Beavercreek, Oregon

Beavercreek is a hamlet in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States, located four miles southeast of Oregon City.

History

According to "Oregon Geographic Names", the name "Beaver Creek" was first used for a school district in this area in the early 1850s. It was named for the creek that flows through the community and into the Willamette River. A post office operated under various names in the locality until 1922, when the name was changed to Beavercreek, the form still used today. Beavercreek's ZIP Code is 97004.

Formation of hamlet

In the summer of 2006, the citizens of Beavercreek voted to become Oregon's first hamlet, a system of quasi-government which exists in Oregon. A final hearing by the board of county commissioners on the formation of the hamlet took place in September, 2006, and officially recognized the community as the Hamlet of Beavercreek. [ [http://www.oregonlive.com/metrosouthwest/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/metro_southwest_news/1158364557220370.xml&coll=7 Story not found - OregonLive.com ] ] The hamlet holds monthly community meetings at the Beavercreek Grange hall, except for quarterly town hall meetings, which may be held at other locations to accommodate attendance; frequently Beavercreek Elementary School is used. [cite web
url=http://www.co.clackamas.or.us/community/packets/beavercreek_bylaws.pdf
work=Clackamas County
title=The Bylaws of the Hamlet of Beavercreek
date=2007-Mar-28]

Education

The community is served by Beavercreek Elementary School, which is part of the Oregon City School District. The majority of middle school and high school students attend school in Oregon City (although Oregon City High School is located halfway between Oregon City and Beavercreek). [cite web|url=http://www.orecity.k12.or.us/|title=Oregon City School District home page]

Some grade school, middle school and high school students living in the outskirts of Beavercreek (portions of Upper Highland and Lower Highland) attend school in Colton, Oregon, as part of the Colton School District [cite web|title=Colton School District|url=http://www.colton.k12.or.us/] or in Molalla, Oregon, as part of the Molalla River School District [cite web|title=Molalla School District|url=http://www.molallariv.k12.or.us]

Points of interest

Miller House

Just after the turn of the century, the Miller family built a farm house on the corner of what is now Ridge Road and Lower Highland Road. The home was moved to keep it from being destroyed and is being restored by current Beavercreek residents Rick and Kassandra Young. The Miller House [ [http://www.1907millerhouse.com 1907millerhouse.com ] ] was the childhood home of Ava Helen Miller [ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ava_Helen_Pauling] ] , who married Linus Pauling, the only person to be awarded on his own two Nobel Prizes (for chemistry in 1954 and for peace in 1962).

Notable residents

* Jeff Gillooly
* Tonya Harding [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/olympics1998/history/timeline/articles/time_011594.htm Washingtonpost.com: Three Held in Assault on Kerrigan ] ]
* Ava Helen Pauling (Miller) [ [http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/ss01/avpauling.html Ava Helen Pauling ] ]
* Dave Ulmer, geocaching pioneer.

References

External links

* [http://hamletofbeavercreek.org/ Hamlet of Beavercreek] (official website, hosted on meetup.com)