Time Line of Springfield

Time Lines 
The ability to read and understand time lines is an important skill. A time line tells you when events happened and the order in which they occurred. As students, learn, knowledge of dates and the sequence in which events happened will enable them to understand how one event may have influenced another. In order to help students understand when things have taken place in history, time lines are utilized. Most time lines are read from left to right. A time line of Springfield’s history has been provided for you.

One way to use this time line might be to divide students into small groups. Have each group research a different time period of Springfield’s history. Each group would be responsible for at least six different dates and events. String each group’s time line together to connect in chronological order creating a complete time line of the history of Springfield.

Another way to create a time line would be to use adding machine tape or an accordion-style folder strip of paper. Students could choose a Springfield event from each decade. One way to personalize this time line would be to integrate personal dates/events (family member birth years, date schools were built, a special memory, etc…) The time line could also include dates such as inventions, wars and other historical events, many dictionaries include historical time lines in the reference section.

Creating a time line will help students understand chronology of events and how one event is connected to another.

Time Line of Springfield
Approximately 10,000 Teleman-Kalapuya Indians lived on land between the Cascades and the Coast Range.

The white settlers named the Willamette Valley after the Native American tribe living in the valley. It was previously called Multnomah.

1782 Captain Gray discovered the Columbia River.

1782 -1783 Small-pox killed 2000 Kalapuya.

1805 Lewis and Clark reached the Columbia River.

1830-1833 Malaria, brought by sailors, killed 75% of the Kalapuyas.

1811 Donald McKenzie arrived with John Jacob Aster expedition.

1848 General Joseph Lane, of Indiana, became Governor of Oregon Territory. Lane County was named after him.

1849 Elias Briggs staked a donation land claim which included a natural spring. In the

1850s the spring and the land were fenced in and the town became known as Springfield. Today the spring is located at 2nd and B Street underneath the Spring Site Apartment Building.

1849 Elias Briggs began a Springfield-Glenwood Ferry service across the Willamette River.

1852 Elias Briggs began digging the Millrace.

1853 The Briggs and Driggs company built Springfield’s first sawmill and flourmill. Both were powered by water wheels.

1854 The Springfield School District was formed. Miss Agnes Stewart, a young woman from Pennsylvania, was the first teacher. She had arrived in Springfield via the Lost Wagon Train.

1855 Springfield was platted—Two blocks between South A and Main and Mill and Third Streets.

The United States Government moved the Teleman-Kalapuya to a reservation in Yamhill County. About half of them came back to their homes.

1859 Oregon becomes a state.

1864 B.J. Pengra formed the Springfield Manufacturing Co., bought the two mills and rebuilt the sawmill along the millrace.

1868 First Post Office opens. It was located inside a drug store. Albert G. Hovey was the first postmaster.

1871 The main line of the railroad bypassed Springfield for Eugene.
Population was 649

1875 The Briggs Ferry was replaced by a wooden carriage bridge. It was 368 feet long. Floods knocked it down two times before 1891.

Population: 100

1876 University of Oregon opened in Eugene.

1877 Alexander Seavey began raising hops in Lane County

1881 The I.0.0.F. built their first lodge at North A and Mill. The lodge later housed the jail, city council chambers and the volunteer fire department.

1885 Springfield incorporated February 25, 1885. Albert Walker, blacksmith, was the first mayor.

1888 Springfield schools had 67 students. Population of Springfield declined to 371.

1889 First band was formed in Springfield, Tim Wheeler was the director.

1890 The Clark Hotel, Springfield’s first hotel opened on Mill Street.

1891 Springfield rail line was laid and the Southern Pacific Railroad Depot was built.

Springfield flour becomes famous throughout the northwest.

1892 Dorris Ranch was established. Some buildings are still standing today.

1893 Springfield acquired a city charter.

1893 An opera house opened on Main Street.

1900 Population: 353

Springfield’s first hospital opened.

1901 Electricity arrived in Springfield.

1902 Booth-Kelly built a lumber mill.

1903 The Springfield News began publication.

1905 Telephone service began. The first Springfield telephone exchange began operation with thirty-eight telephones.

1906 The first bank ( named “The First Bank”) opened on Main Street.

1907 The Springfield Electric Light Plant was built. It is now the Springfield Museum.

Skating Rink was built.

Population: 1800

First automobile arrives in Springfield.

1908 Springfield’s first library opened.

1910 The electric streetcar service was established between Springfield and Eugene, replacing the stage. It cost 6 cents to ride the streetcar to Eugene. The streetcar ran up Main Street to 10th Street.

Population is 2,500.

1911 Main Street was paved from Mill to 10th.

The Booth-Kelly Mill burned and was rebuilt.

Springfield Creamery opened. It produced cheese and ice cream. In the 1980s it moved to Eugene where is produces Nancy Yogurt that is sold in over 33 states.

1913 The Thurston Community Hall was built.

1915 Many people feared that dogs were carrying rabies. In 1915 the City council discussed an ordinance that would keep dogs on leashes. The people of Springfield petition this law. People thought that dogs should be allowed to drive cattle through the city.

1919 Oregon ranked firth nationwide in small fruit production. Apples, prunes, and pears were the most popular.

1925 Brattain Elementary School was built.

1926 Streetcar service was discontinued. Bus service began.

1930 Population: 2,364

1931 Booth-Kelly mill closed reopened in 1933.

1940 Population: 3,805

Rosboro Lumber Co. starts operations in Springfield.

1942 Springfield High School was built.

The City of Springfield joined the Aircraft Warning Service Observation Tower. The service was a chain of observation posts stretched across the West Coast for Mexico to Canada.

1944 Willamalane Park District organized. (Named after the Willamette River and Lane County.)

1949 Weyerhaeuser opened their Springfield Mill.

New elementary schools were built: Maple, Goshen, Camp Creek.

1950 Population: 10,087

New Elementary and Middle Schools were built: Walterville, Page, Thurston, Moffit, and Springfield Middle School.

1951 Willamalane Memorial Building and Swimming Pool were completed.

1953 Hamlin Middle School was built.

Springfield held the first Christmas Parade.

1955 McKenzie-Willamette Hospital opened.

1957 Thurston High was built.

1959 Georgia-Pacific bought out Booth-Kelly.

Lane County became the lumbering capitol of the nation and Springfield was called the “Lunch Bucket City.”

1960 Population: 20,000

1970 Springfield covered 12 square miles

1979 -1981 Willamalane Senior Center, the new city hall and Springfield Museum opened.

1980 Ridgeview Elementary opened.

1982 KMTR, Springfield’s first TV station opened.

1985 Population: 40,900

1989 Lively Park Swim Center opens.

Depot is moved to Mill and A Street were it houses the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce.

1990 Filbert Festival began. Gateway Mall Opens.

Population 44,970.

1993 Oregon Trail Mural was painted on the Gerlach building by Ann Woodruff Murray.

The Depot is listed on the National Register of Historic Places

1994 Sony Disc Manufacturing brought high tech industry to Springfield.

1997 Agnes Stewart Middle School, Riverbend and a new Mt.Vernon Elementary were built.

2000 Population is 52,864

2002 Wal-Mart opens