Clara C. Munson of Warrenton interested herself in the business of getting a better form of name for this little stream, and proposed Neawanna Creek, in the belief that the spelling more nearly expressed the original name. This style closely approximates the word Newanah which came to the compiler on the authority of the late John Gill of Portland, who was a reliable student of Chinook place names. Various official and civic organizations sponsored the change, and as a result, the USBGN on February 4, 1931, adopted the style Neawanna Creek and apparently everyone in the vicinity is happy. The meaning of this Indian word is unknown, although it is probable that it referred to a location along the bank of this stream near a rapid, or a waterfall. A large number of Indian place names in northwestern Oregon began with the syllable Ne. See under
NEAHKAHNIE MOUNTAIN.
NECANICUM, Clatsop County. This community no longer has a post office. It was originally called Ahlers, for Herman Ahlers, a local resident. The name was changed to Push on April 13, 1899. The post office was subsequently known as Necanicum on account of Necanicum River which flowed nearby. For the origin of the name of Necanicum River see under that heading. Necanicum post office was at the Sly place about twelve miles southeast of Seaside on the Wolf Creek Highway. Ahlers selected the name Push because he expected the place to turn into an enterprising community. The name was changed from Push to Necanicum on May 27, 1907. Ahlers was postmaster at all three offices mentioned.
NECANICUM RIVER, Clatsop County. Necanicum is one of the many Indian names in northwest Oregon beginning with Ne, which was apparently a prefix indicating place. This stream flows into the Pacific Ocean at Seaside. William Clark named it Clatsop River on January 7, 1806, but that name did not prevail. Necanicum is derived from Ne-hayne-hum, the name of an Indian lodge up the stream, according to H. S. Lyman, OHQ, volume I, page 321. The name is given as Nekonikon in
OPA Transactions, 1887, page 86. In 1929 Herman Ahlers, for some years postmaster at Necanicum post office, wrote that the name meant a gap in the mountains, apparently referring to the valley. In pioneer days the stream was known as Latty Creek, for William Latty, who took up a land claim in what is now the south part of Seaside. Necanicum is the form of spelling in general use and has been adopted by the USBGN.
NEEDY, Clackamas County. Geo. H. Himes told the compiler that this place was named, not because of the character of the soil, which was excellent, but because of the unfortunate condition of some pioneer settlers who lived there. Leslie M. Scott in History of the Oregon Country, says that the place was also known as Hardscrabble. Inquiries made by the compiler in 1943 failed to confirm stories of poor soil in the locality. Needy post office was established February 16, 1855, with John M. Bacon postmaster. John S. Vinson in an article on the Oregonian editorial page, March 17, 1928, says that James H. Brents originated the names Needy and Hardscrabble, and gives additional history of the place.
NEER City, Columbia County, Neer City is a ghost town on the Columbia River Highway at a county road junction about a half a mile north of Goble. This place was laid out by Abe Neer and the plat filed for record on August 31, 1883. It was a point on the Columbia River where boats found it convenient to get cordwood for their boilers and a little settlement of woodcutters developed at Neer City. An account
