From Lane Co Oregon

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1850s

Most of the original land claims in Springfield were filed between 1851 and 1853. The average size of a claim was 320 acres. Building sites were located on the high ground because of frequent flooding. Elias Briggs began building a town. In 1852, using shovel and plow, he built the Millrace.

After the Millrace was completed, he and Mr. Driggs of Linn County formed the Briggs and Driggs Company to build the flour and sawmills in 1853 and 1854. They were not the usual slap-dash mills built in pioneer communities for temporary and local consumption only, but instead, were constructed under the supervision of an experienced millwright hired from the east. They used the latest and best machinery and spending $10,000 on the two mills.

In the early 1850s, the settlement of Springfield consisted only of a ferry service across the Willamette, the Briggs' house, two mills, a trading post and a school. In 1852, James Huddleston started the trading post, near Mill and Main Street.

The subsistence level of early farming was due to several conditions including poor transportation and a lack of readily accessible markets (Highsmith 1950:55-58). In addition, equipment was primitive and the labor force insufficient for large scale farming purposes. The California Gold Rush of 1849 provided the first major market for animal products and grain produced in the region. The cultivation of cereal grains, primarily wheat and oats, began to compete with stock raising for use of the land. Most farmers raised grain crops as well as stock for commercial purposes. In approximately 1853, about 1000 acres were under cultivation in the Springfield area (Walling 1884:452).

The first schoolhouse was probably located in a crude little building near 7th Street and South B Streets. Two other schools also served the residents of the Thurston area. This area was named after George H Thurston, a pioneer settler of the region. The Davis School was a one-room of schoolhouse built in the 1850's at the east end of Thurston. Thurston Elementary was located on the northeast corner of 66th Street and Thurston Road and it operated until the 1930's.

The town was platted in 1856, two blocks between South A and Main and Mill and 3rd Streets. The lots measured 66 x 120 feet, with streets 66 feet in width. The original town was designed in a grid system that aligned to the four cardinal directions.

1870s

Residents of the Springfield precinct totaled 649, with a majority of the citizens still listed as farmers in 1870. During the decade of the 1870s, Springfield had a hotel, two blacksmiths, a general store, meat market, harness and saddlery shop, physician, druggist, four carpenters and a painter.

1880s

By 1880, the Lane County population had grown to 9,411 and Springfield residents numbered 771 and a diversification of occupations began to be evident (U.S. Census Office 1870, 1880). A shoemaker, hardware store, boarding house and wagon and carriage store were added in the early 1880s (Pacific Coast Business Directory 1871:338; Murphy 1873:254-255; Gill 1881:651; McKenny 1883:1090-1091).

Springfield was incorporated as a city February 25, 1885.

1890s

In 1891, Springfield had a general merchandise store, two grocery stores, two cigar stores, a drug store, two dress shops, two blacksmiths, a variety store, a meat market, a saloon, a barber shop, a shoe store, three hotels, two schools, and three churches. Also, in 1891, Springfield received its first railroad line. The city received its charter March 17, 1893.

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The town and precinct of Springfield lies directly east of Eugene, and is the most important and wealthy in the county, comprising the country lying along the McKenzie river for 18 miles above its mouth, and bounded on the west and south by the Willamette River and Middle Fork. It contains a large area of the finest grain and fruit producing land in the county, and is the best improved of any portion. Lands are valued at from $15 to $40 per acre, and some could not be purchased at even somewhat higher figures. But one thing is certain, they will never be less valuable than now. The town of Springfield, three miles east of Eugene, is a flourishing village containing schools, churches, stores, shops, and dwellings, and is the site of the famous Springfield flouring and saw mills, where every year are produced large quantities of the best family flour, and many thousand feet of choice lumber, thoroughly prepared for the builder's use. There are no finer water power in the county than is utilized for this work.

The Resources of the State of Oregon. By Oregon State Board of Agriculture (Salem, Oregon: W.H. Leeds, State Printer, 1898), p. 142.

1910s

In 1910, Springfield welcomed the Portland, Eugene and Electric Railroad streetcar.

1940s

In 1940, the city’s area was only 1.5 square miles and the population only 3,805. Springfield maintained its small town ways until after World War II. The retail center was still Main Street, industries were northwest of the railroad tracks and residences were to the north.

1990s

By 1998, apartments covered the spring. The city expanded to more than 13 square miles and the population grew to 51,700.

Springfield Museum