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Mural, Fourth Plain, Orchards, Washington.
Image taken November 25, 2006.
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Fourth Plain ...
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The Orchards area north and east of Vancouver, Washington was once a large open prairie called "Fourth Plain" by the British Hudson's Bay Company (HBC). In 1825 the HBC built Fort Vancouver along the Columbia River. Their agricultural and livestock area included a series of "Plains and Prairies" extending north and east of the Fort. A large plain about 4 miles northeast of the Fort became "Fourth Plain" and was called that until 1885 when it was re-named "Orchards" at the suggestion of the D.H. Stearns Realty Company, when a post office was established in the area.
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Mural, Fourth Plain in Orchards ...
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Today a mural of the Orchards/Sifton circa 1920 exists at the corner of Covington Road and NE Fourth Plain Boulevard. The 75x25-foot mural is located at Orchards Plaza and was painted by Guy Drennan and Linda Peterson.
Over 100 volunteers helped with the painting, working in a "paint by number" method. It took a over a year to finish. The official dedication was in October 2003. The mural features plum picking (a big-time crop in the area), pre-1980 Mount St. Helens, the Orchards Feed Store (oldest building still in use in the area, see more below), and the Sifton-Orchards Streetcar No.5.
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Orchards mural, Fourth Plain, Orchards, Washington.
Image taken November 25, 2006.
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Click image to enlarge
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Orchards mural, Fourth Plain, Orchards, Washington.
Image taken November 25, 2006.
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Click image to enlarge
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Orchards mural, Orchards Feed Mill.
Image taken November 25, 2006.
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Orchards mural, Sifton-Orchards Streetcar No.5.
Image taken November 25, 2006.
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The Orchards-Sifton Trolley, which use to make 10 stops from Vancouver to Orchards to Sifton. One of the stops included the Orchards Feed Mill, the oldest building still standing in the Orchards area.
[Battle Ground The Reflector, October 15, 2003]
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Orchards mural, street scene.
Image taken November 25, 2006.
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At the far right are two stores representative of the area which sold dry goods, stationery and household items. One was called the "Stalniker" store.
[Battle Ground The Reflector, October 15, 2003]
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Orchards mural, orchards, with Mount St. Helens.
Image taken November 25, 2006.
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Orchards mural, Mount St. Helens.
Image taken November 25, 2006.
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The Mount St. Helens depicted here was 9,677 feet high. On May 18, 1980, a huge eruption destroyed the upper 1,300 feet of the peak leaving behind a horseshoe-shaped crater and a rim elevation of 8,364 feet.
[Cascades Volcano Observatory Website, 2007]
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Orchards mural, plum pickers.
Image taken November 25, 2006.
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From left to right:
Robert Wishon, James Roudolph Wishon, Maggie Tomlinson, Jenny Wright, Ruth Tomlinson, Mae Wright, Myra Bedor Wishon Lowery, Lucas Lowery, and Delmer Lowery.
[Columbian, October 24, 2007]
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Orchards mural, plums.
Image taken November 25, 2006.
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Orchards mural, Plaque, Orchards Plaza.
Image taken November 25, 2006.
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Orchards mural, Orchards Feed Mill.
Image taken November 25, 2006.
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Orchards Feed Mill, Orchards, Washington.
Image taken November 25, 2006.
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Click image to enlarge
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Orchards Feed Mill, Orchards, Washington.
Image taken November 25, 2006.
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Click image to enlarge
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Orchards Feed Mill, Orchards, Washington.
Image taken November 25, 2006.
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Click image to enlarge
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Orchards Feed Mill, Orchards, Washington.
Image taken November 25, 2006.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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