1.
Smyrna Church.
Smyrna Church was built in 1890 from lumber produced at the Yoder Mill. It
was originally organized as Presbyterian but soon affiliated with the
Congregationalists. As the story goes women were not allowed to vote or hold
office in the Presbyterian Church.
2.
Louis Yoder Home.
The white frame house is quarter mile south of Hamrick’s Corner on the west
side of Kropf Road. It was existing when Louis and Etta Wyland Yoder moved
in. Louis was the eldest son of J.S. Yoder. The home built about 1895 was
remodeled after Louis and Etta moved there in 1897. It is now owned by
Sherry and Dale Skiles. Sherry is the granddaughter of Louis and Etta.
3.
J. S. Yoder Home.
On the left side of the road is the home
of J.S. Yoder and Barbara Fry Yoder. Construction began in preparation of
their arrival in 1889. It was later occupied by Jim and Rosa Yoder Watson.
Rosa was the older of Jonathan's two daughters.
4.
Yoder Mill.
The Yoder Mill is next on the left and was
built from hardware brought from Missouri in 1889. During its history, it
has burned three times and was rebuilt each time. J.S. Yoder passed
ownership to his son, Aaron. It is now owned and operated by Aaron’s
descendents. In addition to producing lumber, custom sawing is a large part
of the business.
5.
Aaron Yoder Home.
The next house on the same side of the
road just after the mill is the home of Aaron and Edna Conrad Yoder. Built
in 1920 by George Perdue. His grandson, Jim Yoder lives there now.
6.
Ralph Yoder Home.
Directly across the road was the home
purchased by Ralph and Anna Gottfredson Yoder. The house was built in 1920
by Pete Wormdahl and Jake Owen. In 1927, Ralph and Anna Yoder and their 9
year old daughter, Ruth came to Yoder from Montana. Ralph could be closer to
family and Anna would have more opportunities to teach. In 1929 they
purchased this property and the four-bedroom home. Ralph died in 1936 and
Anna continued to live there until her death in 1975. Ruth and her husband
Don Steininger lived there prior to their deaths. The house is now occupied
by their son, Rodney Steininger and his family.
7.
Albert Yoder Home.
On the same side of the road and
directly south is the home that Albert and Eva Sconce Yoder occupied.
8.
Yoder Store.
Jonathan S. Yoder built the Yoder Store in
1914. He leased the space to L.G. Wrolstad who was the first proprietor when
it opened in 1915. Over the years it has been owned and operated by various
families until being purchased by Paul and Audrey Yoder, great-grandson of
J.S. Yoder. The red tiled warehouse attached to the store was built much
later by Sanford Wrolstad, L.G. Wrolstad’s eldest son who who succeeded him
as proprietor.
9.
J. S. Yoder Warehouse.
The building directly across the
road from the store is warehouse space erected by J.S. Yoder. It was
adjacent to the tracks of the Willamette Valley and Southern Railroad, which
crossed Kropf Road. Built in 1915, the electric railway linked Portland and
Oregon City on the north with Mt. Angel on the south. This vital commercial
link moved commodities such as apples, cordwood, wood pilings, eggs, cream,
poultry, hogs and veal to trade centers in Portland. Students commuted to
high school in Molalla. With the coming of paved roads, the railroad ceased
operation in 1925-6 when Kropf Road was paved. Later the warehouse housed
the beginning of Willamette Egg Farms and is currently a cabinet shop.
10.
Asa Yoder Home.
On the northeast corner at the
intersection of Kropf and Schneider Roads stood the two-story white frame
home of Asa Yoder, who was the brother of Elias Yoder and father of
Jonathan, John P., Levi D., and Mary Schwartz among others. All of Asa’s
children made to move to Oregon. In later years, Glenn and Lydia Yoder
(Louis' son) raised their two daughters, Glenda Yoder Sano and Sherry Yoder
Skiles in that home. It is no longer standing.
11.
John Plank Yoder Home.
Continuing on Kropf Road and on
the left was the former location of the home of John Plank Yoder.
Construction of the large house began after his arrival in Oregon in 1893
but was discontinued after his death in 1894. All that is left of this
homestead are a few trees of the orchard he planted and can be seen from the
road.
12.
John J. Yoder Home.
Again, on the left is the home built by
John J. Yoder, son of J.S. Yoder sometime around 1915. David and Irene
Schriever now own the house and farm.
13.
Evergreen School.
The Evergreen School was established in
a small building next to the road between the John J. and William Yoder
houses. It was originally built in 1889. The building is no longer
standing.
14.
William Yoder Home.
As Kropf Road bends to the west, a lane
continues strait south. At the end of this lane is the two-story frame house
built for William and Jennie Reagan Yoder. Will was the son of Asa Yoder.
The William Yoder family immigrated to Oregon in 1888 and the house was
built 1909. Later, Richard and Laura Watson raised their family in the
house. Richard was the grandson of J.S. Yoder.
15.
Yoder School.
Heading back toward Yoder Store, at
Schneider Road and around the corner to the west (left) is Yoder School.
With the construction of the new building in 1923, the name changed from
Evergreen to Yoder School. It continued as a public school until 1963 when
it consolidated with Rural Dell and Eby. Additional classrooms were built
and the school continued at Rural Dell.
16.
Levi David Yoder Home.
Across Kropf Road going east on
Schneider Road you will pass where the Levi David Yoder home stood on the
right. Lee Yoder was the son of Elias and arrived in Oregon in 1888. The two
story white frame house was similar in construction and appearance to those
of Asa and William Yoder. In recent times, the house was dismantled and
moved to Eastern Oregon.
17.
Mary B (Yoder) Schwartz
Home. On the left is the farm
occupied by Emerson and Virginia Yoder. Joe and Mary B. Yoder Schwartz
occupied an earlier house at the same location. They arrived in Oregon in
1887. In 1908 they moved to Oregon City.
18.
Bertha (Yoder) Rittenour
Home. On the right and away from
the road is the home built by Henry and Bertha Yoder Rittenour, daughter of
Levi. The house was built around 1940.
19.
Catherine (Yoder) Lantz
Home: Further east on the left
is where Gideon and Catherine (Yoder) Lantz's home was located. Catherine
was Asa Yoder's sister. This family was the first of our Yoder branch to
come to Oregon in 1873. For many years this was the farm of Fred and Anna
Watson (father of Jim and John Watson). The house no longer exists. Bob
and Lorraine Cavanaugh have built a home on that site.
20.
Anna (Yoder) Watson Home.
Further on and on the left, on
what is now the Imdieke farm stood the house of John and Anna Yoder Watson.
Anna was also the daughter of Levi Yoder. The house is no longer standing.
21.
Nellie (Yoder) Eyman Home.
Continuing to the intersection
with Dryland Road and turning north (left) and about one mile passed Rural
Dell School was the home of Albert and Nellie Yoder Eyman, youngest daughter
of J.S. Yoder. Near the banks of Bear Creek they built a white frame
farmhouse in 1914 where they raised three girls and one boy. Nellie lived in
the home passed her 100th birthday. Her great granddaughter,
Brian and Kristine Komer, now own it.
This ends the Yoder
Historical Tour.
