OVERSTREET, Malheur County. This station was named for Robert R. Overstreet, a resident of the vicinity. It is on the Union Pacific south of Nyssa.
OWENS, Tillamook County. Owens post office was situated in Gods Valley and was named for a nearby landowner. The office was established January 16, 1912, with William Schultz first postmaster. The office was closed January 15, 1917.
OWYHEE, Malheur County. A post office called Owyhee Ferry was established on the Baker County list as of March 19, 1867, with William Hill postmaster. This office, which was in what is now Malheur County, was closed September 16, 1868. The writer is informed that the ferry was on Snake River near the mouth of the Owyhee, and was not on Owyhee River itself. It was not far from the site of Fort Boise, Idaho. A post office with the name Owyhee was established on January 4, 1886, with William Grimes postmaster. This office was closed September 8, 1887, with papers to Jordan Valley. This seems to indicate that the office was farther south than the mouth of Owyhee River. An office with the same name was established July 11, 1890, with Belle Dryden postmaster. This office was on the lower reaches of Owyhee River, not far from Owyhee Ferry, and was closed in 1932. An army map of 1887 gives the name Kinney's Ferry for the establishment on Snake River near Fort Boise.
OWYHEE Rapids, Gilliam County. Judge Fred W. Wilson of The Dalles informs the compiler that these rapids in the Columbia River just west of Arlington were named for some event in the history of the steamer Owyhee. It is said the boat grounded in the rapids. For the history of the Owyhee, see Lewis & Dryden's Marine History of the Pacific Northwest. The Owyhee was built at Celilo about 1864, and operated for about 12 years.
OWYHEE RIVER, Malheur County. On Saturday, February 18, 1826, Peter Skene Ogden, then on his second expedition into the Snake River country, "reached Sandwich Island River, so called, owing to 2 of them murdered by Snake Indians in 1819." There seems to be no doubt that the Owyhee River was named for these Hawaiians, for on June 15 of the same year Ogden uses the word Owyhee. The name Owyhee was used a century ago for Hawaii. Owyhee River drains a large area in Oregon and western Idaho, and there are other geographic features bearing the name, derived from the name of the river. There is a community of Owyhee near the mouth of Owyhee River and also an Owyhee Ridge in Malheur County.
Ox Bow, Baker County. Western pioneers were so familiar with ox bows that the descriptive name was often used for geographic features. The best known ox bow in Oregon is that of Snake River near Ox Bow station. The neck of land in the bow has been pierced by railroad and water tunnels.
P Ranch, Harney County, The P Ranch is one of the historic and romantic landmarks of eastern Oregon. It is in the valley of the Donner und Blitzen River south of Burns and west of Steens Mountain. For many years it was the headquarters of Peter French, one of the West's great cattle kings. For information about him, see under the heading
FRENCHGLEN. It is frequently said that the P Ranch was named for a brand based on Pete French's first name, but in September, 1943, Archie
