Pratum, Oregon

Unincorporated community in the state of Oregon, United States

Unincorporated community in Oregon, United States
44°57′32″N 122°52′43″W / 44.95889°N 122.87861°W / 44.95889; -122.87861CountryUnited StatesStateOregonCountyMarionElevation230 ft (70 m)Time zoneUTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)ZIP code
97305
Area code(s)503 and 971GNIS feature ID1166698[1]

Pratum is an unincorporated community in Marion County, Oregon, United States. It is located northeast of Salem on Howell Prairie near the Pudding River. Pratum is Latin for "meadow".[2] The community was settled in the late 19th century by a group of Mennonites, many of them of Swiss extraction.[3][4] A branch of the narrow-gauge Oregonian Railway was built through the area in about 1880, and the station there was called "East Side Junction".[2] The railway was eventually converted to standard gauge, and is still in use today by the Willamette Valley Railway. In 1895, the station was renamed "Enger" by a Mr. Larson, who opened the first store there. "Enger" was confused with Eugene, however, and the name of the station changed to "Pratum" in 1898.[2] Pratum post office was established in 1887, and was originally called "Switzerland", then "Enger" and finally "Pratum" in 1898, matching the railroad station.[2] The post office ran until 1964.[2] Pratum Elementary School, was built in 1928 and is part of the Silver Falls School District, and is still operating.[5]

The community is part of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Pratum grain elevator.

References

  1. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Pratum, Oregon
  2. ^ a b c d e McArthur, Lewis A.; Lewis L. McArthur (2003) [1928]. Oregon Geographic Names (Seventh ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. p. 783. ISBN 0-87595-277-1.
  3. ^ Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online: Oregon (State)[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ Salem Online History
  5. ^ Silverton Chamber of Commerce Archived 2007-10-11 at the Wayback Machine

External links

  • Media related to Pratum, Oregon at Wikimedia Commons
  • Pratum Elementary School
  • Historic images of Pratum from Salem Public Library
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Municipalities and communities of Marion County, Oregon, United States
County seat: Salem
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