Rick's Blog Conglomerate

USS Benton County (LST-263) was one of several Landing ships built during WWII, named after locations in the Pacific Northwest. Like the rest of the LST, it wasn’t directly named for just one county though. There are Benton Counties in Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Mississippi,...

CSS Oregon 1846-1861 The CSS Oregon was a wooden side paddle wheel steamer built in New York City in 1846 for the Mobile Mail Line. She had a twin named California, and is similar in design to the Selma. She ran mail from New Orleans, Louisiana to Mobile Alabama when the Civil War started. It is...

Oregon 1841-1845 The Oregon has one of the most frustratingly tantalizing and obscure history of all the ships here. It’s pre and post life in the US Navy is almost completely undocumented, while it’s life in service to the United States Navy is well documented. I suspect that this...

Portland Theater Listing In the ever expanding list of things that makes Portland a vibrant and livable city, one is the sheer number of independently owned theaters that exist in and around the city. Many of these are second run theaters – showing movies that have already been in the...

Name: Rickard Class: A4 GPS: 44.4067889, -123.2900982 Directions: Unable to reach from public roads. Located in what is now the William L Finley National Wildlife Refuge. Description: The Rickard family came to Oregon on the 1853 Wagon Train. Caspar Rickard and wife Catherine Kime took up a land...

Name: Cable Cove (Cableville) Class: A1 GPS: 44.8568096, -118.2691085 Directions: From Sumpter Oregon, head north along Cracker Creek Road to Bourne, Oregon. At 4.8 miles take a left on to Cable Cove Road and follow that until for 5 miles. Cable Cove was said to be at the headwaters of Silver...

Name: Kronenberg Class: H2 GPS: 45.493315, -122.494300 or 16430 SE Powell Blvd, Portland Oregon Directions: From downtown Portland, take Highway 26 East towards Gresham. The “town” as it were was located at the foot of Powell Butte. Description: The town of Kronenberg was actually...

Vegan Restaurants Portland One of the things the city of Portland Oregon is well known for is the number of vegan and vegan friendly restaurants in the city. Most popular restaurants have a vegan friendly item or two on the menu, or can make some of their menu vegan. We’re not just talking...

Name: Snooseville Corner Class: A3 GPS: 45.72336, -123.07137 Directions: From North Plains, head Northwest on Mountaindale Road towards another ghost town, Mountaindale. Pass that location 7.4 miles Mountaindale Road comes to a T Intersection known at Snnoseville Corner. NW Shermans Mill Road...

Name: Bacona Class: A3 GPS:45.777316, -123.121992 Directions: From Buxton Oregon just off of Highway 26 in Western Washington County, head north on NW Bacona Road for 8.8 miles. On the right will be a huge house. The town of Bacona once stood here. Description: Bacona is a prime example of how...

Name: Van Class: A(Unknown) GPS: 43.99045, -118.68882 Directions: From John Day head south on Highway 395 or the John Day-Burns Highway for 36.6 miles. Turn left on Silvies-Hopper Ranch Rd. After about two miles it becomes NF-17. Follow that for 11.5 miles to Van-Drewsey Rd. Turn right at the...

Portland Oregon Museums For all it’s quirkiness, Portland has a number of good museums for history and art. It also has a number of “Keep Portland Weird” type museums. Either way, for tourist and local alike there are plenty of museums in Portland and nearby. Below is a full...

Hines, Oregon I have not had a chance to write much about Hines, Oregon yet. If you know anything about this town, please post below!

Irish Bend Covered Bridge The Irish Bend Covered bridge is unique among those in Oregon in that it might have been moved several times. It is of the very common (in Oregon) Howe-truss design standardized by the Oregon Highway Department (now Department of Transportation.) It’s construction...

Baker’s Covered Bridge As construction techniques have improved, so has Baker’s Bridge, also known as the Carver Bridge. Located just south of the small town of Carver Oregon across the Clackamas River, the fourth bridge to be at this location has recently been installed. Located...

Ritner Creek Covered Bridge The Ritner Creek Bridge was the last covered bridge in use on Oregon’s highways. Note that it is not the last that can still be driven over – there are several in Linn County that are still drivable. Located about two miles south of Peedee on King’s...