History: IB Remington Oregon Trail Monument at Fairbanks, 12 miles east of The Dalles, Wasco Co., Oregon

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Transcribed and formatted for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Earline Wasser <vhambv@hotmail.com.    July 2004
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Oregon Trail Marker Rededicated
The Dalles Chronicle   May 2, 2004

“The rededication of the IB Remington Oregon Trail Monument at Fairbanks, 
12 miles east of The Dalles, was held Sunday, April 25, [2004] at 2 p.m.

According to an account subitted [sic] to The Chronicle, There were 82 relatives 
and friends present including Elpha (Pete) Hall, Mildred Wagenblast, Ray
Remington and Bill Johnson, grandchildren of IB Remington eight great-grand-
Children, 14 great-great grandchildren and five great-great-great grandchildren.
Betty Lee Elliott Elkins grand daughter of Mahlon Remington, IB Remington’s 
Brother was present. Special guests were Jenny Miller, director for Northwest
Ore Cal Train Assn. and Glenn Harrison, president of Northwest Chapter Ore Cal
Trail Assn. and his wife Carol.

Bill Johnson served as Master of Ceremonies relating his appreciation for the 
fine attendance and made some remarks that led up to the reconstruction of the
monument, which was originally built in 1940 by his grandfather, Isaac B.
Remington. Mr. Remington did this at the request of Ezra Meeker an early
Traveler on the Oregon Trail.

Johnson thanked the people involved in the project including Richard and 
Brook Remington, Jack Hay, Jerry Tanquist and Dick Elkins. Special thanks were
Given to the Wasco County Road Department for furnishing some equipment,
Randolph Signs of Goldendale for the sign, Jim Markman for the land to put
The monument in a permanent location easily accessible to the public, for the
Information given by people about the history of the site and the monetary
Donations by individuals for the completion of the project and the sign.

The Fairbanks area was known as 10-Mile, and was a trading post and Indian
Encampment in 1843; there had been settlers in the area as early as ten
Years before. Frank Camp had a small store along with the trading post from
1865 to 1858 when he sold to Col. James Fulton who added a stage stop along 
with a blacksmith shop. Fulton raised cattle and horses for 20 years before
selling out to D.J. Cooper in 1878 and moved to Sherman County.

In those years gold was discovered in Eastern Oregon so more people hit the
Oregon Trail which meant more traffic, not only emigrants, miners and local
Traffic, but freight wagons with heavy loads being carried to the Deschutes
Bridge area. This resulted rerouting the traffic north through the gap, then 
along the Bluffs to the mouth of the Deschutes River. 

The Deschutes Portage Wagon Road Co. was created to meet the demand. The
Company Ranch Hollow wagon stop was created ten miles east of The Dalles,
A half-way station to the Deschutes, which had a small village with food
Service for the work crews and the travelers, livery stable with hay and grain
Sales, bunk houses, wagon and wheel shop and a stable and corrals for horses
And oxen.

This lasted from 1858 to 1862 when the Deschutes Portage Road Company sold out
To the Oregon Steam Navigation Co. who had stern-wheelers operating on the
Columbia River east to as far away as Lewiston, Idaho.

The demand got so great, other ways had to be found to haul the freight, this
Resulted in construction of the Celilo Portage Railroad to a point east of
Celilo Falls, doing away with all the overland wagons going past 10-Mile.

The Cooper family raised cattle and horses and started doing some tillage in
1897. They continued to offer a store and stage stop at 10-Mile, but put a stop to the Oregon Trail going over the top of Fulton Ridge and through their farm-
land in the 1880’s.

In 1905 Fairbanks was named Fairbanks, honoring a political friend of D.J. 
Cooper, Charles Warren Fairbanks, Teddy Roosevelt’s vice presidential running
Mate in the 1904.

Cyrus Cooper was appointed postmaster lasting until 1909 when RFD #3 was
Formed and the Great Southern Railroad started operation.

Mr. Remington migrated by wagon train on from Broken Bow, Neb. To Walla Walla,
Washington in 1902. His brother Mahlen Remington had come to Wasco County and
Bought land in 1897. Things looked so good here; they sold out in Walla Walla
In 1909, loaded up their belongings, livestock, machinery and the family on the
Train bound for Fairbanks, via the UP and Great Southern RR’s. They purchased
Land from D.J. Coopers and started farming in Wasco County.

The IB Remingtons arrived here Dec. 3, 1909. Ike and Nora raised six children,
Clara Hay, Mable Brock, Hugh Remington, Clee Remington, Billie Remington and
Mae Johnson, who lived here all their adult life. All 18 of their grandchildren 
Were raised in Wasco County and 15 of them have lived here all their life 
Except for military service. Additionally there were 41 great-great 
grandchildren.”


Written permission to reprint given by The Dalles Chronicle, The Dalles, Oregon.