Editing Dallas, Oregon (section)

==History==
Pioneers in the 1840s started the settlement that became known as Dallas on the north side of Rickreall Creek. It was originally named "Cynthian" or "Cynthiana".<ref name=OGN>{{cite ogn|7th|page=266}}</ref> A 1947 ''[[Itemizer-Observer]]'' article<ref>quoted in ''100 Years in Polk County: A Centennial Background''</ref> states: "[T]he town was called Cynthiana after Cynthiana, Ky., so named by Mrs. Thos. Lovelady." According to the county historical society in 1987, Mrs. Thomas J. Lovelady named the new settlement after her home town of [[Cynthiana, Kentucky]].<ref>''The History of Polk County, Oregon,'' Polk County Historical Society, 1987, p. 12</ref>

Another source claims that Cynthia Ann, wife of early pioneer [[Jesse Applegate]], named the settlement.<ref name=OGN/> But they lived in the Salt Creek area of northern Polk County and, according to the 1850 Federal Census, she was not living in Polk County then.

Dallas post office was established in 1852.<ref name=OGN/> In 1856, the town was moved more than a mile south because of an inadequate supply of water.<ref name=OGN/>

Cynthiana competed with [[Independence, Oregon|Independence]] to be selected as the county seat. Its  residents raised $17,000 in order to have a branch of the [[narrow gauge railroad]] constructed to their town, which secured them the honor and related economic stimulus.<ref name=OGN/> The line was built from 1878–80.<ref name=OGN/> Town leaders believed a more sturdy sounding name was needed for a county seat. Since [[George Mifflin Dallas]] was vice-president under [[James K. Polk]], for whom the county was named, they named it "Dallas".<ref name=OGN/>

Dallas was incorporated as a town in 1874 and as a city in 1901.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}

===Gerlinger family===
After [[Louis Gerlinger, Sr.]] incorporated the [[Salem, Falls City and Western Railway]] Company late in October 1901, he announced plans to build a railroad from the [[Willamette River]] at [[Salem, Oregon|Salem]] to the mouth of the [[Siletz River]] on the [[Oregon Coast]], a distance of {{convert|65|mi|km}}.<ref name="Catherine A. Baldwin 1982">Catherine A. Baldwin (1982). ''Making the Most of the Best: Willamette Industries' Seventy-Five Years.'' (Portland, OR: Willamette Industries, 172 p.).</ref>

In 1902, Louis's son [[George T. Gerlinger]] organized a group of investors to build related railroad lines in the area. On May 29, 1903, the first train ran from Dallas to [[Falls City, Oregon|Falls City]]. At the end of June, passenger trains began regularly scheduled, daily trips to and from Dallas and Falls City; the {{convert|9|mi|km|adj=on}}, 40-minute, one-way trip cost 35 cents.

[[Willamette Industries]] was founded in Dallas in 1906. At that time the company name was Willamette Valley Lumber Company.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bio.net/hypermail/agroforestry/2000-November/015974.html|title=Weyerhaeuser tries to take over Willamette Forest Industries|website=www.bio.net}}</ref> [[Louis Gerlinger, Sr.]] was president of the new company and [[Henry Pittock|H. L. Pittock]], vice president. [[George T. Gerlinger]] served as secretary and manager, and [[Frederick Leadbetter|F. W. Leadbetter]] was treasurer. George Cone served as director and mill superintendent.<ref name="Catherine A. Baldwin 1982" /> In 1967, Willamette Valley Lumber and several others merged to become Willamette Industries.<ref name=sec10k>{{cite web|url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/107189/0000892917-00-000022.txt|title=SEC 10K for 1999}}</ref>

In the early 21st century, this and other local businesses were taken over by others from outside, which eventually affected the local economy. In March 2002, Willamette Industries was officially acquired by [[Weyerhaeuser]] Company in a hostile takeover. In early 2009, Weyerhaeuser's Mill formally closed the Dallas operation. Similarly, Gerlinger Carrier Company in Dallas was taken over by Towmotor.