there. William Ralls took up the first homestead there about 1890.
SODA CREEK, Deschutes County. This stream is tributary, from the north, to Sparks Lake. It was named for a well-known soda spring about three miles from its mouth.
SODA SPRINGS, Jackson County. There are several places in Jackson County with the name Soda Springs, but only one had a post office of the same name. Soda Springs office was on Emigrant Creek ten or twelve miles southeast of Ashland, in the extreme north part of township 40 south, range 2 east. The locality is often called Wagner Springs because of the ownership. Soda Springs post office was established in September, 1886, with John Marshall Wagner postmaster. The office continued under Wagner's direction until May, 1911, when it was closed to Ashland. The Wagner family was among the early settlers of the valley.
SODA SPRINGS, Linn County. The valley of South Santiam River has been well endowed with mineral springs and it is not surprising that the localities of these springs have had communities and some post offices, such as Soda Springs, Soda Stone, Sodaville, Lower Soda, Upper Soda, and others. Soda Springs is shown on old maps in the east part of township 13 south, range 1 east, northeast of the present community of Foster. This was the first of the springs to have an office. Soda Springs post office was established September 24, 1869, with Daniel D. Gibson first and only postmaster. The office was discontinued December 7, 1873. SoDaVILLE, Linn County. Sodaville was named for a cold mineral spring situated nearby.
SOLDIER CAMP MOUNTAIN, Curry County. This is a well-known point on the north side of Rogue River about ten miles airline east of the Pacific Ocean. It was named during the local Indian disturbances of the '50s. The north end of the ridge is known as Sawtooth Rock Mountain, which is a little higher than Soldier Camp Mountain, a mile to the south. Troops under the command of Captain C. C. Augur, U.S.A., camped at the point on March 17, 1856, and an account of the event is given in Glisan's Journal of Army Life, page 295, et seq. On March 20 the detachment returned to the place and Glisan mentions it specifically as "Soldiers' Camp." The name appears in other contemporaneous records. The compiler thinks that the name was in use before Glisan's visit, although the matter may be debatable.
SOLDIER CREEK, Harney County. This stream is just west of Harney. It was named because soldiers camped there in the Indian wars in the '60s.
SOMERANGE, Harney County. When the petition was sent in for the establishment of this post office local residents suggested the name Steens because of Steens Mountain nearby. The name was not acceptable to the postal authorities so another name, Somerange, was suggested. This name had its origin in the words "summer range," the stockmen's term for summer feeding grounds. Somerange post office was established December 19, 1923, with Robert W. Bradeen first postmaster. Bradeen was a member of the firm of Bradeen Brothers, merchants in the Catlow Valley, who kept a supply camp in Steens Mountain during summer months for the accommodation of their customers. About 1926 the Bradeens abandoned this project, and Somerange post office was moved off the mountain to a point a little west of the P Ranch. On the death of Robert Bradeen, Jesse L. Bradeen became postmaster June 30, 1930, and on October 1, 1930, the name of the office was changed to Frenchglen,
