old cemetary and ghost town hunt and find pics pics pics

[imafishingnutt]

Hello all
I decided to return for another hunt to the Ghost Town of ELK CITY OREGON

Our first trip up tpo the ghost town found to be kinda neat but kind of a let down too.
first we found the town and tried to see if we could detect it and were told no by the locals who were still around.
then one of the locals told us of an old cemetary that had buildings around it at one time years ago.
and gave us some directions into the mountains to find it.

well as luck would have it we found it and we hunted AROUND IT not IN IT..just to be clear
found a lot of shell casings and a lot of junk but no treasures
we didnt stay too long and we were wishing we had brung the camera

well for my last hunt of the year I decided to return and this timne with the camera.
so I want to share with you my day and the hunt and the finds.

and a lot more pics.

HERE IS WHAT YOU GET TO SEE
first post of pics will be the Ghost Town ELK CITY OREGON.
The second post will be of the Cemetary
The third post will be the views from the cemetary
and the Last post will be my finds.
OK ALL PIC POSTS I HAD ARE LOADED NOW

pic 5 is the general store and pic 1 is the grange hall

 

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[imafishingnutt]

After looking at your photos again, I am interested in the green building. Was it a meeting hall of some sort? Or perhaps a dining hall? It might yield some coins if you detected around the foundation and parking area. Get back up there!!!! The road looked pretty muddy, what do you drive?

the green building is the grange hall. i dont know if they use it it doesnt look like it.

 

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[imafishingnutt]

Those buildings look a lot newer than one would picture in a ghost town. When was it abandoned, and why?

No more work,
some still live there.
those buildings are around 1890 or so i think ill have to look and see.
remember most of them have probably had up grades.
not all ghost towns look like there out of the old west
there arre also some modern ghost towns many of them with seventies homes on them.

 

[imafishingnutt]

Quaint Elk City is said to have been the first settlement within the confines of present Lincoln County. It is also supposed to have been a roaring frontier camp for construction of the Oregon Pacific Railroad in the early 1880s. But now it dozes beside Yaquina River and "dreams" of past glories.
There are three routes leading to Elk City but removal of a bridge that has not been replaced at the east entrances makes the longer approach through Toledo the better way to visit this weathered hamlet at the headwater of navigation on the Yaquina. Travel distance from Toledo, mostly along the scenic Yaquina River, is about eight miles of winding through pastures and by sites of activities and discontinued lumbering operations.
Located in East Lincoln County, Elk City is said to have received its name from large herds of elk, observed in the region by pioneers. A first settlement was made in 1886 by the Yaquina Bay Wagon Road Company when it built a warehouse there, at the western terminal of a toll road from Corvallis.

A school was established the next year. Then in 1868 Albitha Newton platted the place, which remained for some time the overland stage and mail terminus from Corvallis.
For many years Elk City was a rendezvous for fishermen and hunters seeking big catches and big game. Travelers from the Willamette Valley to Yaquina Bay often came by the way of Elk City where water transportation was available either to Yaquina City of Newport.
In early days Elk City bore the name of Newton to commemorate its founder. A post office was established on July 12, 1868, that received the name of Elk City on November 23, 1888. As Newton, the community had two hotels, one kept by Jim Dixon, the other Marsh Simpson. "Head of tidewater on the Yaquina River is becoming quite a place," said an Oregon business directory for 1881.
Three years later Newton had really arrived as a construction camp for the Oregon Pacific Railroad, pushing overland from the head of navigation on the Yaquina River to meet another crew working eastward from Corvallis.

