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Oregon City, Oregon - Another Liminal Place
History of Oregon City - Catholic Outpost of Oregon.
While researching Mother Joseph, SJ discovered that she spent quite a bit of time in Oregon City, a town on the Clackamas River in Oregon. Not only was it a strategic outpost for a stopping point while traveling the west coast, one of MoJo's favorite former charges that was raised at the Providence Academy later lived with her husband in Oregon City.
Mother Joseph made efforts to visit one of her favorite adopted daughters, and their homestead became a sort of "unofficial rail stop" for Catholics traveling through the area.
Oregon City, Oregon, 1874.
Central to the history of this early period is again Dr. John McLoughlin. It was his decision to move the headquarters of the Hudson’s Bay Company from Astoria to Fort Vancouver in 1825. Dr. McLoughlin was baptized Catholic in Quebec, Canada but was raised Anglican, returning to the Catholic Church in his later years. He had a towering physical presence (6'4") which was matched only by his honesty, leadership, and warm hospitality. McLoughlin also had a wild mop of bright white hair and a bit of a stutter that helped him stand out. It is rumored he stopped practicing medicine as he didn't have a good temperament for it.
John McLoughlin was also a good friend of Mother Joseph. Cornerstone, an excellent 1975 book by Ellis Lucia that details the founding of Portland, Oregon's St. Vincent's Hospital, describes how McLoughlin chose to attend church services at Mother Joseph's place with her and the orphans, as he liked kids and preferred have mass in French. His wife Marguerite was also one of the first local women to welcome Mother Joseph and the other nuns upon their arrival in 1856 to Fort Vancouver.
McLoughlin was known for his fair treatment of all people he dealt with, whether they were British subjects, U.S. citizens, or of Indigenous origin. At the time, the wives of many Hudson's Bay field employees were Indigenous, including McLoughlin's wife Marguerite, who was Metis (Indigenous peoples in Canada and parts of the United States who are unique in being of mixed Indigenous and European - primarily French - ancestry). John was known everywhere he went as "The White Haired Eagle." John was always infamous for his temper, particularly when anyone would dare insult Marguerite for her color or age. McLoughlin's additional habit of repeating words as he struggled to communicate (remember - he was primarily a French speaker) was also seen as a sign that he was "crazy". There are tales about men literally running in fear at the sight of his huge broad-shouldered frame topped with a mop of white hair as he came to into town to beat down whoever dared speak ill of his beloved brown-skinned wife. We love John McLoughlin a lot.
McLoughlin was known for his fair treatment of all people he dealt with, whether they were British subjects, U.S. citizens, or of Indigenous origin. At the time, the wives of many Hudson's Bay field employees were Indigenous, including McLoughlin's wife Marguerite, who was Metis (Indigenous peoples in Canada and parts of the United States who are unique in being of mixed Indigenous and European - primarily French - ancestry). John was known everywhere he went as "The White Haired Eagle." John was always infamous for his temper, particularly when anyone would dare insult Marguerite for her color or age. McLoughlin's additional habit of repeating words as he struggled to communicate (remember - he was primarily a French speaker) was also seen as a sign that he was "crazy". There are tales about men literally running in fear at the sight of his huge broad-shouldered frame topped with a mop of white hair as he came to into town to beat down whoever dared speak ill of his beloved brown-skinned wife. We love John McLoughlin a lot.
Rest of the wonderful article on this absolute BADASS HERE.
If you dared insult the White Haired Eagle's wife, "Chakchak" (as the local Natives dubbed him) would find you and beat your ass. WE STAN.
When the terms of some of his employees at the Hudson’s Bay Company expired, Dr. McLoughlin supplied them with provisions and farm implements anyway and sent them into the Willamette Valley.
This eventually led to major problems with the Hudson's Bay Company (locals liked to tease that HBC meant "Here Before Christ" as their influence in town was so long-standing) and his resignation. He also served as mayor of Oregon City in 1851, winning 44 of 66 votes.
Can't you just imagine the awe inspiring sight of a six foot tall Mother Joseph stomping through town with John McLoughlin? I can.
1846's St. Paul's Church - the oldest brick church in Oregon.
