Hamlet, Oregon facts for kids

Hamlet is a small, unincorporated community in Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. An "unincorporated community" means it's a group of homes and buildings that isn't officially a town or city with its own local government. It's located about six miles southeast of Necanicum. You can find it in the Northern Oregon Coast Range, near where the North Fork Nehalem River and the Little North Fork Nehalem River meet. The area is surrounded by parts of the Clatsop State Forest.

History of Hamlet

Hamlet was founded by people from Finland. It's a very small place, and for a long time, it didn't have common things like a store, a church, or even a main village center.

The Hamlet Post Office

Even though it was small, Hamlet did have its own post office for many years. The Oregon Geographic Names book says the post office started around 1905. It was named "Hamlet" because that word means a very small village or settlement. The post office moved around a lot! Each time a new postmaster took over, they would often build a new small shed on their own land to serve as the post office. This post office eventually closed in 1953, and after that, mail for Hamlet went to Seaside.

School and Community

Hamlet also had a school. The first school building burned down in 1910. But a new one was built about half a mile away in 1911. Today, this old school building is used as a community center, where people from Hamlet can gather. There is also a cemetery in the community.