During September of 1884, the railroad was extended from Yaquina City to Elk City, a distance of 20 miles.
Chinese labor, using dump carts and wheelbarrows were building Colonel T. Egerton Hogg's dream that stockholders for a while hoped would link the Oregon Pacific to Yaquina City with a transcontinental line in Idaho.
For a time Elk City lived up to the best traditions of a railroad construction camp in the 1880s. After the first excursion over the Oregon Pacific tracks to the coast, July 4, 1885, Elk City settled down to a more placid existence. Fishermen and hunters still come, but by rail instead of by the old toll road.
In 1903, the place had a population of 85 (not much different from today's estimate) and was considered a pleasant resort by the Oregon & Washington Gazetteer. Then there was but one hotel, a grocery store, livery stable, justice of the peace and a Wells Fargo express agent, Edwin A. "Kit" Abbey. During World War I, lumbering gave Elk City a real boost and the population of 150 with two sawmills in operation. World War II was a similar benefaction.
Although Elk City is somnolent beside the Yaquina River, old residents have not forgotten more illustrious times. The post office has been retained and there is a store where supplies and refreshments may be obtained. Fishermen, who moor their motorboats from a time out ashore and a visitation to the store, report fishing is still good in the Yaquina. Photographers, who may not care to fish or hunt, will find at Elk City one of the best examples of an old-fashioned, red covered bridge known to be still standing in Western Oregon. (Capitol Journal, August 9, 1958)

Some of the history of early Lincoln County can be read from the gravestones of Elk City Cemetery which is located just a few miles from the junction of Yaquina and Big Elk rivers.
Elk City Cemetery was established as a burial ground before the birth of Lincoln County in 1893.
The earliest grave discovered bears the epitaph: "Erected In Memory Of William Mosier Killed At Pioneer Quarry December 5, 1884."
William Mosier's gravestone was carved from the native stone from the quarry. Several other gravestones are simpler and crude, although they are identified as having been fashioned from the same stone as Mosier's.
There are a number of family burial plots which are fenced in. Some of the plots, identified by similar markers, list the father, mother, sister, and brother, etc. Others list one or two family members, strongly suggesting that the rest of the family moved away, and are buried elsewhere.
Many names of families who still live in the valleys surrounding Elk City are listed on the markers in the cemetery, such as Hodges, Parks and Jacobson.
This pioneer cemetery, which is now over 100 years old, was once well tended by loving relatives. Now it has all but vanished from the scene. Those who stumble upon it, can hardly recognize it as valuable pages from the past in the history of the settling of one of Lincoln County's earliest towns.
Located on a hill above the old farmhouse now owned by Evelyn Schriver, this beautiful brambled nook, which is sadly neglected, can now be reached by graveled road. (Lincoln County Leader, May 23, 1968)
According to the late Evelyn Payne Parry, there was an earlier cemetery on the hill above the Bob Parks place in an area that was surveyed into streets and a ball park. (At Rest In Lincoln County 1978, pp. 17-21)

The Graves.

