Vocal, piano, and violin lessons
were offered by local teachers and instructors from nearby
Albany College, and many community bands and orchestras were
organized. A boys' band from Brownsville preformed at the
Lewis & Clark Centennial in Portland in 1905.
Entertainment from afar stopped at the Brownsville Opera House pictured to the right,
which was located on Main Street. Minstrel shows, concerts,
lectures, plays, male quartets and bands were popular attractions.
The De Moss family of concert singers from North Powder, who
had traveled about the world, were particular favorites.
William Jennings Bryan, frequent presidential hopeful, was
59 years of age when he spoke to a large crowd on July 16,
1919, for the Chautauqua Society- just a few days after Brownsville's
big fire!
The community "Browns" challenged many of the big town teams
on their lighted baseball field, and the town took pride in
its high school athletes. They followed many of the boys as
they went on to play for the state colleges, as well as Willamette
University.
Fraternal lodges were well-attended in those days and there
were clubs to suit any interest: Rod and Gun, Late Hours,
Boys' No-tobacco, tennis, hiking, riding, literary and music.
All these- plus dances, parties and church socials- kept Brownsville
citizens entertained in the days before television and radio!
