Building community cornerstones
Posted by: 
Volcanoguy
N 42° 50.469 W 124° 32.617
10T E 373857 N 4744330
History sign at the Cape Blanco Cemetery in Cape Blanco State Park, Oregon.
Waymark Code: WM80KX
Location: Oregon, United States
Date Posted: 01/03/2010
Views: 2
History sign at the Cape Blanco Cemetery in Cape Blanco State Park.
Marker Name: Building community cornerstones
Marker Text: Patrick and Jane Hughes’ strong support of education and religion helped their children and community flourish.
Oregon’s pioneers had to build or make almost everything they needed, including schools and churches. Like many in the area, Patrick and Jane were devout Roman Catholics, and the church they built for traveling priests was a cornerstone of their growing community. They hired Pehr Lingberg, who would also build the Hughes’ new house, to build the church. They called it Mary, Star of the Sea.
This area had no schools for pioneer children in the 1860s and 70s. The eldest Hughes son, Edward, was sent to Vancouver, Washington for a formal education. Upon his return, he taught his younger siblings the 3Rs: reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic.
In 1881, the Hughes built a small school for children of the area, affectionately known as “Cape Blanco University.” Teachers were paid $35 to $50 dollars per month, plus room and board.
After Jane Hughes’ funeral in 1923, the church was seldom used and fell into disrepair.
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