Abbey, --(?-? female) dau of Rich & Rosa; Abbey, Chas M (1858-? OR); Abbey, Frances M (1851-1871 OR); dau of Miranda (1863-? KY) & Edwin Alden (1824-?) NY) sis of Chas M (1858-? OR), Melissa E (1861-? OR), Alden (1867-? OR) & Clara A (1870-? OR); Barber, Mary Ann (1844-1914-9-1) bur by Ms E E Casteel; Bevens, -- (?-? male) infant sn of Commodore Perry & L V Parks; Bevens, Commodore Perry (1859-1913 OR) hus of L V Parks; twin bro of Theodore; Bevens, Hudson J (1819-1902) KY) fr of Joice Ann Bevens Simpson; Bevens, Mary S (1821-1893 KY) mo of Joice Ann Bevens Simpson; Bevens, Ruby (?-1898) infant dau of Commodore Perry & L V Parks; Bly, Hattie M (1833-1912-2-2); Cleveland, Jas C (1-30-1845-1912 WI) hus of Jennie McIntyre; fr of Lula Pollak; Cloakes, Alfred (?-? bur Storrs); Cloakes, -- (?-? female; bur Storrs); Cloakes, Mahala (?-? bur Storrs); Dixon, -- (?-? female); Dixon, Bertha (1876-1880) dau of W R & S E; Dixon, David L (1878-1881) sn of W R & S E; Dixon, Jas Chester (1871-1932-12-22) fr of Jas Edw; Dixon, Jas Edw (1842-1924); Dixon, Julia E (1871-1880) dau of W R & S E; Dixon, Wm W (1873-1881); Embree, Jas Benton (1869-1930 OR) fr of Orville & Reuben; Embree, Orville Lewis (1902-1935) sn of Jas Benton; bro of Reuben; Endresen, Selma Dorothy (1887-1924) wf of Edw Preston; Gillespie, Edw Preston (1864-1936); Gillespie, Flora (?-?) hs bur Eugene?; Gillespie, Hollister R (1890-1918) sn of Flora & Edw Preston; pvt WWI; Graves, E B (?-? female) small girl took medicine by accident; Hagen, Elden Maurice (1908-1924) sn of Carl; Heady, Lucy Jane Babcock (8-18-1878-1937); Hill, Ann (1845-? OR) wf of Rbt; Hill, Rbt (1826-? OH) hs of Ann; Rogue River Farm farmer (c1863); Hodges, Nadine Marie "Carol Nadine" (3-15-1939-1939-3-17 OR) dau of Geneva Claudine Hodges & Geo Adelbert Hodges II (bur Toledo Cemetery); sis of artist Delbert Loyd Hodges (1940-1999) & Ronald Wayne Hodges (1942-?); Hodges, Walter Warren (1895-1930); sn of Levina Sager & Geo Adelbert I; Hoffman, Frederick C (1847-1913-12-26 Denmark) hs of Rosa B Bly; Jacobson, Ann Styris (1866-1933); Jacobson, Jacob E (1865-1942 Finland) foreman rock quarry at Morrison; Kruger, Ann Elizabeth Spencer (1859-1916); Kruger, Wm (2-18-1868-1942-12-19); Mays, Ruby (?-?) infant dau of Sarah E (1846-? IL) & Chas B (1839-? IL); sis of Edna Margaret (1862-1872 OR), Ida M (1864 OR), Grant B (1866-? OR), Noah M (1868-? OR) & Troy M (1870--? OR); McDaniel, Ada Ellen (1931-1931-4-17) dau of Jas) dau of Gertrude Chalmers & Jas; McDaniel, Gertrude Caroline (1932-1932); infant dau of Gertrude Chalmers & Jas; McDonald, Harriet E "Hattie" Parks (1878-1915-7-?) dau of Queen Victoria Franklin & Leander; Miller, Marie Nelson (?-1932 bur Portland); dau of Lambert; wf of Paer Anderson; Miller, Paer Anderson (1854-1915-9-9 Sweden); Morrison, -- (?-1914 male); Morrison, Chelsey L (1859-1940) hs of Margaret Crahen; Mosier, Wm R (1854-1894) killed Pioneer Rock Quarry; left wife and five children; Palmer, Lottie Parks (?-? dau of Ballard; wf of Henry; Parks, Chas Rice (1820-1911) pvt Confederate Army Civil War; Parks, Leander (1853-1935) hs of Queen Victoria Franklin; fr of Mary, Jos, Wm Hattie, Jas Verne & Walter; Parks, Oscar C (1875-1902; Parks, Olive S (1884-1914) dau of Queen Victoria Franklin & Leander; Parks, Queen Victoria Franklin (1858-1896) wf of Leander; Owens, Ernest (?-1932-12-29) stranger in the area who drowned. Elk City neighbors built casket and buried him; Ramsdell, David Barclay (1852-1920-8-7 OR) sn of Lovely J (1830-? VA) & rev Thms M (1822-? VT); Ramsdell, rev Thms M (1822-? VT) hs of Lorilla J I (1830-? VA); fr of David Barclay (1852-1920 OR), margaret (1854-? OR), Cordelia (1853-? OR), Lorilla J II (1857-? OR), Thms M II (1859-? OR), Oscar (1862-? OR), Ann (1864-? OR), John (1866-? OR) & Frances (1868-? OR); Ray, Jas (?-1941-8-12 CA PUT 352 Aux RM Depot QMC WWI; Rochester, Olive A Simpson (1870-1892) dau of Joice Ann Bevens & Marshall Winchester; Ross, Victor (?-?); Sharp, Lottie Harding (1872-1930) mo of Pearl Williams, Ora & Leslie; Sharp, Omer Clyde (1904-1932); Sharp, Wm (1864-1942) fr of Pearl Williams, Ora & Leslie; Simpson, Joice Ann II (1917-1925-1-20) dau of Joice Ann Bevens (1843-? MO) & Marshall Winchester (1838-? AR); sis of Hettie (1860-? OR), Owen C (1864-? OR), & Olive Ann (1870-? OR); Simpson, Wm E (1881-1920) sn of Joice Ann Bevens (1843-? MO) & Marshall Winchester (1838-? AR); bro of Hettie (1860-? OR), Owen C (1864-? OR) & Olive Ann (1870-? OR); Smith, Thms J (1846-1910-2-4 MO) sn of Jonathan; hs of Mida C; fr of Ralph E; Timmons, Hettie (1865-1925-9-?); Timmons, Thms E (1858-1917); Turnacliff, David (1812-1885) hs of Alisa Chitwood; IL 3 NF Civil War; Van Orden, Jessie Lathrop (1875-1912) crippled & in wheel chair; Van Orden, Henry (?-?) hs of Olive; Van Orden, Marion (1888-1918); Van Orden, Olive Dixon (4-14-1850-1928-3-28) dau of Jas Chester; Warren, Bessie Van Orden (1884-1917); Watkins, Frances (?-?) dau of Nancy Parks & John; Wilson, Jeppie (1890-1906). (Lords of Themselves: A History of Eastern Lincoln County, Oregon 1978, pp. 90-92)

