Otto’s Column

LOCAL HISTORY Pine Creek Township was first settled in 1846

Editor’s note: Otto Dick, Oregon has researched the people, places and events important in the Oregon area’s history for the Ogle County Historical Society. The following is one of a series of the articles he has written.

BY OTTO DICK

Pine Creek Township is the typical sized township of 36 square miles located on the western border of Oregon Township.

This township was first settled in 1846 by a man named Smith. His wife died shortly after he settled in Pine Rock Township giving birth to the first child born in the township.

At that time about two-thirds of the township was timber and the remainder prairie.

Before Smith arrived, Oregon’s founder John Phelps, built the first sawmill in Ogle County powered by the waters of Pine Creek. This sawmill furnished lumber from 1836 to 1850.

Pine Creek is fed by numerous springs and runoff from the timbers and farms. It flows through the White Pines State Park southward into the Rock River at Grand Detour.

At one time the only village in Pine Creek Township was Stratford. Stratford, a train town, came into existence when the Burlington & Quincy was completed between Oregon and Polo in 1893.

The population of Stratford grew to 20 inhabitants. It had an elevator, grocery store, post office and a railroad depot. A train loaded with potatoes derailed at the CB&Q station at Stratford in October 1934.

Seven cars were derailed and crashed through the depot while a group of laborers were in the station staying out of the rain. Many people in that area came to help clean up the free potatoes. Today Stratford is listed as an unincorporated community and is located on Lowell Park Road, just north of Pines Road.

About 80 years after Phelps built the sawmill in Pine Creek Township another Oregon resident was instrumental in a 24 year struggle to purchase the 300 acres of white pines for a state park.

As President of the Oregon’s Woman’s Council Rebecca Kaufman presented the Illinois General Assembly a proposal requesting purchase of 300 acres for $30,000. The Illinois General Assembly was in favor and passed a resolution asking the United States Department of Agriculture to make an examination of the forests in the state including the pines.

Mr. R. S. Kellogg of the U. S. Bureau of Forestry surveyed the area and recommended the pines should be made into a state park.

Finally on Sept. 16, 1927 Governor Small did not think “Ogle County was trying to have the state buy a gooseberry patch,” and he gave his assent to purchase 282.96 acres at $63,949.

Jane Shoemaker wrote in her Pine Creek Recollections the following: “One of the joys of childhood is to wade barefoot in a crisp, cool bubbling creek. Water refreshing to the toes. Turtles and trout swimming around minding fish business. The Pine Creek offered all that and more to the younger members of the family. Pine Creek flows down through our farm, widening and then rushes under the arched railroad bridge that sep

FAR LEFT: Archers pose on the foot bridge over Pine Creek. LEFT: Marilyn Dick poses as a child on the foot bridge. BELOW: This old postcard shows the railroad bridge over Pine Creek that is located behind the lodge Photos supplied by Otto Dick

arates the farm and the at Columbian Corners. White Pines State Park. The first was an old There the stream delights brick school built in campers and visitors in the late 1840s. The secthe park famous for its ond was the Columbian towering pines.” School built in 1892 com

Jane Schumaker grew memorating the Columup on a farm adjacent bian Exposition, the 400 th to the White Pines State anniversary of the discovPark. ery of America. Students My memories are birthday picnics at the park and of course driving through the fords. Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media Dave and Lisa Granica, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, drive their 1972 VW van through the first ford at the from Mt. Morris College conducted Sunday School and Church in this school house for several years.

The 1976 Bicentennial White Pines State Park. Then officials of the History of Ogle County Mt. Morris Church of the gives an insight of summer months in Pine Creek Brethren decided to build a church at Columbian Township. Corners. It was build in 1914.

“The township was a beehive of activity during After interest declined and it had be vacant it the summer months. White Pines State Park, was sold. The buyer dismantled it and it became Deer Park, a drive-in movie, roller skating rink, the foundation of a new home. go-karting, and miniature golf were available for The third school was a two room school house tourists. There are also several riding stables in located beside the Town Hall. This building was the area, plus several private lakes.” later converted into a residence.

The Pine Creek Town Hall built in 1897 is locatThe Pine Creek Township building remains ed at the intersection of Pines Road and Columbia near the residence and is used for voting purposRoad. Three different school buildings were built es during elections.