Pocahontas, Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pocahontas, Oregon
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Former unincorporated community
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 Pocahontas, Oregon
Location in Oregon
Pocahontas, Oregon
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Baker |
| Elevation | 3,674 ft (1,120 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1125494 |
Pocahontas was an old community in Baker County, Oregon, in the United States. It is no longer a populated place. You can find its location northwest of Baker City, along Pocahontas Road, close to the Elkhorn Mountains.
About Pocahontas
Pocahontas was once a small settlement, meaning it was a place where people lived and worked, but it was never officially organized as a town or city. It was located in a beautiful area of Oregon, near mountains and creeks.
How Pocahontas Got Its Name
The community of Pocahontas was named after Pocahontas, a famous Native American woman. She was a real person known for her connection to the early English settlers in Virginia.
The Start of the Community
In the 1860s, during the time of gold rushes and new settlements, a small group of people started a place called Pine City. This was near the base of the mountains, along Pine Creek. Pine City was created to be a resting spot for miners and other travelers passing through the region.
A rancher named John McClain lived nearby. He decided to start a new community called Pocahontas. He convinced the people living in Pine City to move to his new settlement.
Life in Pocahontas
Pocahontas was also designed as a place for travelers to stop and rest. It quickly grew to have important services for people on the move.
- A hotel provided a place for people to sleep and eat.
- A blacksmith shop helped fix tools and horseshoes.
- An express office handled mail and deliveries.
The community even had its own post office, which opened on August 4, 1863. Thomas McMurran was the first person in charge of the post office. The post office closed down sometime later, either in 1864 or 1872.
