Gales Creek, Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gales Creek
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Gales Creek Store and Post Office (BOTH CLOSED)
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Country | United States |
State | Oregon |
County | Washington |
Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
ZIP code |
97117
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Area code(s) | 503 and 971 |
Gales Creek is a small, quiet place in Washington County, Oregon, United States. It's not a city with its own government, but rather an unincorporated community. You can find it northwest of Forest Grove, nestled in the hills of the Oregon Coast Range.
Gales Creek is located along Oregon Route 8. It shares its name with a nearby stream. This stream flows into the Tualatin River.
Contents
Discovering Gales Creek
Gales Creek is a community with an interesting past. It has been around for a long time.
The Name of Gales Creek
The stream and the community are both named after an early settler. His name was Joseph Gale. He was a pioneer who made his home in this area. Sometimes, the place was even called Gales City.
Gales Creek's Early History
The Gales Creek post office opened in 1874. This was an important way for people to send and receive mail. In the 1800s, Gales Creek was a significant stop for stagecoaches. It was the very last stop before travelers reached Tillamook. Imagine how exciting it must have been to see the stagecoach arrive!
Education and Community Services
Gales Creek Elementary School first opened its doors in 1859. It was part of the Forest Grove School District. The school helped educate many generations of children.
The elementary school closed in 2011. Today, the building is used as a special education treatment facility. This means it helps students who need extra support. The community also has a fire station. It is part of the Forest Grove Fire and Rescue district. This station helps keep everyone in the area safe.