Dr. John McLoughlin died from natural causes in 1857. His grave is now located beside his home (which was moved from Fort Vancouver) on a bluff overlooking downtown Oregon City. Rumors are his ghost is still seen walking around what is now the Pioneer Center in Oregon City on 5th Street.
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These early Catholic pioneers that McLoughlin helped settled near the current town of St. Paul, Oregon in a place called French Prairie. Many of these men "country married" Indigenous women, wanting to legally marry and baptize their children, so McLoughlin wrote the Archbishops of Canada on their behalf asking for priests. His friend Father Norbert Blanchet responded to his pleas, promising help.
McLoughlin and Father Blanchet traveled to Oregon City in 1843 to select a location for a new church and school near what is now 10th and Water Streets. The new church was built in 1846, reportedly using 160,000 bricks that were fired on site at a cost of $20,000 - no Hiddens in this one!
St. John the Apostle Church was founded in 1844, more than a decade before Oregon attained statehood. The church was the headquarters for the Diocese of Oregon City (now the Archdiocese of Portland). The new Bishop Norbert Blanchet lived in the church when he was preaching there before being promoted to Archbishop of Oregon City.
McLoughlin and Father Blanchet traveled to Oregon City in 1843 to select a location for a new church and school near what is now 10th and Water Streets. The new church was built in 1846, reportedly using 160,000 bricks that were fired on site at a cost of $20,000 - no Hiddens in this one!
St. John the Apostle Church was founded in 1844, more than a decade before Oregon attained statehood. The church was the headquarters for the Diocese of Oregon City (now the Archdiocese of Portland). The new Bishop Norbert Blanchet lived in the church when he was preaching there before being promoted to Archbishop of Oregon City.
By 1862, Archbishop Blanchet moved his residence to Portland, the booming city downriver from the Willamette Falls. In 1863, Father J. F. Fierens was appointed pastor of the now “pro-cathedral” in Portland, and he remained as pastor until his death in 1893.
In 1878, the old frame church at Third and Stark was taken down, and the cornerstone of a new Gothic pro-cathedral was laid - Mother Joseph was in attendance. That Cathedral is now a parking lot, next to the Bishop's House.
The masonic details on the front of the Bishop's House are particularly interesting to me given the diocese's move from Masonic-heavy community in Oregon City to this Portland site.
The Bishop's House, built in 1878, is currently a Lebanese Restaurant.
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Archbishop Norbert Blanchet (1795 - 1883).
In 1878, Bishop Charles John Seghers of Vancouver Island, BC was appointed Blanchet's coadjutor (with right of succession). Archbishop Blanchet retired to St. Vincent's Hospital (which Mother Joseph built) in Portland, where he spent his final days writing his memoirs.
The “Patriarch of the West” Archbishop Norbert Francis Blanchet died on June 18, 1883 and is buried in the cemetery at St. Paul, Oregon. Oregon City's Sisters of the Holy Names have also been reinterred here in a group plot.
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Bishop Norbert Blanchet's brother, Augustin-Magloire Blanchet, was the Quebec Bishop that founded the order of the Sisters of Providence with Emilie Gamelin. Mother Joseph joined the Sisters of Providence when she was 20, her duties eventually bringing her to Fort Vancouver. You can read more about his brother Bishop Augustin Blanchet in our look at the St. James Cathedral, where he was initially buried and later found to be incorrupt when he was disinterred.
First Nuns arrive to the West - Oregon City, 1848.
By the time of the St. Paul Church's dedication, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur had arrived in St. Paul to open and manage a school for girls. In 1848, they were joined by seven sisters from Belgium, who ran a girls school in Oregon City until 1853, when the entire order moved to California.
The Sisters of the Holy Names opened a new parish school in 1860, which operated for two years before moving to Portland. These sisters were close friends of Mother Joseph and the Sisters of Providence in Vancouver.
Lithograph of St. Paul Mission, 1848.
Masonic History of Oregon City.
SJ became really interested in Oregon City for a couple of reasons. It's an old town, it has strong ties to the Masonics in the area, and it is also known for being very, very haunted.
There are a lot of Masonic esoteric design elements scattered throughout the town, with a significant amount of obelisks. There's a large one outside of the courthouse, and there are several others on the various lightpoles, and of course, there are obelisks on the Arch Bridge, completed in 1922.
