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this part of the county in the Canby Herald, June 17, 1948. The compiler is indebted to Mr. Alvin Perdue, Route 1, Hubbard, for much of this history. He lives on part of the old Perdue farm where the post office was situated. It is a little to the north of Oak Lawn school.
ORVILLE, Marion County. Orville is a station on the Oregon Electric Railway about two miles east of Independence. It was named for Orville Butler who owned land nearby.
OSWEGO, Clackamas County. Oswego was named for Oswego, New York, by A. A. Durham, a pioneer of Oregon of 1847. At one time he operated a sawmill in the Oregon community which he named for his former home in the East. For information about his activities in Oregon see under the item DURHAM. Oswego post office was established on December 31, 1853, with Wesley C. Hull postmaster. Oswego CREEK, Clackamas County. This is the outlet of Oswego Lake. The stream was once known as Sucker Creek, and Oswego Lake was called Sucker Lake. A number of years ago the USBGN changed the name of the lake, but the name of the creek was not disturbed. In 1927 local residents asked to have the name Sucker Creek changed to Oswego Creek to agree with the lake, and the board took the necessary action on February 2, 1927. Oswego LAKE, Clackamas County. Oswego Lake was known as Sucker Lake during pioneer times because of the fish of that name. Local residents objected to the name and it was subsequently changed to Oswego Lake for the town of Oswego nearby, and it is now universally so known. It is said that the Indian name was Waluga which meant wild swan. The name Lake Oswego is a real estate dealer's affectation.
OTHELLO, Lane County. This post office was in service from March 28, 1855, to July 8, 1859, with Jerome B. Zumwalt the only postmaster. Early maps do not show the place, but in February, 1947, J. M. Nighswander of Eugene wrote that the Zumwalts lived northwest of Eugene, in what was called the Grand Prairie section, west of what is now Irving. Since the office has been closed for nearly ninety years, its history is doubtless well buried, indeed Othello's occupation is surely gone. Otis, Lincoln County. This post office was established April 24, 1900, with Archibald S. Thompson, postmaster. While definite information about the naming of the community is not available, it is the local belief that it was in honor of Major-General Elwell Stephen Otis, 1838-1909, who was placed in command of the Department of the Pacific in 1898 and was also military governor of the Philippines.
OTTER ROCK, Lincoln County. Otter Rock is a post office near the ocean. The name originated from a rock situated about a half mile offshore and three and a quarter miles north of Yaquina Head. The rock is 36 feet above low water. About a mile to the north is a larger rock. Sea otter formerly inhabited these rocks. The writer has been unable to learn who suggested the name, either for the rock or for the post office.
OUTERSON MOUNTAIN, Marion County. Outerson Mountain, near Detroit, was formerly called Bald Mountain, but because of much duplication the Forest Service changed the name to Outerson Mountain in honor of the late John Outerson, a pioneer of the North Santiam Valley.
OUXY, Klamath County. Quxy, a railroad station north of Klamath Falls, bears a name derived from the Klamath Indian word E-ukshi, meaning Klamath Marsh.
