Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 26.djvu/478

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412
Lewis A. McArthur

postmaster and he probably suggested the name. On June 29, 1868, the post office authorities eliminated the first part of the name because of the confusion with Forest Grove in Washington County. As a result of this simple action there arose in Union County a feud that lasted many years.

In 1864 Union County was created, and as was frequent in pioneer days, there was dissatisfaction over the matter of the location of the county seat. In 1872 a bill was passed putting the matter to a vote, and the two communities that received the highest vote in the preliminary balloting were to be eligible for the final election. Some votes were cast for Forest Cove by old timers to whom the new name did not mean much, and as a result an attempt was made to deprive Cove of its position in the contest. T. T. Geer's Fifty Years in Oregon, chapter XXXVI gives an entertaining account of these and other matters.

Cove Orchard, Yamhill County. This is a descriptive name applied to a community in the northern part of the county. It was platted under this name by F. C . Graham of Portland.

Cow Creek, Douglas County. This stream is one of the historic land marks of southern Oregon. It is tributary to the South Umpqua River and for a large part of the way from Glendale to Riddle it occupies a narrow defile through rugged mountains. The main line of the Southern Pacific Company shares Cow Creek Canyon with the creek. For many years high water in the stream has been a menace to traffic.

It is popularly supposed that the Pacific Highway passes through Cow Creek Canyon but this is not true. South of Canyonville the Pacific Highway follows Canyon Creek, which is also in a narrow defile. Some miles to the south the Pacific Highway crosses Cow Creek, but at this point the creek occupies a wide valley. Walling's