Buena Vista, Oregon facts for kids
Buena Vista is a small, historic community in Polk County, Oregon, in the United States. It's located right on the Willamette River and is known for the Buena Vista Ferry, which helps people cross the river. It's about 7 miles (11 km) south of a town called Independence.
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Buena Vista: A Historic Oregon Community
Early Days and Naming
Buena Vista got its name around 1850 from a settler named Reason B. Hall. He had claimed land there in 1847 under something called the Donation Land Claim Act. Some of Hall's family members had fought in the Battle of Buena Vista during the Mexican–American War. This battle is where the community got its name.
Around the same time, Reason B. Hall started a ferry across the Willamette River. It was first called Halls Ferry, but later became known as the Buena Vista Ferry. This ferry is still used today! Later, one of Hall's sons, B.F. Hall, ran another ferry north of Independence.
Life in Buena Vista's Heyday
Buena Vista was once a busy place. It was home to the Oregon Pottery Company, which made pottery and shipped it all over Oregon using the Willamette River. Because of the pottery business and also because it was a big area for growing hops (a plant used in brewing), Buena Vista used to have many more people living there.
The community had many important buildings, including saloons, a hotel, a school, a church, an I.O.O.F. hall (a meeting place for a fraternal organization), and a general store.
Changes Over Time
Over time, Buena Vista became less busy. A big reason for this was that the railroad was built through Independence instead of Buena Vista. This meant that goods and people traveled by train through Independence, and Buena Vista became less important for trade.
Today, many of the original buildings are gone. Some people who write guidebooks about old towns even call Buena Vista a ghost town. However, people who live there don't always agree with that idea! Buena Vista also had a post office from 1866 to 1935. There's a cemetery on a steep hill north of town with graves dating back to the 1800s.
The old Buena Vista Store burned down around 1970, and the I.O.O.F. hall burned in the mid-1990s. The Buena Vista Methodist Church was moved from its original spot to the center of town. It celebrated its 100th birthday in 1968, but was later replaced by a new building.
Around 1970, Buena Vista Park was built. It's a Polk County park and has a boat launch ramp. This park was created to stop people from using the ferry landing to launch their boats. The old Buena Vista schoolhouse was a large building with two rooms. In 1972, it was fixed up and became the home of Johnny Craviotto, who started the Craviotto drums company.
The name Buena Vista means "good view" or "beautiful view" in Spanish. Locally, people say it "byoona vista," and many residents even call the town "byoonee" for short.
