Fairbanks, Oregon facts for kids
Fairbanks is a small, quiet place in Wasco County, Oregon, in the United States. It's known as an unincorporated community. This means it's a group of homes and buildings that isn't officially a town or city with its own local government.
You can find Fairbanks about 12 miles (19 km) east of The Dalles. It's located just south of a major road called U.S. Route 30 and Interstate 84, close to a stream named Fifteenmile Creek.
How Fairbanks Started
Fairbanks began its story in 1905. It was set up as a special stop, or station, along the Great Southern Railroad line. Railroads were very important back then for travel and moving goods.
Who Was Fairbanks Named After?
This community got its name from a very important person: Charles W. Fairbanks. At the time, he had just been elected as the Vice President of the United States. The Vice President is the second-highest leader in the country, working closely with the President. Charles W. Fairbanks served under President Theodore Roosevelt.
The Fairbanks Post Office
Also in 1905, a post office was opened in Fairbanks. A post office is where people send and receive letters and packages. This post office served the community for a few years. However, it closed down in 1909. After that, people in Fairbanks started getting their mail through the post office in a nearby place called Freebridge.
Later on, Freebridge's post office also closed. Then, the mail service for the area moved to Wrentham. Both Freebridge and Wrentham were also stops along the Great Southern Railroad, just like Fairbanks.
