Ballston, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Ballston is an unincorporated community
, in Polk County
, Oregon
, United States
. It is southeast of Sheridan
and southwest of Amity
. It is considered a ghost town
.
Ballston was founded in 1878 by pioneer
Isaac Ball on his donation land claim
. Ball and his family arrived in Oregon via the Oregon Trail
in 1848. Ball named the town "Ballsville" and it had a post office of the same name. The name of the post office was changed to Ballston in 1880. The post office was discontinued in 1953 when it became a rural station of Sheridan; it was discontinued all together in 1969.
Ballston was a station on the Dayton, Sheridan and Grande Ronde Railroad
(DS&GR), later the Oregonian Railway
. Isaac Ball was an early promoter of the DS&GR when it was originally a narrow gauge railway line. The line changed ownership again to become part of the Southern Pacific Railroad; as of 2009, Ballston is a station of the Portland and Western Railroad
.
In 1915, the community had a population of 104, a public school, two churches, and three fraternal lodges.
The 1855 Ballston School building, no longer in use as a school, is thought to be the oldest school building still standing in Polk County or perhaps the entire state. Ballston County Park is located in the community and includes the school.
The Ballston Community Club meets in a newer former schoolhouse originally moved from Airlie
, another community on the railroad line. The Community Club hosted an annual turkey dinner for many years.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
, in Polk County
Polk County, Oregon
Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county is named for James Knox Polk, the 11th president of the United States. In 2010, its population was 75,403. The seat of the county is Dallas....
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is southeast of Sheridan
Sheridan, Oregon
Sheridan is a city in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States. Platted in the 1860s when it received a post office, the city was incorporated in 1880. A major fire burned much of the city in 1913, and a flood covered much of the city in 1964...
and southwest of Amity
Amity, Oregon
Amity is a city in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 1,614.-History:The town was established between 1848 and 1849 by Joseph and Ahio S. Watt, two brothers who had immigrated to Oregon over the Oregon Trail. Part of Joseph’s land claim became the...
. It is considered a ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
.
Ballston was founded in 1878 by pioneer
American pioneer
American pioneers are any of the people in American history who migrated west to join in settling and developing new areas. The term especially refers to those who were going to settle any territory which had previously not been settled or developed by European or American society, although the...
Isaac Ball on his donation land claim
Donation Land Claim Act
The Donation Land Claim Act of 1850 was a statute enacted by the United States Congress intended to promote homestead settlement in the Oregon Territory in the Pacific Northwest...
. Ball and his family arrived in Oregon via the Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
in 1848. Ball named the town "Ballsville" and it had a post office of the same name. The name of the post office was changed to Ballston in 1880. The post office was discontinued in 1953 when it became a rural station of Sheridan; it was discontinued all together in 1969.
Ballston was a station on the Dayton, Sheridan and Grande Ronde Railroad
Dayton, Sheridan and Grande Ronde Railroad
The Dayton, Sheridan and Grande Ronde Railroad was a railroad in Yamhill and Polk counties in the U.S. state of Oregon.-History:In 1877, farmers in Bellevue, Dallas, Perrydale, Sheridan and Willamina met to discuss building a railroad that would serve their towns. An agreement was reached, and...
(DS&GR), later the Oregonian Railway
Oregonian Railway
The Oregonian Railway was a narrow gauge railroad in the Willamette Valley in the U.S. state of Oregon.-History:A group of Scot capitalists formed the Oregonian Railway Company, Limited after purchasing the bankrupt Dayton, Sheridan & Grande Ronde railroad in 1879.The first changes made were to...
. Isaac Ball was an early promoter of the DS&GR when it was originally a narrow gauge railway line. The line changed ownership again to become part of the Southern Pacific Railroad; as of 2009, Ballston is a station of the Portland and Western Railroad
Portland and Western Railroad
The Portland and Western Railroad is a Class II railroad serving the U.S. state of Oregon, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of shortline and regional railroad holding company Genesee & Wyoming Inc...
.
In 1915, the community had a population of 104, a public school, two churches, and three fraternal lodges.
The 1855 Ballston School building, no longer in use as a school, is thought to be the oldest school building still standing in Polk County or perhaps the entire state. Ballston County Park is located in the community and includes the school.
The Ballston Community Club meets in a newer former schoolhouse originally moved from Airlie
Airlie, Oregon
Airlie is an unincorporated community in Polk County, Oregon, United States.The community was named for David Ogilvy, 10th Earl of Airlie of Scotland, who was president of the narrow-gauge Oregonian Railway Company. Airlie was the southern terminus of the railroad...
, another community on the railroad line. The Community Club hosted an annual turkey dinner for many years.
External links
- Historic images of Ballston from Salem Public Library
- Historic image of railroad crew working on the Ballston section from Yamhill County Historical Society
- Images of Ballston store and school
- Image of Ballston General Store from Flickr
