Reuben, Oregon

"The [Wilbur Road] fragment rejoins the highway here, at the former site of the former town of Reuben. Named for its second postmaster, Reuben Foster, the town maintained a post office for thirty-three years before closing to Goble in 1923."

Lyn Topinka, ColumbiaRiverImages.com, Globe, Oregon

Hunters and Hunter Bar, Reuben and Enterprise

According to "Oregon Geographic Names" (2003, McArthur and McArthur, Oregon Historical Society), the Hunters Post Office was established in 1888 and served a settlement a mile or so south of Goble. Hunters was named for the Hunter family, local residents. The Hunters Post Office was closed in 1893 defering to the Reuben Post Office. Today the name has survived in Hunter Bar, the southern projection of Sandy Island. The U.S. Board of Geographic Names made "Hunter Bar" (over Hunters Bar) official in 1915.

The now-forgotten community of Reuben (once known as Enterprise) was located about a mile south of Goble and was named for Reuben R. Foster, the second postmaster. The Reuben Post Office was established in 1890 and ran with one interruption until it was discontinued and defered to Goble in 1923.

The 1881 U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey map "Columbia River, Sheet 5, Kalama to Fales Landing", shows the community of "Hunters" on the downstream side at the mouth of Tide Creek, and "Enterprise Landg" across from "Sandy I.", in the approximate location of today's "Elder Rocks".

The 1888 U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey map "Columbia River, Sheet 4, Grim's Island to Kalama", shows a "Ferry" on the downstream side of Tide Creek and a "Ferry" also depicted at the northern end of the community of Kalama. "Enterprise Landg" is also shown on the Oregon side, across from Sandy Island, as is "Gobles Pt." shown across from the downstream tip of Sandy Island. The 1888 map "Columbia River Sheet 5" shows "Enterprise Landg." and "Hunters", plus the Ferry landing at Kalama.

Hunters Post Light

According to the 1895 "Lights and Fog Signals of the United States" (1895, Government Printing Office) the Hunters Post Light is a fixed white light located on the east side of a railroad wharf at Hunters, Oregon. The light is suspended from an arm on a natural colored pile. It was established in 1891.

Sunday Oregonian, November 3, 1901

Notice to Mariners

Notice is hereby given that on or about November 8, 1901, the following changes will be made in the post lights along the Columbia River:

Mount Coffin stone crusher post light will be discontinued, and a red light established on the wharf at Slaughter, Wash.

Hunter post light will be moved down stream about one-quarter of a mile.

Knapp Landing post light will be moved down stream a short distance and placed on the front range beacon and a light established on the rear range beacon to form a range in the crossing from Knapp's Landing to Reeder's Landing.

W.P. Day,
Commander, U.S.N., Lighthouse Inspector

Reuben (Enterprise Landing, Enterprise): ...a town once called Enterprise. Duplication of name forced the post office to be moved or named to Reuben. Town most likely provided timber for trains and ferries in Goble. It's post office was closed to Goble on October 23, 1923.

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