Vesper, Oregon

Vesper was settled by William Johnston in 1876 with his family, who were from Ireland.[1][2] The name Vesper is commonly applied to Hesperus, Greek mythology's personification for the planet Venus.[1] The reason Johnston selected the name is unknown.[1] Johnston established the first post office in Vesper during the Winter of 1879.[3] He also served as the town's first postmaster.[3] By 1895, E. A. Carl had taken over the reins as postmaster.[4] Another contribution to the Vesper community by Johnston was the town's first church, which he built with his family.[5] Lumber for the church was supplied by the local Douglas-fir trees.[5] The congregation at Emmanuel Episcopal Church was still meeting at the church until the late-1980s.[5] The church stands to this day.

The first wagon road connecting Astoria, Oregon with the Nehalem Valley, ending at Vesper was built in 1901.[6] The road was 42 miles long.[6] Those roads were restored often after that, including 1908, 1911, and 1914.[7][8][9] The 1914 reconstruction was the most expensive highway project in the history of Clatsop County at the time with an estimated cost of $542,875.[9] Vesper was host to an early automobile run from Portland, Oregon on July 15, 1915.[10] The 129 mile tour took the duo on the run, Frank L. Parker and C. S. Brown, 13 hours.[10]

The first bridge in Vesper, which spanned the Nehalem River, was built in 1914.[11] Clatsop County approved the building of two additional bridges connecting Vesper and Jewell, Oregon three years later.[12] The two steel bridges consisted of a single truss.[12] Presently, Oregon Route 202 goes through the town of Vesper.[13] Another notable road in the town is Old 77 Vesper Lane, which is a gravel road built alongside the Nehalem River.[13]

Much of Vesper is forested timberland and agriculture. During the 1920s, a Vesper resident by the name of H. A. Scullen operated an apiary.[14]