unable to learn why this name was suggested. The word means a standard by which to judge of the character or excellence of an object or thing. Pioneer stockmen called the locality Three Notches because of three cuts in a prominent juniper tree, still standing in 1946, east of the highway. Criterion Summit is the highest point on The Dalles-California Highway between The Dalles and Redmond. The bench mark just west of the highway has an elevation of 3362 feet and the highway summit is a couple of feet lower. This was once known as Lakeview Summit, but why is a mystery. There are no lakes within miles of the place. Criterion post office was established in September, 1913, and closed in June, 1926.
CROISAN RIDGE, Marion County. Croisan Ridge and Croisan Gulch lie not far from the east bank of the Willamette River just southwest of Salem. These features were named for a prominent Marion County pioneer family. The first member of this family to live in Oregon was born in Batavia in 1812 of Huguenot parents. He emigrated to the United States in 1839 and came to Oregon over the Applegate route in 1846. After various pioneer experiences, including a trip to California, he settled on a donation land claim southwest of Salem in March, 1850. See editorial page, Oregon Journal, December 18 and 19, 1925. He died September 14, 1875. The original application for the land claim shows the name spelled in various ways, including Croisant, Croisint and Crossint. The given names of this pioneer settler were John Henry. While the land office records seem to indicate that the spelling Croisint was the correct one, present members of the family state that the name was really Croisant. The second generation in Oregon found the name so frequently mispronounced that the final "" was dropped and the name has become Croisan. The Croisan family tradition says the name originally meant growing, the French for which would be croissant. Croissant is also the French for crescent.
CROMWELL, Union County. Old maps show Cromwell on the railroad at a point between Telocaset and North Powder. The post office was established July 24, 1882, and was closed December 2, 1884. Julius T. Cromwell was the only postmaster and the office was named for him. Polk's Gazetteer for 1886-7 says that Cromwell was also called Antelope Valley. The post office was close to Antelope Creek wagon bridge on the original homestead of Robert Brannan.
CROOK, Crook County. Crook, a place on the headwaters of Bear Creek, was named for the county. Available maps show the office moved about a little, apparently depending on who would accept the postmastership. Crook post office was established June 16, 1886, with Nancy Hinton postmaster. The office was finally closed in November, 1908.
CROOK COUNTY. Crook County was created October 24, 1882, from a part of Wasco County after Lake County had been taken off on the south. (Special Laws of 1882, page 178.) For many years it was one of the large counties of central Oregon, but is now diminished in size as the result of the creation of Deschutes and Jefferson counties. It has an area of 2980 square miles, according to the U. S. Bureau of the Census. Prineville is its county seat. Crook County was named for George Crook, major-general in the U. S. Army, who was born near Dayton, Ohio, September 8, 1829; died at Chicago March 21, 1890. He
