Laurel, Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Laurel, Oregon
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Laurel Valley Store
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 Laurel, Oregon
Location in Oregon
Laurel, Oregon
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Washington |
| Settled | 1872 |
| Elevation | 197 ft (60 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1122976 |
Laurel is a small community in Washington County, Oregon, USA. It's not a city with its own government, but an "unincorporated community" without official borders. People started settling here in 1872. Laurel is located between the towns of Hillsboro and Newberg. It sits in the southern part of the Tualatin Valley, near the Chehalem Mountains.
Laurel is known for its farming history. Kids living here go to schools in the Hillsboro School District. The old Laurel Valley Store, which is over 100 years old, is being turned into a restaurant.
Contents
History of Laurel
Before European-American settlers arrived, the Atfalati Native American group lived in this area. Sadly, smallpox epidemics greatly reduced their population. By the mid-1830s, only about 10 percent of the tribe remained.
In 1855, a government treaty moved the remaining Atfalati people. They went to the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation. Today, about 20 people still identify themselves as Atfalati.
Early Settlement and Name
The Mulloy family settled the area that is now Laurel in 1872. The community got its name in the spring of 1879. Citizens met at the Union Schoolhouse to ask for a post office.
C. W. Williams suggested the name "Laurel." People thought many trees nearby were Laurel trees, so the name seemed right. Later, they found out these trees were actually Madrone trees, not Laurel.
In May 1879, the Laurel post office opened. Alfred Mulloy, Sr. was the first postmaster. Mail was delivered once a week at first, then twice a week starting in 1881. In 1880, Laurel had 150 people. By 1900, the population dropped to 29. The post office closed in 1935.
Laurel Valley Store History
The Laurel Valley Store first opened in 1893. Gus, Maud, and Jacob Messinger started it. In 1913, Ewell and Ella Turner bought the store. They moved the original building a short distance south.
They then built the current Laurel store building, which also had a home attached. The last manager was Hyun Chung Lee. In 2017, Sean and Quin Denfeld bought the store. They are currently working to fix it up.
Laurel Schools
The Laurel School District was formed on June 14, 1856. It was the third elementary school district in Washington County. The first school building was a small one-room schoolhouse. It was built in 1858, north of the Laurel intersection.
In 1881, a new location was chosen for a new building. The current school building was built in 1925, with an addition in 1952. In 1962, voters decided to combine the Laurel and Farmington View districts. Laurel's students then moved to Farmington. Older students went to a junior high school in Hillsboro. The old Laurel School building was later turned into apartments.
Community Growth
A telephone line reached Laurel in 1904 from Hillsboro. It started with four customers. By 1910, the population of Laurel grew to 50 residents.
In 1923, the Laurel Community Hall was built for about $5,000. Its goal was to "promote sociability and friendship." Finis Brown was the founder. The hall was dedicated on February 2, 1924. The loan for the building was paid off in 1928. Four hundred people came to one fundraising dinner, paying $1.00 each.
The hall has been used for many things. It was a school gym, a dance hall, and a meeting place. It hosted school Christmas programs and graduations. Today, it is home to the Laurel Valley School of Dance.
Churches in Laurel
In 1876, community members started a church group at Mountain Top. W.C. Kantner was the preacher. A Baptist church also began that year. The Brown, Steventon, Shamly, and Messinger families started it.
The Mulloy family gave 2 acres (8,100 m²) of land to the church in 1878. This land was for a chapel and a cemetery. A church was built that summer and named the Mount Olive Baptist Church. The cemetery was set up in 1880.
The Laurel Church started around 1888. J.M. Beaumont, an Evangelical preacher, began preaching at the Baptist church. In 1892, the church became part of the Hillsboro mission.
In 1897, Rosilla and George Hathorn donated land. A new church was built and named Bethany United Evangelical Church. The United Brethren Church was organized in 1800 by Phillip Otterbein. These churches merged in 1946.
In 1947, Lester Moore became the church's first full-time pastor. On September 22, 1948, the original church building burned down. A new building was put up. A special ceremony was held on January 29, 1950, to dedicate it.
In 1960, a new parsonage (a house for the pastor) was added. An expansion started in 1974. The multi-purpose building, where services are now held, was dedicated in 1997.
Laurel Today
Laurel still has several farms and plant nurseries. However, most residents travel to Portland, Hillsboro, or Beaverton for work.
The Laurel Valley School of Dance has taught dance in the Laurel Hall for over 30 years. The old school building is now the Laurel Apartments. Children attend schools in the Hillsboro School District. Farmington View serves as the elementary school. Washington County Fire District 2 provides fire protection.
The two main roads in Laurel are SW Laurel Road and SW Campbell Road. These used to have different names like Laurel Road North and Laurel Road East. Their names changed when the county updated its address system. Laurel is also part of the Washington County Scenic Loop.
At the northwest corner of Laurel's main intersection is a large walnut orchard. It is the biggest continuous walnut orchard in Washington County, Oregon. The Laurel Valley Store is at the same intersection. It has been open since 1893. The current two-story building was built in 1913.
