Editing Independence, Oregon (section)

== History ==
Independence was founded by pioneers who migrated from [[Independence, Missouri]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} Elvin A. Thorp arrived in the Independence area in 1845 and staked a claim north of [[Ash Creek (Polk County, Oregon)|Ash Creek]] in June of that year. He platted a small townsite that later became known as "Thorp's Town of Independence" or the "Original Town of Independence", now known as "Old Town". Thorp named the town for his eponymous hometown in Missouri, as well as in honor of Andrew Jackson's characteristic of "Independence".<ref name=":0">{{cite book |last=Newton |first=Sidney |date=1971 |title=Early History of Independence, Oregon |page=1}}</ref>

In 1847, Henry Hill came across the [[Great Plains|plains]] looking for a level piece of ground on which to raise stock.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} On November 14, 1847, he found his location on the west bank of the [[Willamette River]] (south of Ash Street) and marked off his [[Donation Land Claim Act|donation land claim]], which was {{convert|1|mi}} square.  In 1867, after returning from the [[California Gold Rush|California gold mines]], Hill platted {{convert|40|acre|m2}} for a townsite, thereafter to be referred to as Henry Hill's Town of Independence. The city charter bill of February 26, 1885, incorporated E.A. Thorp's Independence and Henry Hill's Independence.  Henry Hill Elementary School was named in honor of the latter.

'''Flood of 1861'''

When the pioneers first arrived in Independence, the [[Kalapuya]] people, who had lived in the area for centuries, warned them about the dangers of flooding along the Willamette River. The Kalapuya had experienced devastating floods in the past, which had even swept away their horses.<ref name=":0" />

In December 1861, a devastating flood struck Independence, wiping out the town's commercial district, farms, and livestock. The flood was the result of a prolonged period of rain that began in October and continued into November, compounded by snow accumulation in the Cascades. As temperatures rose in late November, the snow melted, leading to severe flooding by the first week of December.

Mrs. Cora Hubbard, in her book ''Early Settlement of Independence'', states that during the flood "a person could row a boat across Thorp’s entire Town of Independence." The flood destroyed much of the town's infrastructure, including warehouses, docks, and ferries along Water Street. A warehouse filled with wheat was also destroyed.

After the waters receded, the residents of Independence, along with Henry Hill returning from the California Gold Mines, began considering the possibility of rebuilding the town on higher ground, just across Ash Creek. They came up with a plan to establish a new townsite on more stable land. In 1867, Hill made the decision to move forward with the plan, choosing a 40-acre plot of land that bordered the Willamette River south of Ash Creek to build his "Henry Hill's Town of Independence".[[File:Independence Oregon downtown 1920.jpg|left|thumb|Downtown Independence c. 1920, with Independence National Bank visible at left.]]
'''Economic History and Transportation Development'''

Independence thrived as a shipping point, by both rail and [[Steamboats of the Willamette River|boat]], for agricultural products and lumber until the 1950s.<ref name="IndHist" /> The city was known for its [[hops]] production from the 1890s through the 1940s,{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} hosting a festival called the "Hops Fiesta" from the early 1930s to the mid-1950s.<ref name="ihhf" /><ref>{{cite web| url= https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/fsa2000004168/PP/ |title= On main street of Williamette <nowiki>[sic]</nowiki> Valley town. Independence, Polk County, Oregon | publisher= Library of Congress | location= LC-USF34-020639-E | date= August 1939 | work= [[Farm Security Administration]] - Office of War Information Photograph Collection| access-date=2011-03-31}}</ref>  When hop production began to decline in the early 1950s,<ref name="ihhf" /> the city's fortunes also began to decline.<ref name="IndHist" /><ref>[http://oregonprogress.oregonstate.edu/fall-2005/heady-success A Heady Success] from [[Oregon State University]]</ref><ref>[http://www.salemhistory.net/commerce/hops.htm Hops and Beer] from Salem Online History</ref>

Downtown Independence was bypassed by major freeways in the 1960s,<ref name=Great/> though the period saw an alternative form of transportation enabled by the construction of the [[Independence State Airport]], which was dedicated on August 14, 1964.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.isasg7s5.org/docs/History7S5.html |title= History of Independence State Airport (7S5) | publisher= Independence State Airport Support Group | date= April 8, 2005| access-date=2011-03-31| quote= The Independence Airport originally was developed from a request by the news media and eastern pilots to have a place to land aircraft and report on the arrival of the "On to Oregon Cavalcade" from Independence, Missouri to Independence, Oregon in 1959....Edwin Totten, a local farmer, allowed the aircraft to land on one of his grass seed fields which was later purchased by the City of Independence, with help from local donors and Polk County in early 1960s....The city decided developing, operating and managing the airport would be better served by donating the airport to the State of Oregon Aeronautics Division. After initial engineering and construction, the airport was dedicated as the Independence State Airport on August 14, 1964.}}</ref>