Oregon Geographic Names

Oregon Geographic Names is an authoritative compilation of the origin and meaning of place names in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of 2003^[update], the book is in its seventh edition and is compiled and edited by Lewis L. McArthur,^[1] who took over from his father, Lewis A. McArthur, as of the fourth (1974) edition. The first three editions were published by Binford & Mort;^[2] currently, it is published by the Oregon Historical Society Press.^[3]

In its introduction, it identifies six periods in the history of the state which have contributed to the establishment of names there:

• The thousands of years of Native American life;
• The period of Spanish, British, French and early American exploration, with arrivals by sea and overland, exemplified by the activities of the Hudson's Bay Company and the Lewis and Clark Expedition;
• The pioneer period, up to and particularly including the days of the Oregon Trail;
• The period of Indian Wars and mining claims inspired by the California Gold Rush and later facilitated by the Mining Act of 1872;
• The period of homesteading between 1875 and 1925, which affected nine million acres (36,000 km²); and
• The modern period of neologisms

The seventh edition contains 6252 entries, with references to another 2679 names scattered throughout the text.

Lewis L. McArthur's daughter, Mary, is taking over editorship for the book's upcoming 8th edition.^[4][5]

References

1. ^ Lewis' grandfather was Oregon Supreme Court justice Lewis Linn McArthur.
2. ^ Book publishing in the Oregon Encyclopedia
3. ^ McArthur, Lewis A.; Lewis L. McArthur (2003) [1928]. Oregon Geographic Names (Seventh ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. ISBN 0-87595-277-1 (trade paperback), ISBN 0-87595-278-X (hardcover). 
4. ^ Welch, Bob (June 22, 2008). "When studying Oregon names, McArthur reins [sic]". The Register-Guard. p. C17. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/registerguard/access/1503713431.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Jun+22%2C+2008&author=Bob+Welch+The+Register-Guard&pub=The+Register+-+Guard&edition=&startpage=C.17&desc=When+studying+Oregon+names%2C+McArthur+reins. Retrieved 2009-08-14. 
5. ^ Welch, Bob (September 9, 2008). "Place name takes its place on the map". The Register-Guard. p. B13. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/registerguard/access/1556514411.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+9%2C+2008&author=Bob+Welch+The+Register-Guard&pub=The+Register+-+Guard&edition=&startpage=B.13&desc=Place+name+takes+its+place+on+the+map. Retrieved 2009-08-14.