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Yamhill County is adoptable. If interested, please contact the Oregon State Administrator. |
Welcome To Yamhill County TTTP Genealogy And History Project
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The earliest known inhabitants of the area were the Yamhill Indians, who have inhabited the area for over 8000 years.
In 1857 they were one of the tribes forced to migrate to the the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation located in the Coastal Range.
The earliest white settlers were trappers for various fur companies operating in the Oregon Territory starting in 1814 long before statehood. But it was the Oregon Trail that was the major path to heavy migration from the east to settle Oregon.
Yamhill County as a district was created in July 5, 1843. It was one of the original four districts created by Oregon's first Legislature, along with Twality, Clackamas and Champooick. The district was originally over 12,000 square miles, an area that was broken up later into twelve present-day counties.
Lafayette was the trading center of the Willamette Valley so was made the county seat in 1847. The government was later moved to McMinnville where is remains today.
Incorporated cities include Amity, Carlton, Dayton, Dundee, Lafayette, McMinnville, Newberg, Sheridan, Willamina and Yamhill.
Other settlements include Grand Island, Grand Ronde Agency and Shipley.