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Barlow Road sign, Foster Farm, Eagle Creek, Oregon.
Image taken May 4, 2013.
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The Barlow Road ...
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The Barlow Road was a part of the Oregon Trail. The road was authorized by the Oregon Legislature in 1845, and by September 1846, it made its way around the south side of Mount Hood. This 80-to-110-mile road provided an alternative to the dangerous and expensive route that used rafts to transport wagons down the Columbia River.
The Barlow Road began at The Dalles, Oregon, headed south through Dufur and Tygh Valley (which some folks consider the start of the Barlow Road), then turned west at Gate Creek and generally followed the White River before it headed north through Barlow Pass and Government Camp. It then passed through "Tollgate #5" near today's Rhododendron and continued to the community of Sandy, where it turned west and ended up at Oregon City.
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Follow the Barlow Road ... (east to west)
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Overview ...
From the Devil's Backbone, the Barlow Road route heads downhill to the "second crossing" of the Sandy River, crossing near the homestead of Francis Revenue, and then heading back uphill to the location of today's Sandy, Oregon. This crossing was to become known as the "Lower Crossing" of the Sandy River.
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Detail, 1992 Map, Early Barlow Road descending the Devil's Backbone, crossing the Sandy River at the "Lower Crossing", and then climbing back uphill towards today's community of Sandy.
Source:
Beckham, S.D., and Hanes, R.C., 1992, The Barlow Road, Clackamas County, Oregon, Inventory Project, Historic Context, 1845-1919, prepared for the Clackamas County Department of Transportation and Development, August 1992.
- Orange - Barlow Road.
- Blue - SE Ten Eyck Road (western part) and SE Marmot Road (eastern part).
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Sandy River Crossing Route Segment ...
Excerpts from:
1993, Barlow Road Historic Corridor: Westernmost Segment of the Oregon Trail.
"This 2 mile route segment includes the descent of Devils Backbone and the approach across two river terraces to the second crossing of the Sandy River. Like the Devils Backbone segment, much of this route segment is dry, consequently the visibility factor due to vegetation is not as severe as other segments. A single site section was identified composing most of the route segment, from the base of the Devils Backbone westward to the actual river crossing location. The site section is composed of several discontinuous "pristine" sections generally following the Marmot Road alignment.
The eastern most "pristine" section occurs south of Marmot Road at a small unnamed stream crossing. ... From the stream crossing, the route then disappears through an agricultural field before merging with the county road, where a very short section of road remains is still evident on the immediate south shoulder of the county road.
The route then diverges again from the county road to south a short distance westward where a short section of remains is still apparent next to extensive residential development. The route then merges once again with the county road before diverging again, this time to the north where some disturbed remains are still visible. These remains have been truncated along the length of the roadbed by a highway county road cut, leaving over half the width of the wagon roadbed and north shoulder berm.
The descent of the emigrant route from the upper river terrace to the lower terrace in this vicinity is not known, but projected to be at the location of the intersection of Marmot Road and Ten Eyck Road. The high road cuts created by county road construction at the intersection have apparently greatly modified the original shape of the bluff landform. Emigrant diaries indicate difficulty in descending this area. ...
From that point the emigrant route follows Ten Eyck Road westward before diverging and following the north river bank of the Sandy River downstream from the current bridge location. Portions of the site section here are well preserved, including two alternate river crossings, the easternmost at a large gravel bar exposed at low water episodes and the second, further west crossing at a broad river bed location which is quite shallow in the late summer months. Several of the local residents are well aware of the presence of the old road remains along the river course ...
Intervening portions of the route between these road remains have been impacted by residential development situated along the river course.
The actual descent of the emigrants down the long, steep southwest facing slope of the Devils Backbone, at the east end of this route segment, has no apparent road remains, perhaps due to past logging of the area. It was reported that rope-scarred trees, used to ease wagons down the slope, remained in the area until recent years. ...
Upon crossing the Sandy River, emigrants described a series of hills to climb while ascending from the river stream course. The third hill, up to present-day Sandy, was clearly the most difficult, particularly in wet weather. ...
Historic sites associated with this route segment include two marked pioneer cemeteries (Cliffside and Revenue cemeteries) and three early homestead locations. ..."
Source:
Clackamas County (Or.), 1993, Barlow Road Historic Corridor: Westernmost Segment of the Oregon Trail: Background Report & Management Plan, Clackamas County Department of Transportation and Development.
