Necanicum, Oregon facts for kids

Necanicum is a small, quiet community in Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. It's not a big city, but a place where people live without a formal city government. You can find it about 13 miles southeast of a town called Seaside. Necanicum is located along U.S. Route 26, nestled in the beautiful Northern Oregon Coast Range, right next to the Necanicum River.

There's also a spot nearby called Necanicum Junction. This is about a mile east of where the old post office used to be. It's an important crossroads where U.S. Route 26 meets Oregon Route 53. Even though Necanicum is a separate community, its mail is handled by the post office in Seaside.

What's in a Name?

The name of Necanicum has changed a few times over the years! When the first post office opened here, it was called "Ahlers." This name honored Herman Ahlers, who was a local resident and the very first postmaster.

From Ahlers to Push

In 1899, Herman Ahlers decided to change the name of the post office from "Ahlers" to "Push." He believed the community would grow and become a busy, successful place. He wanted the name to reflect that idea of progress and energy.

Becoming Necanicum

The name changed again in 1907, this time to "Necanicum." This new name came from the nearby Necanicum River. The post office eventually closed in 1916, with Herman Ahlers still serving as postmaster.

Native American Roots

The word "Necanicum" is special because it comes from a Native American language. Many places in northwest Oregon have names that start with "ne." This "ne" part is a Native American prefix that often means "a place."

The name Necanicum comes from Ne-hay-ne-hum. This was the name of a Native American lodge located further upstream along the river. Herman Ahlers, who knew the area well, also said the name meant "a gap in the mountains." In 1915, the United States Board on Geographic Names officially decided on the spelling "Necanicum." They chose this spelling because it was the most common way people in the area said it, compared to other spellings like "Necanacum" or "Nekanakum."

Necanicum's Past

In 1915, Necanicum was a small place with about 50 people living there. By 1990, the Necanicum Junction area still had a few businesses, including a store and a café. Today, it remains a quiet, unincorporated community.