Alpine, Oregon
Alpine is an unincorporated rural community and census-designated place in Benton County, Oregon, United States. It is west of Monroe off Oregon Route 99W. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 171.[1]
History
Alpine was so named because it is on the top of one of the foothills of the Central Oregon Coast Range.[2] It is noted that the "situation is not particularly alpine in character".[2] Alpine School operated for several years before there was a settlement in the location, thus the community took its name from the school.[2] In 1908, the Corvallis and Alsea River Railway Company began construction of a line that ended in the settlement of Alpine when funding ran out.[2] The community has burned three times since its heyday in the early 1900s.[3] A post office was established in 1912 and operated until 1976.[2] Alpine now has a Monroe mailing address. Alpine Elementary School closed in 2003.[4] When the Alpine Market closed in 2004, the Alpine Tavern (built in 1936) started selling groceries.[4] In 2005, a vintage photograph of the tavern was featured in a Miller Beer advertisement, and the market was due to be razed.[4]
As of November 2019, the Alpine Tavern was still a thriving business in the community, preserving area history.
Museums and other points of interest
Alpine is on the Benton County Scenic Loop, a scenic driving route.[5]
To the west of Alpine is the Woodhall Vineyard, a research vineyard operated by Oregon State University.[6]
References
- Bureau, U.S. Census. "American FactFinder - Results". factfinder2.census.gov. Retrieved 2017-12-09.
- McArthur, Lewis A.; Lewis L. McArthur (2003) [1928]. Oregon Geographic Names (7th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. ISBN 0-87595-277-1.
- "Mid-Willamette Valley Online: About Our Towns". Archived from the original on 2006-05-01. Retrieved 2006-06-27.
- Gazette-Times, Kyle OdegardCorvallis. "Where have all the students gone?". Corvallis Gazette Times. Retrieved 2017-12-09.
- "Benton County Loop". Archived from the original on September 29, 2007.
- "Woodhall Vineyard". Archived from the original on July 11, 2006. Retrieved June 27, 2006.
External links
- 1961 photo of Alpine from Salem Public Library
- Photographs from Alpine Tavern: Photographs of a Social Gathering Place, James Cloutier's 1977 book
- South Benton Community Center