Settlement Era Land History

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The United States supported the displacement of the Kalapuya from their lands through acts like the Donation Land Claim Act. This federal act granted up to 320 acres of free land in Oregon to any adult white American men willing to live on the land for four years and make "improvements"; These improvements included developing the land for western agriculture and livestock. White married couples were entitled to a double allotment of 640 acres or one square mile of land. This act transformed the Willamette Valley and encouraged further American settlement in Oregon.

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This is an 1846 illustration of Oregon City and Falls that depicts early Oregon settlements from the same time period in which David and Letitia arrived in Oregon. While they did not stay in Oregon City, David Carson filed his initial land claim in Oregon City in Dec. 1845, so he would have had some familiarity with that settlement close to the time that the illustration was made. Additionally, its proximity to Benton County and similarity in settlement and timeline give us a visual of what Benton County and surrounding settlement communities would have looked like.

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This is an 1846 illustration of Oregon City and Falls that depicts early Oregon settlements from the same time period in which David and Letitia arrived in Oregon. The image is annotated at the bottom, “Oregon City & Falls 1846” and on the verso, “Oregon City January 1846 The American Village on the River Willamette looking towards the falls of the same River.” While they did not stay in Oregon City, its proximity to Benton County and similarity in settlement and timeline give us a visual of what Benton County and surrounding settlement communities would have looked like.

Soap Creek Valley Map, 1860

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A map was created by the U.S. General Land Office on March 6th, 1860. Titled, "Township No 10 South Range No 5 Willamette Meridian" the map illustrates David and Letitia's land in the center-right of the map, surrounded by neighboring plots accompanied by names, dates, and acreage. The map provides insight into the layout of neighboring plots, their size, relation, and ownership nearby the Carson's homestead. Additionally, teaches us about the growing community within the Soap Creek Valley Region.

Soap Creek Valley circa 1900

These images are from a collection of images scanned in from 4"x5" glass plate negatives that were donated to the Soap Creek Valley schoolhouse in 1980 accompanied by handwritten notes by Myra Moore Lauridsen. The images seem to be from around the early 1900s. Although these images date nearly 40 years after Letitia moved from the Soap Creek Valley, they paint a portrait of the life of Soap Creek Valley settlers in a time period similar to, adjacent to Letitia's. The surrounding land and lifestyle mirror what David and Letitia experienced during their time in the valley, giving us an idea of what life would have been like for them when photographs were too new to have captured Benton County, Oregon.

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This early 1900s photograph shows the Soap Creek Valley School House.

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This early 1900s photograph shows the children in the front yard of the Moore's ranch home.

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According to Myra this image depicts the upper meadow on “upper place.” 

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According to Myra this image shows “Jumbo” a Hereford bull, “Dad bought it from Illinois. The first Hereford stock in the valley.” 

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This early 1900s photograph shows a horse and farmer hauling a small log house in the Soap Creek Valley.

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This early 1900s photograph shows the view from the Moore ranch house in the Soap Creek Valley.

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This early 1900s photograph shows Tom Baker in the Soap Creek Valley. According to Myra, this is an image that shows "Tom Baker on Baker Mt, across from Sulphur Springs which he owned." 

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This early 1900s photograph shows the view from the Moore ranch house in the Soap Creek Valley. 

Next Exhibit: Who was David Carson?

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