While the bridge is great, the thing we think that is most impressive about downtown Oregon City is the Masonic Temple.
Multnomah Lodge No. 1 was built in 1907 for a Masonic order that was formed in 1848, when Joel Palmer brought the organization’s charter from Missouri on a pioneer wagon trail. Mount Hood’s Palmer Glacier is named after Mr. Palmer. This was the first Masonic lodge west of the Missouri River.
History of the Building (from Historic Building Documents HERE):
The front facade (east) is highly decorated with a series of geometric patterns, of vague Egyptian derivation, scored into the surface of the building. Pilasters (plain on the second floor, fluted on third and fourth) at the corners and on the front of the building provide further decoration and serve to divide the building into three bays, with the central bay equal to the size of the north and south bays together. The building has a parapet wall, the central portion is curvilinear, capped with a simple coping. Directly below the curved portion is "Multnomah Lodge No.1, A.F. & A.M." and the lodge symbol incised into the wall surface.
The front facade (east) is highly decorated with a series of geometric patterns, of vague Egyptian derivation, scored into the surface of the building. Pilasters (plain on the second floor, fluted on third and fourth) at the corners and on the front of the building provide further decoration and serve to divide the building into three bays, with the central bay equal to the size of the north and south bays together. The building has a parapet wall, the central portion is curvilinear, capped with a simple coping. Directly below the curved portion is "Multnomah Lodge No.1, A.F. & A.M." and the lodge symbol incised into the wall surface.
According to research conducted for the 1983 survey, the lodge was formed after an advertisement was placed in the first issue of the Oregon City Spectator in February 1846. A total of seven masons, led by Joseph Hull, P.G. Stewart, and William P. Dougherty, signed a petition to the Grand Lodge of Missouri for a charter for a lodge in Oregon City, to be known as Multnomah Lodge No.1. The charter was granted in 1846, although the document was not sent until 1848.
In 1848, the Masons met in the second floor of a log store near the [Willamette] Falls. In 1850, Captain Ainsworth was elected the first Worshipful Master in Oregon. The lodge met in various places until constructing their first lodge hall on the southwest corner of Main and 6th Street. They vacated this building when this new building was completed in 1908.
Elbridge Trask July 15, 1815 – June 23, 1863.
Elbridge Trask (1815-1863) was an Oregon Pioneer linked heavily to the pioneering of the Astoria and Tillamook Oregon areas. In 1960, Trask's life was celebrated with the release of the historical novel "Trask" by Don Berry. The novel as well as its two sequels, are collectively known as the "Trask novels." The Trask River and Trask Mountain along the Northern Oregon Coast Range are named after him.
Astoria, Oregon was founded by John Jacob Astor in 1811. Mother Joseph converted the Argoni hotel into Astoria's first Hospital, the St. Mary's Hospital, in 1895. The second brick St. Mary's Hospital was completed after her death in 1905. The third St. Mary's hospital was opened on the same site in 1931 and is still in use as an Assisted Living facility for seniors.
Andrea is a direct descendent of Elbridge Trask, so we researched his footsteps heavily. We were able to trace him to Fort Vancouver. We are unsure if he and Mother Joseph ever crossed paths in their travels, but he is connected to the founding of Oregon City and the Catholics there. It is extremely likely he had relationships with people involved with Mother Joseph and her projects.
Elbridge Trask, circa 1860s.
Tracing Elbridge Trask's Travels in the Pacific Northwest.
1834 - Trask is along the Snake River in Southern Idaho working on a supply ship crew.
1835 - Trask is at Sauvie's Island, outside of Portland, Oregon and is linked to the Whitmans for the first time.
1836 - Trask catches the first Methodist wagon train with the Methodists to Mission Bottom with Elijah White.
1836-1839 - Trask is trapping all up and down Pacific Northwest.
1835 - Trask is at Sauvie's Island, outside of Portland, Oregon and is linked to the Whitmans for the first time.
1836 - Trask catches the first Methodist wagon train with the Methodists to Mission Bottom with Elijah White.
1836-1839 - Trask is trapping all up and down Pacific Northwest.
Mother Joseph's incredible work expanding the hotel for use as Astoria's St. Mary's Hospital. Note the nuns on balconies.
