Written by: Hannah Field | Editor-in-Chief
Between the years of 1850 and 1853, three wagon trains delivered a cluster of pioneer families to the Willamette Valley from Monmouth, Illinois. The families, notably the Butlers, Davidsons, Whitmans, Murphys and Lucases, desired the same thing: to form a community “where men and women alike may be schooled in the science of learning and the principles of religion” — as described by a history brochure published by the City of Monmouth. From there, Monmouth was born.
Western was founded in 1856 after donations of land and funding from the settlers. More families gathered in the town, with most, if not all, also rooted in Christian faith.
The Kalapuya people are the original owners of the land, the tribe spanning across the Willamette Valley. Monmouth is located within the traditional homeland of the Luckiamute Band of the Kalapuya. In 1855, the Kalapuya people were forcibly relocated to reservations further west. According to the City of Monmouth, some descendants remain in the area; others align with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.
No original structures from Monmouth’s founding remain, but the oldest building currently standing is the Craven House, found on east Main Street and dating back to 1869. The Craven House is on the National Register of Historic Places. Campbell Hall is close behind, dating back to 1871 and found on Western’s campus — an example of a Gothic Revival style building.
Other houses in historic Monmouth date from between 1865 and 1975. The architecture, sometimes described as “eclectic,” boasts a variety of styles — some Ranch, Italianate, Craftsman Bungalow, Cottage, Moderne, Colonial … the list goes on.
Large fires in the late 1800s and early 1900s destroyed countless commercial properties of Monmouth origin, but other old establishments remain, such as the Polk County Bank, built in 1889 with a Queen Anne style build.
Railroads were established between 1881 and 1937, connecting Monmouth to the outside world. The railroads were built by Mexican and Chinese migrant workers. In 1924, Highway 99 West was constructed, and was eventually the first paved highway built by the State of Oregon Highway Commission.
Monmouth has a total area of 2.24 square miles, with 9,534 people recorded in the 2010 census. More than 80% of the town’s population was recorded as white. Ten years prior, in the 2000 census, the population was listed at 7,741 people — a jump of nearly 2,000.
Monmouth, until 2002, was a “dry town” — meaning the sale of alcoholic beverages in restaurants, bars and markets in the town was illegal. It was the last dry town in Oregon until the popular vote reinstated liquor sales in the aforementioned locations.
Prohibition began in Monmouth in 1859, advocated for especially by one founder, Elijah Davidson, who was a devout Christian and strongly in favor of banning alcohol. Over time, as other towns began to drop their laws of prohibition, Monmouth clung to theirs; many not wanting to let go of the unique, classic trait of the historic town.
Two attempts — in 1954 and 1959 — to repeal the town’s dry status both failed.
Support eventually dwindled and many argued that Monmouth’s dry town status hindered its economic success. Merchants desired to sell, while property values lowered — joining Monmouth with the rest of the West coast towns after 143 years of town-wide sobriety.
Beer and wine were allowed after 2002, with hard liquor not being sold until 2011.
Despite its prior illegality, the Mulkey Building — formerly a grocery store — harbored a pool hall in its upper level and took full advantage of procedural mistakes in 1939, serving alcohol for half the year. Anyone who bought a beer at Mulkey Building could drink it, but only outside the doorway and in the hall.
The City of Monmouth also claims to have “resident peacocks” roaming the area around Gentle Woods Park.
Contact the author at howleditorinchief@mail.wou.edu
