History

History of Early Aumsville

For more complete historical information, contact the Aumsville Historical Society at 503-749-2744. Or check out the Aumsville Historical Society's website. 

The Aumsville Museum & History Center is located at 599 Main St., Aumsville. They are open Saturdays from 11AM-2PM, April through October and closed Holiday weekends. To schedule an appointment outside of those times please contact Ted Shepard at 503-749-2744. 

The central Willamette Valley was home to Native Americans of the Kalapuya Tribe. White settlers arrived in the mid-1800’s as part of the overland emigrant migration to Oregon. Marion County was identified as the Eden at the end of the Oregon Trail.

Historic Timeline

1843    Allen Jones Davie built sawmill on claim east of Aumsville

1843    John McHaley took up the first claim on land that includes southern part of Aumsville.

1844    McHaley’s stepdaughter Polly Frazier married Reuben Lewis and they claimed land in Aumsville.

1848    Wagon train with Stephen and William Porter left Illinois for Oregon.

1849    William worked to build cabin and small herd of cattle. He went on to become the chief clerk at the first Territorial Legislative Assembly at Oregon City. He later served as a senator.

1850    Donation Land Claim Act of 1850 which applied only to the Oregon Territory. The act granted settlers residing in the territory by December 1, free land of 320 acres to single men and 640 acres to a married couple. One Half deeded to the man and one half to the wife in her name. Settlers who came by December 1, 1855 received half of the above amounts. 

1852    Henry L., Judith Turner, and family came over in covered wagon, purchased land from John McHaley.

1855    William Porter built a frame building which became the first school, also used as the church on Sundays. Henry Smith and Rueben Lewis built another school in the area of Aumsville Hwy and Smith Road.

1856    Land was now secured under the Homestead Act at the price of $1.25 per acre. 

1863    Henry Turner and sons build flourmill on their farm, what would become town of Aumsville. Community was called “Hoggum” due to pig farms. Before the mill was completed Turner’s son-in-law died. Aumsville is named after him, Amos (Aumus) Davis.

1864    Henry Turner and Henry Smith platted the NW part of town.

1866    First general store opened in Aumsville.

1868    Post office moved to Aumsville from Condit.

1880    Oregon Railway began operating and traveled south through Aumsville.

1893    A school was built on 9th between Main and Church street and was in use until 1922.

1922    The Amos Davis High school opened on Main Street between 9th and 10th Street. It was in use until it closed down in 1966. 

1950    The high school closed and became part of Cascade High School. The building became Aumsville Elementary and was in use until 1966 when a new elementary school was built to the north on 11th Street. It was eventually torn down in 1972.

1963    Maude Porter Boone donated 5 acres that had been part of her grandfather’s donation land claim to the City of Aumsville, and it’s now Porter-Boone Park.

-- Courtesy of the Aumsville
    Historical Society