1840 - Trask is officially working with Hudson's Bay Company as a trapper. They are ambushed by Natives and Trask disappears and is assumed dead. He shows up at the Hudson Bay Company at Fort Hall, Idaho over a month later and surprises everyone there.
1842 - Elijah White's wagon train with Elbridge Trask arrives in Fort Vancouver September 1842. Did Dr. John McLoughlin help White and Trask? This is the around the time McLoughlin began having trouble with HBC as he gave collateral to settlers and gave supplies to those in need who needed them.
1842 - Elijah White's wagon train with Elbridge Trask arrives in Fort Vancouver September 1842. Did Dr. John McLoughlin help White and Trask? This is the around the time McLoughlin began having trouble with HBC as he gave collateral to settlers and gave supplies to those in need who needed them.
Completed in 1905, the second St. Mary's Hospital was in use during the 1918 Flu epidemic.
September, 1842 - Father Blanchet is in St. Paul, Oregon in 1842. He lands in the middle of a hot political situation about establishing local government that both White and Francois Matthieu vote on in later 1843. White is heavily involved with what leads up to the Whitman massacre.
October, 1842 - Confirmed that Trask is Oregon City on his way to Astoria in 1843. How long he's here is unclear. 1843 - Trask is working as an "Official Greeter" to pioneers arriving in Astoria and Tillamook as he is working in various mills up and down the coast. Did he greet the Catholics when they arrived via Astoria early on in 1848 or even later in 1856 when Blanchet brought Mother Joseph out that way?
October, 1842 - Confirmed that Trask is Oregon City on his way to Astoria in 1843. How long he's here is unclear. 1843 - Trask is working as an "Official Greeter" to pioneers arriving in Astoria and Tillamook as he is working in various mills up and down the coast. Did he greet the Catholics when they arrived via Astoria early on in 1848 or even later in 1856 when Blanchet brought Mother Joseph out that way?
The third St. Mary's Hospital, in use from 1931-1970. Now an assisted living senior home.
1843 (continued) - Francois X. Matthieu arrives in Oregon City after escaping a Quebec jail using a fake passport. He is a direct link to the Catholics there and MJ's general crew. Matthieu was in the Society of the Sons of Liberty - This is the SAME organization that Joseph Pariseau was at the same time! Joseph was in St. Martin while Matthieu was in Terrebonne, a distance of approximately 12 miles.
Emilie Gamelin is visiting political prisoners for the same activities that Matthieu was sentenced to death for when he escaped! Did this Angel of the Poor visit our Oregon Pioneer in Quebec?
Emilie Gamelin is visiting political prisoners for the same activities that Matthieu was sentenced to death for when he escaped! Did this Angel of the Poor visit our Oregon Pioneer in Quebec?
Early Oregon City Settlement along the Willamette Falls.
1843 (continued) - Matthieu moves to Butteville Oregon, and ends up voting in the Champoeg Meetings that Whitman led. Matthieu formed the First Masonic Lodge in Oregon... the one we just talked about in Oregon City.
Tillamook Oregon is linked to a haunted lighthouse built from Hidden Bricks that rests on a basalt outcrop in the Pacific Ocean - "Terrible Tilly." The lighthouse was a doomed project from start to finish, and was known for being "cursed" by earlier Indigenous people. SJ went into detail about this haunting in length on her earlier blog HERE.
Haunted Tillamook Lighthouse, "Terrible Tilly," known for being "cursed" by the local Native people long before the white settlers showed up.
1845 - John McLoughlin quits Hudson's Bay Company due to the company's unhappiness at his charitable giving. He then converts to Catholicism.
1847 - Dr. Marcus Whitman, his wife Narcissa and other Protestant missionaries are attacked by Cayuse Natives and killed with 12 others. Bishop Augustin Blanchet pulls everyone from the Walla Walla mission and goes to St. Paul, Oregon to be with his brother Archbishop Francis Norbert Blanchet and the St. Paul mission expands. 1847 - Trask marries Hanna Abell Tripp in Clackamas County Oregon (Oregon City).
1847 - Dr. Marcus Whitman, his wife Narcissa and other Protestant missionaries are attacked by Cayuse Natives and killed with 12 others. Bishop Augustin Blanchet pulls everyone from the Walla Walla mission and goes to St. Paul, Oregon to be with his brother Archbishop Francis Norbert Blanchet and the St. Paul mission expands. 1847 - Trask marries Hanna Abell Tripp in Clackamas County Oregon (Oregon City).
