Harlan, Oregon facts for kids

Harlan is a small, quiet community located in Lincoln County, Oregon, in the United States. It's about 30 miles west of a city called Corvallis. Harlan is nestled in a beautiful valley within the Central Oregon Coast Range, right inside the Siuslaw National Forest. For many years, the main ways people made a living here were through logging (cutting down trees) and operating sawmills (places where logs are cut into lumber). Cattle ranching, which is raising cows, has also been a very important part of the local economy.

The History of Harlan: A Community's Journey

Harlan has a rich history, even though it's a small place. It was named after a man named James R. Harlan. He played a big part in setting up the first post office in the area.

How Harlan Got Its Name

The community of Harlan was named after James R. Harlan. He was important because he helped start the local post office. This post office opened in 1890, and James R. Harlan himself became the very first postmaster. A postmaster is the person in charge of a post office. The Harlan post office served the community for many years, finally closing in 1968. Also in 1890, the Harlan Cemetery was founded, providing a burial place for residents.

Schools and Stores: Life in Harlan

Life in Harlan changed over the years. In 1915, the community had a public school and about 200 people living there. This shows it was a lively place.

Building for the Future

In 1926, new buildings were added to Harlan. A new school was built, along with a new store. These were important places for the community. The store was especially busy because it also housed the post office and even had a gas station!

Changes Over Time

The Harlan School eventually closed its doors in 1967. After that, students from Harlan went to school in a nearby town called Eddyville. The community store, which was once a central hub, closed in 1971. Today, that old store building is a private home.

What Harlan is Like Today

While Harlan was once a busy place with logging and sawmills, it has become much quieter.

Past Industries and Present Life

The last large commercial sawmill in Harlan stopped operating in the early 1980s. This was a big change for the local economy. However, as of 2008, a small, one-person hobby sawmill was still running. This shows that some of the old traditions continued in a smaller way. In 1993, an author named Ralph Friedman visited Harlan and noted that there wasn't "nothing much" left. Despite these changes, the Chapel of the Valley church, which was built in 1961, continues to serve its community today.