Nibley Settlement

Nibley Settlement. . , The community of Nibley briefly flourished at the turn of the century. This pioneer community, 11 miles east of La Grande, was in the midst of what are now fields. Charles W. Nibley, George Stoddard, and M.L. Causey organized the Oregon Land Company on July 25, 1900, and purchased 7,500 acres of land from A. B. Conley for the purpose of growing sugar beets for the Oregon Sugar Beet Company. The townsite of Nibley, named after Charles W. Nibley, was divided into 25 five-acre blocks, each containing four equal lots. Settlers would farm the surrounding countryside. The closeness of homes allowed for short distances to the school, church, post office, carpenter and blacksmith shops, and a small general store., In January and February of 1901, a 24-foot by 44-foot meeting house was built. On March 17, 1901, the Nibley Branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, and on June 6, 1901, William J. Rawson was called as the bishop of the Nibley Ward. By 1902 Nibley was a thriving Mormon settlement as more families arrived., Plans to bring irrigation to the area fell through, and the soil was not conducive to growing sugar beets. Residents began moving to other areas of the Grande Ronde Valley, and soon, all had moved away. The Nibley Ward was discontinued on December 29, 1906. In spite of the sugar beet venture, the Mormon pioneers remained as independent farmers and community builders., 2001 No. 531 Union Oregon Company-La Grande Camp,