Roy, Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Roy, Oregon
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Former store in Roy
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 Roy, Oregon
Location in Oregon
Roy, Oregon
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Washington |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
97106
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| Area code(s) | 503 and 971 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1163236 |
Roy is a small, historic community in Washington County, Oregon, United States. It's not a city with its own local government. Instead, it's known as an unincorporated community, meaning it's part of the larger county. You can find Roy south of the Sunset Highway (U.S. 26) and southeast of the town of Banks.
Discovering Roy's History
Roy has an interesting past, especially connected to the arrival of the railroad and the families who settled there.
How Roy Got Its Name
Around 1905, a company called the Pacific Railway and Navigation Company planned to build a train track. They wanted to connect Hillsboro to Tillamook on the coast. This new railway was set to go through land owned by the Roy family. Because the train tracks crossed near Lewis Roy's property, the area became known as Roy. The railroad officially arrived in 1907. That same year, a post office was opened in Roy, also named after the pioneering Roy family.
Schools and Churches in Roy
In 1908, a new church was built north of the train tracks. A Catholic school, called St. Ferdinand's, opened inside this church. A few years later, in September 1912, a separate wooden school building was opened. This school was later renamed St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School in 1920. The railroad finally reached Roy in 1912, making it easier for people and goods to travel. In 1951, St. Francis School moved into a new brick building. The Roy post office closed in 1955. Today, people living in Roy use Banks mailing addresses.
Modern Day Roy
Even though the post office closed, Roy is still a community. Different parts of the area get their fire protection services from various districts. These include the Forest Grove Rural Fire Protection District, the Banks Rural Fire Protection District, and Washington County Fire District 2.
