Linn City, Oregon facts for kids
Linn City was a small town in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. It existed for a short time, from 1843 to 1861. Sadly, a huge natural disaster called the Great Flood of 1862 completely destroyed it. Today, the city of West Linn stands where Linn City used to be.
The Story of Linn City
A pioneer named Robert Moore started Linn City in 1843. He first called it Robin's Nest. It was built near the Willamette River. The town was planned out on about 50 acres (200,000 m2) of land.
By 1845, Robin's Nest had two log houses and many tents. On December 22, 1845, the town got a new name: Linn City. This name honored Lewis F. Linn, who was a United States Senator from Missouri. By 1846, the people of Linn City had built fifteen homes. The town also had a tavern, a chair maker, a cabinet shop, a gunsmith, and a wagon shop.
How the Town Grew
Linn City kept growing over the next few years. By 1849, the town had a hotel and two general stores. That same year, Robert Moore's son, James Moore, built a lumber mill and a gristmill. These mills helped the town a lot. They created at least 20 jobs for the people of Linn City. The mill buildings were very large. Many of them were connected by docks that stretched almost a mile.
The town's post office opened in 1850. In the same year, Robert Moore started the local newspaper, called the Spectator.
During the California Gold Rush, many men from Linn City left to search for gold. After a couple of years, some of these men came back. Many of them had found a lot of gold and were very rich! They spent their money quickly, and the town became very lively. This was the best time for Linn City.
By the 1860 United States Census, Linn City had a population of 225 people.
The Great Flood
Linn City's end came suddenly in 1861. In October, heavy rain started to fall. This was normal for Oregon. But the rain kept falling into November, which was unusual. By the end of November, the Willamette River began to overflow.
In December, the water rose over some of the town's streets. People watched from their windows as the water rose almost one foot every hour. The huge great flood destroyed Linn City. The walls of houses and stores began to shake and fall apart. Other buildings were picked up and swept away by the strong water.
When the flood ended on December 14, only three homes were left standing in Linn City. No one died in the flood, but the damage was too great. The town could not recover. The citizens gathered what they could and moved away. Linn City became a ghost town. Today, the city of West Linn is located where Linn City once stood.
