Bulletin 217, Geology of Southwestern Idaho and Southeastern Oregon, page 57. Dr. Russell gives an interesting description of this crater, which is unusual in that there seems to be a complete absence of the products of explosive eruptions such as lapilli and volcanic bombs. Bowden Crater is an isolated example of volcanism and Dr. Russell says that the adjacent lava flow, covering about a hundred square miles, apparently all came from the single crater. In 1902 the remains of the raised rim of the central elevation of Bowden Crater was about 600 feet in diameter enclosing a basin about 40 feet deep. The Bowden ranch was on Rattlesnake Creek a little to the south of the center of township 34 south, range 41 east. A post office named Bowdens was in operation here from October, 1890, until April, 1898. John B. Bowden was the first postmaster.
BOWERS SLOUGH, Benton County. This slough joins Willamette River from the north about four miles west of Albany. Two brothers of the name of Bowers lived in this vicinity in pioneer days and the slough was named for them. BowlllS Hill, Umatilla County. This hill is just north of the forks of Walla Walla River. It was named for Lewis Bowlus, a nearby landowner.
BOWMAN CREEK, Wallowa County. Bowman Creek is in township 3 south, range 43 east and flows into Lostine River. It was named for Robert B. Bowman, who traveled over the trail along the stream to get to his mining claims. This was an old elk trail, and in early days the stream was sometimes called Elk Trail Creek. Box, Benton and Lincoln counties. A post office with the terse name Box was established on the Lincoln County list January 28, 1897, with Mary J. Grier first postmaster. It was on or near Lobster Creek in the extreme southeast corner of the county. This office seems to have oscillated back and forth across the Benton-Lincoln county line, for it was first in one county, then the other. It was on the Benton County list as of July 21, 1906, but the writer cannot learn what happened to it after that except that it was not a post office in 1913. Polk's Oregon and Washington Gazetteer for 1907-08 says that the locality served by Box post office was frequently called Lobster Valley. John E. Davis of the Oregon Department of Agriculture at Salem has been kind enough to send in the following story: "Before the post office was established a big box was placed beside the road and when any of the neighbors went to or from Alsea, the nearest post office, they carried the mail for all in Lobster Valley. Mail for those in the valley was placed in this box, from which it found its way into the various homes. None of the names first submitted for the post office was acceptable to the department and it occurred to someone to call it Box. This information came from Thomas Taylor who was postmaster at two different times." Boyd, Wasco County. This name is reported as being derived from T. P. Boyd who settled in the vicinity about 1883 and with his sons operated a flour mill. When the post office was established March 6, 1884, G. H. Barnett, a local merchant, suggested the name of Boyd as being both short and appropriate. John E. Barnett was the first postmaster.
BOYER, Lincoln and Tillamook counties. John and Julia Boyer were among the early settlers on Salmon River and they operated the Salmon