Recent drone footage showing Hidden brick details on the Tillamook Lighthouse after years of battering from the harsh conditions of the Pacific Ocean.
1848 - Trask (in Astoria since 1843) is working as a shipbuilder and carpenter. He leaves Astoria in late 1848 to establish a settlement in the Tillamook/Bay City area. He is also noted in records as making several trips to the Willamette Valley to obtain cattle. It is likely Oregon City he is going back and forth to, as there are property records linked to the Trasks at that time in that location. This is the time period the first Trask novel is written about.
1849 - Gold is discovered in California. Elijah White (Trask's wagon train leader) attempts to found the town of Pacific City, Washington instead. It's location was about a mile from Ilwaco, and the Post Office remained in service until 1865.
1849 - Gold is discovered in California. Elijah White (Trask's wagon train leader) attempts to found the town of Pacific City, Washington instead. It's location was about a mile from Ilwaco, and the Post Office remained in service until 1865.
The Astoria–Megler Bridge, 2020.
1851 - First Catholic mass in Portland is held in an unfinished church near 5th and Couch on Christmas Eve. This church is completed and moved to a less "remote location" of 3rd and Stark by 1854. Blanchet goes on begging tours to help pay for additional buildings on that site. Later the Bishop's residence is next door - it still stands as a restaurant.
1852 - Trask is noted for making solid relationships with local Native/Indigenous people in the Tillamook area, like Dr. McLoughlin, Bishop Blanchet, and Mother Joseph also did in their travels.
1854 - Trask helps build the Morning Star, a ship crucial to bringing supplies for survival to the area. There is a replica of this ship outside the Tillamook Cheese Factory in Tillamook, Oregon. 1863 - Trask died on June 23, 1863. Elbridge Trask is buried in the Pioneer Cemetery east of Tillamook, OR. Since the exact location of his grave is not known, a memorial plaque has been placed at the entrance. His home was across the road from the present day Sunset Memorial Cemetery.
1852 - Trask is noted for making solid relationships with local Native/Indigenous people in the Tillamook area, like Dr. McLoughlin, Bishop Blanchet, and Mother Joseph also did in their travels.
1854 - Trask helps build the Morning Star, a ship crucial to bringing supplies for survival to the area. There is a replica of this ship outside the Tillamook Cheese Factory in Tillamook, Oregon. 1863 - Trask died on June 23, 1863. Elbridge Trask is buried in the Pioneer Cemetery east of Tillamook, OR. Since the exact location of his grave is not known, a memorial plaque has been placed at the entrance. His home was across the road from the present day Sunset Memorial Cemetery.
Replica of The Morning Star outside of the Tillamook Cheese Factory.
Moving the Catholic Diocese to Portland, Oregon.
St. Mary's Cathedral at 18th and Couch in Portland was the third cathedral after the Diocese moved from Oregon City to Portland. Built in 1925, it's a gorgeous treasure trove of Romanesque and Byzantine styling.
Original statues, bells and stained glass windows from the very first cathedral next to where the Bishop's House still stands at 3rd and Harvey Milk (formerly Stark Street) make up the complex.
This church first became the cathedral in 1862 when Archbishop Norbert Blanchet established residence in Portland. On August 15, 1885, a new second cathedral was dedicated at the SW Third Street location, but following the destructive flood of 1894, a pro cathedral and school were built at the present NW 15th and NW Davis Streets.
In 1925, Archbishop Alexander Christie authorized the construction of a new cathedral at NW 18th and NW Couch Streets.
The original Portland Cathedral at 3rd and Stark (background) - 1866.
The 1894 Flood taking over the area of 3rd and Stark, including the Pan covered Dekum building, discussed on Episode 13.
The 1894 flood in Portland, with the second Cathedral in the center. MJ attended this building's cornerstone ceremony in 1885.
Portland's Bishop House before partial demolition, 1955.
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What's left of the Bishop's house in Portland - Al Amir Restaurant, 2020.