 

[kindafoundabuckle]

Thanks for a walk back in time. Awesome!

KFB

 

[silverfreak]

Great pics and great post buddy.

 

[stoneseeker2003]

Great pics!.
Have you tried the spot just past the bridge at Kernville,going south?? The pull out spot on the left side. Road curves around to the river. Looks like where the old bridge went across.

We used to go "mucking" there,for bottles. Walked down to the house once, that was spooky. Never thought to MD there.....till now,lol.

 

[bootybay]

I find this lil town..absolutely fascinating... It would be wonderful to buy one of the buildings to have as a either retirement home or just a place to get away to.. I know in NJ housing is super expensive here..I was wondering what they would be there... I just love it... absolutely love it..
Thank you for sharing the wonderful history of yesteryear..

 

[Iunno]

! That hudson j. bevens grave you posted. That guy was ooooolllddd. Most people in that time period didn't live that long. Due to lack of technology, medicine, etc. Nice finds though. Love the badge.

 

[Iunno]

Well, your other mother has just inspired me to put that very thing on tombstone. I want to be buried on top of a small hill. My tombstone will also read: A view to die for. Like your other mother's sense of humour.

 

[Bavaria Mike]

Nice pictures, looks like the rain is really coming down in a few pics! HH, Mike

 

[Gypsy Heart]

1940

 

[mtbiker]

Very interesting. Great pics!!!!

 

[Master Sarge]

Great Post. I love the views and mountains looks like mostly Pine Trees in your neck of the woods. I live in Virginia and I could not live with out my mountains! I love that sheriffs badge, to you think it is real? Also, does anyone take care of the old cemitary as in mowing it and keeping the weeds back? It has to much history to let go.

 

[Steve in Michigan]

Check this site out. It mentions the guys name that was killed at Pioneer Quarry on the headstone. Pretty neat site!

http://users.wi.net/~census/lesson8.html

Your Friend,

Steve in Michigan

 

[zartan7779]

thats a really cool set of pictures ,i thanks you for posting them and shareing .

hope you find some more great stuff

later
jim

 

[ModernMiner]

Wow !! What a site. The view from that cemetary is one to die for. Sorry, I couldn't help myself. I would love to browse around those old homes.

MY OTHER MOTHER AS WE CALLED HER PASSED AWAY COUPLE MONTHS AGO AND HER GRAVE IS OCEAN VIEW AND IT READS HER BIRTH AND DEATH DATE AND SAYS

A VIEW TO DIE FOR

THAT WAS HER SENSE OF HUMOR..LOL
COUPLE MINUTES
BEFOR SHE PASSED OF CANCER SHE TOOK A SHOT OF YUKON JACK AND SAID FARE WELL

IMAFISHINGNUTT,
Your "other mother" would have gotten along great with my Dad. He was a real comedian and loved his talking, joke telling Rodney Dangerfield toy. We buried him with that, a deck of cards, and a small bottle of Jim Beam. Some of his favorite things. The back of his grave marker has part of Frank Sinatra's "I did it my way" engraved in it.
Sorry for rambling. I loved this post. Beautiful pictures and great history too. That town would be a blast to MD at.
Thanks,
MM

 

[Natman]

Great pics and history lesson, thanks for taking the time to post all that info.

Nat