Verboort, Oregon facts for kids
Verboort is a small community in Washington County, Oregon, United States. It is located about two miles northeast of Forest Grove. Verboort is in the Tualatin Valley.
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History of Verboort
Verboort got its name from an early settler, Father William Verboort, in 1876. A post office opened in Verboort in 1893. It operated off and on until 1919.
Founding the Community
Six Dutch Catholic families started the community. John Verboort led this group. They had traveled from the Netherlands and first settled in Wisconsin. In 1875, the families were not happy with the soil and weather in Wisconsin. They bought 550 acres of land in the Verboort area. They shared a large house together.
Father William Verboort, John's son, joined the family later that year. Father Verboort and the community built St. Francis Xavier Church. An informal school also started at the same time.
Building Churches and Schools
In 1883, a new church was built. It was named Our Lady of the Visitation. The old church building became a schoolhouse. The Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon started a convent in Verboort in 1891. For many years, local families have given fresh food to the sisters.
In 1922, a law called the Oregon Compulsory Education Act affected the school in Verboort. This law tried to make all children go to public schools. However, the United States Supreme Court later said this law was not allowed.
The church building used today, Visitation Church, was built in 1959. It has two very tall sequoia trees on each side. John Porter planted these sequoias in 1888. He brought the seeds to Oregon from California. He had been there during the California Gold Rush of 1849.
The church in Verboort also helped start other successful churches. These were in nearby towns like Hillsboro, Cornelius, Forest Grove, and Roy. All of these churches later became independent.
Arts and Culture in Verboort
Verboort Sausage and Sauerkraut Festival
The annual Verboort Sausage and Sauerkraut Festival started in 1934. It happens on the first Saturday in November. Money raised from the festival helps support the church school.
This festival is very popular. Between 7,800 and 10,000 people come each year. People even start lining up four or five hours before sunrise to buy sausage and sauerkraut to take home! In 2008, the festival made 15 tons of sausage and 2,000 pounds of sauerkraut. The sausage is smoked using wood from green vine maple trees.
Interesting Places to See
Besides the Catholic church and its old cemetery, there are other interesting places in Verboort. These include:
- The 1864 house of Henry Black. The Verboort family first settled on his land.
- The 1921 William Hermans Granary. A granary is a building for storing grain.
- The 1921 Verboort Garage and General Repairing building.
- The 1876 Martin Hermens House and Farm.
Famous Person from Verboort
Larry Jansen, a famous baseball pitcher, was from Verboort. He was an All-Star in major league baseball. He is also a member of the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame.