Portland's St. Mary's Cathedral is not made from Hidden bricks, but a different rougher edged brick. The masonry work here is top notch and it is a stunning building. St. Mary's and Mother Mary became part of a major Synchronicity Wave for lots of people in our Hidden brick story (more on this phenomenon soon).
The three bells of the tower were cast in the late 1880s and originally installed in the former cathedral at 3rd and Stark Streets.
Some of the windows at St. Mary's came from the earlier cathedrals at 3rd and Stark.
The coat of arms on the sign is of the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon.
The Pharmacist that Never Left the Building.
Just down the block from the Masonic Temple in Oregon City there's a marijuana dispensary called Five Zero Trees inside the historic Caufield-Gardner building. This structure served as a store and pharmacy to early Oregon City pioneers.
Depending on how you feel about cannabis (we are biased as pro-use, having received great relief for chronic pain), the argument could be made that the building is once again being used for its original purpose - healing.
It is for partially this reason that the staff of Five Zero Trees believe that it is the spirit of the former Pharmacist that continues to be active in this building.
Because the Medical Marijuana industry is so highly regulated, all areas of dispensaries where product is kept must by law be on camera at all times. This is a big reason why this activity has been so extensively documented.
Robert Caufield arrived in Oregon City in 1843 and built a store on the corner of Main and 8th around 1850 with a house on the south half of the lot. Sometime in the late 1880s, the house was moved closer to the river and a new building was erected in its place. This is the current building at 719 Main, which once was a two-story Italianate design. It has gone through significant external changes throughout the years, but the footprint is basically the same. That means that Mother Joseph and John McLoughlin were likely in this building.
SJ's been here several times, and they are always happy to talk to their customers about their ghostly experiences here, as the haunting seems to be ongoing and friendly. If you visit to ask them about the resident ghost, make sure to at least throw a few bucks in the tip jar if you take up their time.
SJ's been here several times, and they are always happy to talk to their customers about their ghostly experiences here, as the haunting seems to be ongoing and friendly. If you visit to ask them about the resident ghost, make sure to at least throw a few bucks in the tip jar if you take up their time.
Several employees we've talked to have described footprints appearing out of nowhere, mysterious lights that look like they should be coming from a flashlight beam but no one (or no light) is inside the store, and items are moved around, particularly on one front counter. This ghostly counter movement has been regularly caught on video a few times, and it's really fun to watch.
Here's a great video showing one of the incidents that made the local news a couple of years ago.
Here's a great video showing one of the incidents that made the local news a couple of years ago.
Ghost Children in the Municipal Elevator.
The Oregon City Municipal Elevator is a 130-foot tall elevator which connects two neighborhoods. It is the only outdoor municipal elevator in the U.S. and one of only four in the world. The upper portion contains an observation deck which a looks like a flying saucer... and it's rumored to be haunted.
There actually have been two elevators at this location. The current elevator was built in 1954–55, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. The original elevator that was constructed in this area was built as a means of transportation for the residents in the city. The alternative option before the build would have been walking the stairs from the base to the top of the cliff, which consisted of 722 steps. The first city bond was issued for "A public elevator at the bluff."
There actually have been two elevators at this location. The current elevator was built in 1954–55, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. The original elevator that was constructed in this area was built as a means of transportation for the residents in the city. The alternative option before the build would have been walking the stairs from the base to the top of the cliff, which consisted of 722 steps. The first city bond was issued for "A public elevator at the bluff."
A nearby mural shows what the Original elevator looked like when it was first built.
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The Oregon City Municipal Elevator - rumored to be haunted by the ghosts of children.
The elevator formerly had an operator, but due to the COVID pandemic the elevator has since become self-service. There is no charge to use the elevator. It was carrying an average of 500 people per day as of 1989, and by 2008 this had grown to nearly 800. Ridership is as high as 1,300 people per day during the city's summer tourist season, and some of the elevator's reported riders died long ago.
The elevator is still rumored to host the ghost of a local red-haired boy named Carl Green that died after drinking contaminated river water.
A second ghost story about the elevator and Oregon City resident Sarah Chase is shared on the Haunted Oregon City tour given by NW Ghost Tours. Chase was a mansion owner who despised the elevator and was against it's installation. It is said that she still seen standing at the top of the bluff in the skybox of the elevator, angrily yelling those who use it because of its position on her land.