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Detail, 1992 Map, Early Barlow Road crossing the Sandy River at the "Lower Crossing", and then climbing back uphill along SE Ten Eyck Road, crossing Cedar Creek, and heading towards today's community of Sandy.
Source:
Beckham, S.D., and Hanes, R.C., 1992, The Barlow Road, Clackamas County, Oregon, Inventory Project, Historic Context, 1845-1919, prepared for the Clackamas County Department of Transportation and Development, August 1992.
- Orange - Barlow Road.
- Blue - SE Ten Eyck Road (western part) and SE Marmot Road (eastern part).
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Detail, 1993 Map, Early Barlow Road crossings of the Sandy River at the "Lower Crossing.
Source:
Clackamas County (Or.), 1993, Barlow Road Historic Corridor: Westernmost Segment of the Oregon Trail: Background Report & Management Plan, Clackamas County Department of Transportation and Development.
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Note the two locations for crossing the Sandy River.
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Sandy River ... "Lower Crossing"
Between 1846 and 1853, early Barlow Road travelers forded the Sandy River just downstream of the location of today's "Revenue Bridge". Two fords were used. The first ford was at a large gravel bar exposed at low water, located approximately 1/4 mile downstream of today's bridge. The second ford was at a broad river bed location which is quite shallow in the late summer months. It was located approximately 2/3 mile downstream from today's bridge. These fords were used until 1853 when Francis Revenue built a bridge.
These fords today are unreachable.
(T2S, R5E, Sec.7)
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Sandy River ... "Lower Crossing" ... "Revenue Bridge"
In 1853 Francis Revenue built the first bridge across the Sandy River at approximately Sandy River Mile 24. At this point he established the second Tollgate of the Barlow Road.
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"... The Sandy River ford was used until 1853 when Francis Revenue, shortly after his arrival and settlement on the south bank, built the first bridge using his own funds, and thereby establishing Toll Gate No. 2, which operated from 1853 to 1865. The bridge remained until lost by high water; a second and third bridge were built but also flooded out. ..."
[Clackamas County and Wasco County Historical Societies in their publication "Barlow Road" (1991)]
(T2S, R5E, Sec.7, elevation 374 feet)
(45.25.42N, 122.13.57W)
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Sandy River Revenue Bridge, Sandy, Oregon.
This new Revenue Bridge was completed in 2009, replacing a bridge which had been in place since 1952.
Image taken July 13, 2012.
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Sandy River looking downstream from the Revenue Bridge, approximately Sandy River Mile 24, SE Ten Eyck Road, Sandy, Oregon.
Image taken July 13, 2012.
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Sandy River looking upstream from the Revenue Bridge, approximately Sandy River Mile 24, SE Ten Eyck Road, Sandy, Oregon.
Image taken July 13, 2012.
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Painting of the 1885 Revenue Covered Bridge, Sandy Historical Society, Sandy, Oregon.
Image taken June 7, 2013.
1885 Revenue Bridge
This painting of the Revenue Bridge, on the Barlow road over the Sandy River, was painted from a small black-and-white photograph by Georgeann Tooker of Wilsonville, Oregon, for Connie Revenue Selzer, great grand-daughter of Francis and Lydia Revenue, the first settlers in the Sandy area in 1853. Donated by Connie Revenue Selzer.
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Sandy River ... Second Tollgate (1853 to 1865)
After leaving the Devil's Backbone and crossing the Sandy River for the second time, the travelers encountered Francis Revenue's trading post. Between 1853 and 1865 this was the tollgate (Tollgate #2) along the Barlow Road.
According to the Clackamas County and Wasco County Historical Societies in their publication "Barlow Road" (1991):
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"... The Sandy River ford was used until 1853 when Francis Revenue, shortly after his arrival and settlement on the south bank, built the first bridge using his own funds, and thereby establishing Toll Gate No. 2, which operated from 1853 to 1865. ..."
Jim Thompkins wrote in "Discovering Laurel Hill and the Barlow Road (1996, 2002):
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"... Marmot Road joins Ten Eyck Road just before crossing the Sandy River. The site of the second tollgate at Francis Revenue's was just down stream from here and the steep climb into Sandy was Sandy Ridge, a triple team climb. ..."
The information panel at Jonsrud Viewpoint states (2012):
- "... Francis and Lydia Revenue emigrated from Illinois with their young daughter Mary in 1853. ...
