Page:Oregon Geographic Names, third edition.djvu/71

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site of the mill. This they called the Bethel Church. The Dunkards lived a quiet life there for some years but the group gradually dwindled to the point where the church could no longer be maintained. The building was sold to the newly formed Bethel school district, made up from parts of other districts. The old building was used until about 1925, when a new school was built. There is more information about the name and place in a short neighborhood story by Mrs. J. R. Carruthers in the Salem Statesman, October 1, 1931.

BETZEN, Lane County. Betzen station on the Southern Pacific between Mapleton and Cushman was named for Betty Zentner, daughter of one of the engineers on the construction of the railroad.

BEULAH, Malheur County. Beulah was named for Beulah Arnold, daughter of the first postmaster. She was later Mrs. Roy S. Rutherford. Beulah post office was established December 16, 1884, with Thomas L. Arnold first postmaster. The use of Miss Arnold's name is said to have been suggested by a family friend, J. C. Roberts, an early stockman of the Harnessted by a team. The used Decembater Mrs. Por Beulah a.

BIBLE CREEK, Tillamook and Yamhill counties. A. S. Bible was born in Tennessee March 16, 1834. He established a store in Sheridan in 1879 and was also a merchant in Willamina. He retired from these activities in 1898. See Portrait and Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley, page 570. He operated a ranch near the Tillamook-Yamhill line · north of Willamina and the names Bible Ranch and Bible Creek resulted from this activity. The stream flows into Nestucca River.

BIDDLE Pass, Jefferson County. Biddle Pass, elevation about 5450 feet, is due east of Mount Jefferson. East of the pass the ground rises sharply to the southeast to form Bald Peter, a well-known landmark on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. In 1920, Henry J. Biddle of Portland and Vancouver, who was an enthusiastic sportsman and naturalist, decided to investigate the feasibility of building a trail around the east base of Mount Jefferson. He made up a small party, including himself, Charles C. Giebeler of Detroit, the compiler of these notes and three amiable packhorses. As the result of two weeks in the field, enlivened by minor misadventures, excessively rough lava fields, fallen timber, boulders and yellowjackets, Mr. Biddle concluded that the territory was not suitable for the type of construction he had in mind. The party camped at the south end of the pass on the night of August 14, 1920, and went through the pass next day. At that time there was no evidence that a white man had been there before. Mr. Biddle died September 27, 1928, and the compiler suggested to the USBGN that the pass should be named in his honor, which was done on March 6, 1929.

BIG BUTTE, Jackson County. Big Butte post office took its name from Big Butte Creek. The post office was established May 9, 1878, with George W. King first postmaster. Henry H. Pope was appointed postmaster July 11, 1882, and John A. Obenchain on October 6, 1888. The office was closed to Brownsboro on March 31, 1908. It is reported to the compiler that Big Butte post office was moved several times, though it was generally in the neighborhood of township 35 south, range 2 east.

BIG BUTTE CREEK, Jackson County. Mount McLoughlin was known by the early settlers in the Rogue River Valley as Snowy Butte. Big Butte Creek had its rise near Snowy Butte and was so named on that account. It flows into Rogue River. A smaller stream rising in the same vicinity was