Courtesy of Washington State Historical Museum
People gather for an event at the Oregon Trail marker in 1916. The marker bears the name of George Washington Bush, who come to the area in 1845 with the first group of Americans to found a settlement north of the Columbia River.

Deschutes area

Originally published Saturday, January 12, 2002

The Bush Prairie Oregon Trail Marker can be found at 8820 Old Highway 99. It bears the name of George Washington Bush, who came to the area in 1845 with the first group of Americans to found a settlement north of the Columbia River. Bush Prairie, named in George's honor, was the northern terminus of the Oregon Trail. The marker is about four miles south of central Tumwater.

Up the road, at 8400 Old Highway 99, the Bush butternut tree can be found. The tree's owners say it was planted in 1845 when Bush reached the area. They say it was carried in a bucket over the trail and planted about 100 feet from Bush's original home.

The Bush Interpretive Site, however, can be found at 1400 S.E. 85th Ave. It's part of the original Bush donation claim. He was highly respected as an expert farmer, and came to the area to escape the restrictive land laws in Oregon against "men of color." In fact, it took an act of Congress, spurred by Washington legislative action, to grant him and his wife, Isabella, their land. They raised five sons there, with son William Owen Bush a member of the first state Legislature. He and his family grew renowned produce from Bush Prairie that was exhibited at several worlds' fairs. In George's day, the Bush home became a noted stopping-off point along the Cowlitz Trail.

Munn Lake is named for Edwin Munn, who settled on its shores in early 1900.

Also settling in the area was the Nelson family. The Nelson Farmstead can be found along Waldrick Road. The farm originally was associated with William Plumb, an early settler who was a delegate to the Monticello Convention, called to facilitate the separation of the Washington Territory from Oregon. The Plumbs reared James Dillard Spirlock, whose daughters, Orpha and Della, married the two Nelson brothers, Gus and Andrew. The 1,000-acre farm has been in the Nelson family since.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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