worth map of the Chemult quadrangle. In June, 1944, R. W. Crawford, supervisor of the Deschutes National Forest at Bend, wrote the compiler that he had been told that about 1913 a German took up a timber claim on Spruce Creek near this butte. This man grew some rather natty side whiskers and was generally called Old Muttonchops because of the hirsute adornment. Muttonchop Butte is said to have been named for this local settler. This story sounds reasonable.
MYERS CREEK, Curry County. Myers Creek is just south of Cape Sebastian and is a well-known stream flowing into Pacific Ocean. The name is variously spelled, but the form Myers has been adopted by
USBGN. This was done on the recommendation of F. S. Moore, formerly county assessor of Curry County. In a letter to the compiler, dated March 29, 1932, Mr. Moore says that the stream bears the name of one Myers who settled nearby in the late '50s and mined the beach sands. Myers abandoned his cabin. When F. S, Moore was about seven years old his father moved the family into the Myers cabin, and used the building while he built a new house on the Moore property about a mile to the north.
MYRICK, Umatilla County. Myrick is a station on the Northern Pacific Railway northeast of Pendleton. The place was originally known as Warren, but was changed to Myrick because of confusion with Warren in Columbia County. Samuel Jackson Myrick came to Oregon from Missouri in the spring of 1884 and settled near the station now known as Myrick. When it was found necessary to abandon the name of Warren it was decided to name the place for Myrick.
MYRTLE CREEK, Douglas County. Myrtle Creek was named from groves of Oregon myrtle in the vicinity. The site was first settled upon by James B. Weaver, in 1851, who sold it to J. Bailey for a yoke of oxen. Bailey sold to Lazarus Wright in 1852, who sold it to John Hall in 1862. Hall laid out the town in 1865. Myrtle Creek post office was established on February 18, 1854, with Lazarus Wright first postmaster. In the late '60s a movement was on foot to divide Douglas County, and Myrtle Creek had hopes of becoming county seat for the south part. This county division was not made. For information about Oregon myrtle, see under MYRTLE POINT. Myrtle Park, Grant and Harney counties. In 1942 Archie McGowan of Burns became interested in the problem of the origin of this name for the natural park southwest of Canyon City. There were no myrtle trees in that part of Oregon and a botanical significance seemed improbable. Mr. McGowan concluded that the locality might have been named for Minnie Myrtle Miller, wife of Joaquin Miller. He wrote an interesting letter on the subject in Canyon City Eagle for April 10, 1942. As to whether or not Mrs. Minnie Myrtle Miller ever lived in Grant County, the evidence seems positive that she did. Wagner's Joaquin Miller indicates that Mrs. Miller lived with the poet in Canyon City and the two youngest children were born there. In 1943 Mr. McGowan verified his theory. He found living near the park one Andy Pierce, aged 90, sound of mind and body, who joined the Canyon City gold rush in 1864. Pierce had lived in that vicinity ever since and was well acquainted with the Miller family. He made the positive statement that the Millers spent some time in an old cabin in the park and that Joaquin Miller named the place in honor of his wife.
