Alright, let’s talk about this Smith place, the Smith somethin’, yeah, Smith Homestead, in Tillamook. I heard folks talkin’ ’bout it, so I figured I’d tell ya what I know, or what I heard anyways.
So, this Smith family, back in the old days, like way back when, they came to this land. It was 1886, or somethin’ like that. Long time ago, that’s for sure. They weren’t city folk, no sir. They were like us, kinda, workin’ the land, makin’ a go of it. They built themselves a homestead. You know, a place to live, raise a family, grow some crops, that kinda thing.
What’s a Homestead Anyways?
Well, it ain’t nothin’ fancy. It’s just a piece of land, where you build your house and try to make a livin’. Back then, you could just kinda claim land, build a place, and it was yours, if you worked it hard enough. These Smiths, they did just that. They cleared the land, built a house, probably a barn too, for the animals. Gotta have a barn, ya know?
- They worked hard.
- They planted crops.
- They raised animals.
- They built a life for themselves.
And let me tell ya, it wasn’t easy. No tractors back then, no fancy machines. Just hard work, sweat, and maybe a mule or two. They had to chop down trees, plow the fields, and build everything by hand. Tough folks, those Smiths.
The Wilson River Wagon Road
Now, I heard tell that there was this road, the Wilson River Wagon Road they called it. Built around 1893, a few years after the Smiths got there. It was a toll road, meaning you had to pay to use it. Imagine that! Payin’ just to go down the road! Well, I guess they had to pay for it somehow. This road, it went right by the Smith place, or near it anyways.
And the Smiths, they were smart. They saw an opportunity. All them folks travelin’ on that road, they needed a place to stop, rest, maybe get a bite to eat. So, the Smiths, they built themselves a roadhouse. Sort of like a hotel, but real simple, ya know? Just a place to sleep and eat, nothin’ fancy.
Smith Homestead Roadhouse
So, if you were travelin’ on that Wilson River road, you could stop at the Smith place, get a warm meal, a bed for the night, and maybe some stories from the locals. I bet the Smiths heard all kinds of tales from them travelers. People comin’ and goin’, talkin’ ’bout this and that, where they came from, where they were goin’.
The Smiths, they made a good livin’ from that roadhouse, I reckon. It was hard work, sure, but they were used to hard work. And it was a way to make some extra money, help the family out. Smart folks, those Smiths.
Smith Homestead Nowadays
Now, I don’t know exactly what’s at the Smith Homestead now. I heard it’s a place you can go visit, take a walk, see what it was like back then. Maybe there’s still some old buildin’s standin’, maybe just some signs and markers. But it’s a piece of history, ya know? A reminder of how folks used to live, how they worked the land, and how they survived.
Diamond Mill Area and Trails
And listen here, I also heard somethin’ about the Diamond Mill area bein’ close by. They got trails there, places for ridin’ them noisy motorcycles, even a place for the kids to ride. And picnic spots too, if you want to have a bite to eat outside. Sounds like a nice place to spend the day, if you like that kinda thing.
Tillamook Forest
This Smith Homestead, it’s in the Tillamook Forest, that’s what they say. Big forest, lots of trees, lots of wildlife. Probably some bears in there, too. Gotta watch out for them bears! But it’s beautiful country, green and lush, with rivers and mountains. A good place to get away from it all, if you ask me.
Soapstone
I even heard they got some kind of stone around there, Soapstone. Now don’t ask me what that is, I only know you can make something from the stuff. But if it’s called soapstone it’s gotta be slippery I say.
So, that’s the story, or what I know of it, about the Smith Homestead in Tillamook. A family workin’ hard, makin’ a life for themselves, and leavin’ their mark on the land. It’s a story worth rememberin’, ya know?
Tags: [Smith Homestead, Tillamook, Wilson River Wagon Road, Roadhouse, Oregon History, Diamond Mill, Trails, Motorcycle Trails, Picnic Area, Tillamook Forest, Soapstone, Jones Creek]
