Paisley’s History - Oregon Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

This sign is located adjacent to the Paisley City Hall and park. There are four signs in the kiosk: Paisley’s (History), Ranching-A Way of Life (History), Local Attractions, and Byway Description

Marker Name: Paisley’s History
Marker Text: Paisley was once the site of a seasonal Native American settlement. Northern Paiute and Klamath Indians came to the Chewaucan Marsh and River to harvest local resources, most notably the wapato, Sagittaria cuneata, a plant with arrowhead-shaped leaves and an edible tuber - called “chewa” in the Klamath language, it is the plant for which the Chewaucan area is named
M.M. Gillespie brought cattle to the area in 1871 and started the valley’s first ranch. Ranching and logging quickly became the primary source of income for early residents. Logs were harvested from nearby mountain ridges and brought here for milling. Despite the many ups and downs of the timber industry, logging continues to be important to the area’s economy
Irrigated crops, fed by water diverted from the Chewaucan River or pumped from aquifers, provided grass, hay, grains, and supplemental income to area residents. Due to the abundance of surface water in this area, local farmers were able to avoid many of the hardships encountered by the dryland farmers elsewhere in Oregon’s Outback.
Marker Name: Ranching--A Way of Live
Marker Text: The 19th century brought significant changes to this region. In 1843, Captain John C. Fremont explored and mapped this area. By the 1870s, most of the region’s Native American inhabitants were removed to distant reservations. Homesteaders arrived in the late 19th century bringing cattle, sheep, and agricultural crops. They established farms, ranches, sawmills, and many of the region’s small towns.
Settlers looking for wide-open range settled near Paisley. This fertile land was ideal for raising sheep or cattle and farming feed grains and grasses. By 1870, this small town began to grow and three years later, the post office was established. Paisley’s scenic landscape is a reminder of those early days, with many of the local geological features bearing the namesake of early Paisley pioneers such as Harvey Creek, Withers Lake, and Brattain Butte.
Many descendants of early settlers are still in the area today, evident by the area’s “Century Farms” - family farms operated for at least 100 years. Families pass their skills and knowledge onto the next generation and new homes are built next to the old.

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