Laurel, Oregon
| Laurel, Oregon | |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated community | |
Laurel Valley Store
|
|
 Laurel, Oregon
Laurel, Oregon
|
|
| Coordinates: 45°25′6.42″N 122°59′30.37″W / 45.4184500°N 122.9917694°WCoordinates: 45°25′6.42″N 122°59′30.37″W / 45.4184500°N 122.9917694°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Washington |
| Settled | 1872 |
| Elevation | 197 ft (60 m) |
| Time zone | Pacific (PST) (UTC-8) |
| • Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC-7) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1122976 |
Laurel is an unincorporated community in Washington County, Oregon, United States. Settled in 1872, the community is located between Hillsboro and Newberg, in the southern portion of the Tualatin Valley in the foothills of the Chehalem Mountains. The community retains its agricultural heritage. Laurel is served by the Hillsboro School District and includes the century-old Laurel Valley Store.
When Euro-American settlers came to what is now Washington County, the area was inhabited by the Atfalati Native American group. Smallpox epidemics struck the Atfalati and by the mid-1830s, only 10 percent of the tribe was left. An 1855 government treaty removed the remaining Atfalati to the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation, where there are still about 20 individuals who identify themselves as Atfalati.
In 1872, the Mulloy family settled the area that is now Laurel. In May 1879, the Laurel post office was established with Alfred Mulloy, Sr. as postmaster. Mail was delivered once per week until 1881 when deliveries increased to twice per week. The population was 150 people in 1880, but dropped to 29 in the 1900 census.
The Laurel Valley Store was opened in 1893 by Gus, Maud, and Jacob Messinger. A small one-room schoolhouse was built later. A telephone line was extended to Laurel in 1904 from Hillsboro with four customers. The population grew to 50 residents in 1910. In 1923, Laurel Community Hall was constructed for about $5,000. The post office was closed in 1935.
In 1876, community members started a congregation at Mountain Top with W.C. Kantner as preacher. A Baptist church was also started that year by the Brown, Steventon, Shamly, and Messinger families. The Mulloy family donated 2 acres (8,100 m2) to the church in 1878 for a chapel and cemetery, and a church was built and named the Mount Olive Baptist Church during the summer. The cemetery was laid out in 1880.
...
Wikipedia