Oregon City in Clackamas County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)
Lot Whitcomb
Townsite Founder
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 25, 2017
1. Lot Whitcomb Marker
Captions: (center right) "Old and young rush to meet her; Male and female, go to greet her; And the waves las the shore as they pass; Oh! she's welcome, thrice welcome; To Oregon City, Lot Whitcom is with us at last." -- Elizabeth Marldure, Oregon Spectator (Oregon City, Ore.), June 5, 1851; (bottom right) St. John's Episcopal Church. Whitcomb donated this church in 1851. It was moved by barge in 1951 to its present location at the entrance to Oaks Park.
Lot Whitcomb, proprietor of the town, gave two lots and an unfinished building that had cost him about $1,000 - the first Episcopal church building in Oregon. His wife, Irene, suffered from asthma. Believing Oregon a healthy place, in 1847 Lot Whitcomb departed Illinois by covered wagon. His son, James, age 15, drowned in the Columbia during the family's passage through the Gorge. Whitcomb and his friend Henderson Luelling selected adjoining land claims on the east bank of the Willamette. Luelling planted a nursery of fruit trees he had hauled to Oregon; Whitcomb platted a town - Milwaukie.
Whitcomb's energies moved in several directions. His sawmill sold lumber to the boom towns of California in 1849-50. His grist mill ground the wheat of local farmers. His shipyards in 1850 built the Lot Whitcomb, a hansom sidewheeler of 160' length and 24' beam. His newspaper, the Western Star, promoted his town. Whitcomb, the postmaster, died at Milwaukie in 1857 at the age of 50.
"We learn that Capt. Whitcomb's new flouring mill is in successful operation." Oregon Weekly Times (Portland, Ore.), September
this page online
Erected by End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Settlements & Settlers • Waterways & Vessels.
Location. 45° 21.865′ N, 122° 35.671′ W. Marker is in Oregon City, Oregon, in Clackamas County. Marker can be reached from Washington Street near Abernethy Road, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1726 Washington Street, Oregon City OR 97045, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Earthquakes and Mountain Fog (here, next to this marker); Fishing At Tumwater (here, next to this marker); Sidney W. Moss (here, next to this marker); Abigail Scott Duniway (a few steps from this marker); Medorem Crawford (a few steps from this marker); Clackamas Chinook (a few steps from this marker); Wagons (a few steps from this marker); The Trail of Tears (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Oregon City.
More about this marker. This marker is located next to the End Of Oregon Trail Interpretive Center facing outward towards Abernethy Green.
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 25, 2017
2. Lot Whitcomb Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on February 17, 2018. It was originally submitted on February 17, 2018, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 292 times since then and 67 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 17, 2018, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
