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Sherwood Historian June Reynolds (at Right) eyeballs a pool of rain water in
Airlie, Oregon. The pond is all that is left of the spot where Sherwood's railroad train used to swing around and head back to Sherwood. The view North stretches on forever across level ground.
The view South (at Left) opens onto the coastal mountains, a very different landscape! Willamette Valley wheat farmers and their Scottish backers had high hopes for
this peculiar little train. Today
the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office calls what's left of the rail line "the most historically significant railroad in Oregon." Alas, "The Peavine," as Sherwood Mayor Morback used to call it, was eventually taken over by the Southern Pacific Railway Company and dismantled.
This simple frame house in Airlie was built for guests of the "Peavine." It's a private dwelling now,located across the county road from the turn-table site. Airlie is named in honor of
the 10th Earl of Airlie, the Scotsman in charge of the railroad between 18(78?) and 1881.
Your visit to Airlie is not complete without Clyde List singing The Bonnie Hoos o' Airlie (Francis Child Ballad #199).
4 comments:
My dad's older brothers used to talk about riding that train. They would jump off and race it to the top of the hill and jump back on again before it went down the other side. It's hard to believe that that little Tooter Ville Trolley was what justified Sherwood's place on the map.
I can just imagine that to the north that old depot sat on that graded area with the two stairways that go up. It would be interesting to see a picture of Airle with the train yard. Would Benton Co. Museum have a copy of that?
why that's quite the song, there J.C. I think that folk group at the Morback House should play it.
Hay J.C.!!!Where's that narrow gauge
engine I sent ya from Whiteson? That's the train that ran from Portland to Airlie and back. that will get the story of this here railroad up before the public!
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