MOOREVILLE — REDTOWN — BEAVER HOMES

[extracted from “Columbia County History”; vol 12, pp20, by Pearl Becker — slightly revised..]

In the area now known as Beaver Homes, a lumber and logging company, (The Goble, Nehalem and Pacific Co.), began operations in about 1902. But before that date the Columbia River Lumber and Fuel Co. had been operating here… They operated with 12 span of horses and three six yoke teams of oxen. After they had operated as far out as it was profitable for them they sold to the GNP co.

In the GNP were H. B. Borthwick, Walter Frame and D. J. Moore [wrong; they were the principles of the Columbia River Lumber and Fuel Company]. This new concern salvaged the buildings of the old company which were worth saving, built new ones and painted all of them red. Thereupon the place became known as “Red Town.” It had a more official name: that of ‘Mooreville,’ but Mooreville has been forgotten while there are still some people who remember ‘Red Town.’ Various explanations have been advanced for the origin of the name, some of them not too complimentary, but this is the [true] origin of the name.

Later the neighborhood was named “Beaver Homes”… In the old records of Beaver Homes Grange (about 1915) the following resolution was adopted: “Whereas this community has been trying for the past three years to rid itself of the name ‘Red Town’ foisted upon it by outside parties in derision and contempt and never officially given it, and to substitute for it the name ‘Beaver Homes’ and;
Whereas the action of the county court in posting road signs will fasten upon the community the approbrius [approprius] name carelessly, constituting an unintentional imposition and insult to this community;
Therefore, be it resolved that Beaver Homes Grange No. 518 hereby strongly protests against such action by the county court, and respectfully petition that such signs be changed to Beaver Homes.”

Red Town was about a half mile nearer to the Columbia than the present location of the Beaver Homes Grange hall…