The Revenues secured a 320 acre land claim on the south bank of the Sandy and established a trading post; they also built a toll bridge which operated until 1862. For many years the Revenue place was the first settlement encountered by weary travelers on the Barlow Road west of the Cascades. ...
In the mid-1870s Francis Revenue purchased land in the new village of Sandy where he built a store and hotel. Most of the level land visible across the river to the east is part of the Revenues' Donation Land Claim."
-- [Information panel, Jonsrud Viewpoint, visited 2012]
(T2S, R5E, Sec.7)
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Detail of information panel showing "Devil's Backbone", Sandy River crossing, and the Francis Revenue homestead.
Information panal at Jonsrud Viewpoint, Sandy, Oregon.
Image taken July 13, 2012.
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"The First House West of the Cascades" ... Information panel, Revenue Homestead, Jonsrud Viewpoint, Sandy, Oregon.
Image taken November 15, 2012.
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Tollgate #2 ... Map detail, 1875 Cadastral Survey of T2S R5E, Sec.7, showing the Francis Revenue homestead and the "Lower Crossing" of the Sandy River.
Cadastral Survey map courtesy U.S. Bureau of Land Management's website, 2012.
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Mount Hood and the Sandy River Valley, as seen from the Jonsrud Viewpoint, Sandy, Oregon.
The large green fields once belonged to the Donation Land Claim of Francis Revenue. The 1853-1865 Tollgate was located to the right of the green pastures.
Image taken November 15, 2012.
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Mount Hood and the Francis Revenue Donation Land Claim, as seen from the Jonsrud Viewpoint, Sandy, Oregon.
The large green fields once belonged to the Donation Land Claim of Francis Revenue. The 1853-1865 Tollgate was located to the right of the green pastures.
Image taken November 15, 2012.
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Cedar Creek ...
From the Revenue crossing of the Sandy River, the Barlow Road route heads west, generally following today's SE Ten Eyck Road where, approximately one mile from the Sandy River, it crosses Cedar Creek and heads uphill to reach the Oregon community of Sandy.
(T2S, R5E, Sec.18)
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Barlow Road route crossing Cedar Creek near Sandy, Oregon.
View downstream from SE Ten Eyck Road.
Image taken June 7, 2013.
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SE Ten Eyck Road ...
After crossing Cedar Creek the Barlow Road makes a turn to the northwest while SE Ten Eyck Road turns to the southwest for 1/4 mile before turning to the northwest, taking a gentler grade up the hill to reach the Oregon community of Sandy. The two merge back together shortly before the SE Ten Eyck junction with Oregon Highway 26 in Sandy.
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SE Ten Eyck Road after crossing Cedar Creek, Sandy, Oregon.
Image taken June 28, 2013.
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SE Ten Eyck Road heading up to Sandy, Oregon.
Image taken June 28, 2013.
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Sandy, Oregon ...
The original path of the Barlow Road route follows SE Ten Eyck Road until it reaches Sandy, Oregon, where it turns west for four blocks, following Pioneer Boulevard (today's Oregon Highway 26 eastbound), and then turns south-southwest following Oregon Highway 211 towards Eagle Creek and Philip Foster's Farm.
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Barlow Road route sign at Pioneer Boulevard (Oregon Highway 26) and SE Ten Eyck Road, Sandy, Oregon.
Today's SE Ten Eyck Road follows the old Barlow Road route from the "Lower Crossing" of the Sandy River and the location of the second Tollgate.
Image taken July 13, 2012.
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Oregon Trail Mural, Sandy, Oregon.
There are several murals throughout the community of Sandy. This one depicts a family on the Oregon Trail.
Image taken July 17, 2010.
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- NEXT: Sandy to Eagle Creek
- Overview ...
- Sandy, Oregon ...
- Sandy, Oregon ... City Hall ... Highway 26 crossing Barlow Road
- Sandy to the Philip Foster Farm ...
- Tupper Road and the crossing of Tickle Creek ...
- Highway 211 and the crossing of Deep Creek ...
- Deep Creek to Jackknife Road ...
- On to Phillip Foster's Farm ...
- Philip Foster Farm ...
- Philip Foster Farm ... Prairie Schooner
- Philip Foster Farm ... Lilacs
- Crossing Eagle Creek ...
- Eagle Creek to the Clackamas River ...
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