HISTORY OF THE CITY, THE AREA AND THE FIRE DISTRICT

Sublimity, Oregon is a rural residential community, located approximately 15 miles east of Salem. It is situated on the western low foothills of the Oregon Cascades, on a plateau, amid gently rolling hills with the ground dropping down on all its sides into grassy vales.

The earliest inhabitants of the area came a few thousand years ago, and some ethnologists think they may have been distant descendents of primitive Asiatic tribes who entered America by way of Alaska. Indians living in Oregon during the early periods wandered far up and down the country in search of game or fish. Those who lived more or less regularly in and about the Santiam countryside were mostly of the Calapooia Tribe. Those who lived nearest to Sublimity on the south were known as “Santiams,” whereas the Molallas often approached from the north, since the north-south Indian trail led through the Sublimity Country.

The area was vast forest before the 1840s, interspersed by the trails of the Calapooia, Santiam and Molalla Indian tribes. A large burn in the early 1800s cleared the land where Sublimity is now located. The beginnings of Sublimity were an outgrowth of some Indian Village or trading post. Government surveyors were among the first white men to look over the area. However, one Josef Brohn was noted as a white man encountered by the surveyors in the Sublimity area. Mr. Brohn lived in a small log cabin and had a patch of vegetables nearby. It is believed to have been located a half-mile west of town on what was known as the William Smith Place in 1875.

1840 - Sublimity had its beginnings as an Indian village and then a trading post. Originally named “Hobson Corner” after Hadley Hobson, a brickmaker from North Carolina who came to the area in 1848. This was after getting his directions confused and ending up in California instead of Oregon. Mr Hobson made the best of the situation by gold mining until the fall of 1848, when he boarded a sailing vessel in San Francisco and arrived in the Columbia River after five weeks of seasickness. He took up a claim on Mill Creek, north of Stayton, building his home on what has since become known as the Miller Place, where he settled with sheep and cattle and raised a family of ten.

1852 - The hamlet received its official name when a US Post Office, one of the first six post offices in the US, was established. The name Sublimity was selected by James Denny because of the “fine vista and sublime scenery” in the hills around the town. Sublimity has the unique distinction of being the only place in the United States that has this name.

James Denny became the first postmaster, and the post office was located in Denny’s Store until the 1870s. It was then located in the Hobson Store, where Mr. Denny distributed mail from the office window. Mail from the east came by way of the Sandwich Islands (Hawaiian Islands) and took six months to deliver.

1854 - Sublimity School District #7 was organized. The school constructed that year cost $500 and served until the end of the century.

1857 - Sublimity College was established by the territorial legislature and operated by the Church of United Brethren (aka the Mennonite Brethren in Christ from Indiana). This gave Sublimity the early distinction of being a college town. The first teacher and president at the college was Milton Wright, father of Wilbur and Orville Wright, inventors of the “Flying Machine.” Mr. Wright later became a Bishop in the United Brethren Church.

1860s - Sublimity's population was 1500 when the Civil War broke out. It consisted of a Chinese laundry, five stores, gun maker’s shop, public school, college, Methodist Church, United Brethren Church, hotel, post office, public well and a furniture shop. The Civil War caused a severe decline in Sublimity's population as settlers returned to their native states to fight. The hamlet became deserted, and depression set in, from which the town never fully recovered.

1870s - Sublimity was resettled by German immigrant farmers. They were an industrious and persistent lot, and their arrival eventually transformed the depressed hamlet into a busy rural village, supplying trade to the area.

1874 - Nearly all the abandoned farms in the area were possessed by these new people and the town grew rapidly. Many of the new settlers came from German colonies that had previously been located in Minnesota. Several were Catholics and thus, a new faith was brought to the area.

1878 - The town was surveyed by the government, which divided it into 20 city blocks and seven main streets.

1879 - The first Catholic service was held.

1882 - The Catholic Church purchased the college and turned it into a convent.

1885 - Ditter’s Store is started by John (Jack) Ditter in partnership with George Bell. John Ditter came from Wisconsin.

1889 - St. Boniface Catholic Church was established. (Its historic building is still in use today and very much in its original condition.)

1896 - After a series of small farm fires, a group of farmers organize the “Farmers Relief Association,” in an attempt to provide better means of protection from such losses. It was a mutual fire insurance company whose members could be assessed at various times of need to help cover fire losses of fellow members.

1903 - Sublimity was incorporated and granted its own charter.

The first city officials were: John Kintz-mayor, J.A. Ditter-treasurer, Theo Odenthal-recorder, Philip Meier-marshal, J. Hassler, H. Hunke, B. Prange, and A. Riesterer as councilmen. Salaries were fixed and ranged from $25 for marshal to $5 for treasurer. The city at this time had no income and very little business to transact. The city’s first ordinance, adopted in June of 1903, read, “It Shall be unlawful to allow sheep, goats, hogs, or horses to run loose about the streets of the corporate limits of the City of Sublimity. Failure to heed this ordinance shall endanger the transgressor for a fine of five dollars, or imprisonment in jail from two to ten days.” The city fathers were faced with their first real problem when the marshal apprehended the first transgressor of their solemn ordinance: the fellow would not pay the fine and they had no jail. The sentence was suspended until “the Cooler” could be built. (SCHMID, 1951, p.10)

1903 - Court Number 1400, St. Boniface Court, of the Catholic Order of Foresters was chartered.

1906 - The first roads were macadamized and by 1913, nine miles of road were completed, for a cost of $18,000.

1912 - In October, after several large fires, the City of Sublimity formed the Sublimity Fire Department. The fire department acquired one A.G. Long #10 chemical fire engine that consisted of a 45-gallon cylinder tank, two wagon-style wheels, two kerosene lanterns, one axe and one crowbar.

Information as to the leadership for the department is sketchy; however, G.H Bell was the president of the fire department at its formation. Many names that are still common today appeared on the early fire department rosters: Zuber, Ditter, Etzel, Ripp, Susbauer, Kintz, Riesterer, and Welter.

1912 - The first public well was dug.

1914-15 - The Stayton Light Company erected electric streetlights and a special city tax was levied to cover the costs.

1915 - The fire department purchased a two-wheeled water barrel cart for $30.

1923 - The Knights of Columbus organized St. Anthony’s Council #2439 in Sublimity.

1920s and 1930s - Many sawmills were established in the area. Those operating them had names that are still very familiar in Sublimity: Breitenbusch Brothers, Van Handel Brothers, John Frank & A. Minden, Stuckart & Minden, Frank Etzel, Ted Freres, Amandus Frank, J.B. Van Handel, Sim Etzel, Peter Gries, and Lulay Brothers.

The Sublimity Firefighters sponsored an annual talent show, which built individual interest in various arts and music. There were multiple sports and indoor games, baseball, basketball, and amateur plays. The basketball team was known as the “HAWKS” and frequently won trophies among the seven Santiam Valley teams. East of town on the Zimmerman Place, in 1932, William Lulay built a baseball field with bleachers. Mr. Lulay got a team together and managed its affairs during the season.

1933 - The nearby Silver Creek Falls Park is dedicated with 1030 acres and nine waterfalls ranging from 25- to 198-feet tall.

1937 - Eugene A. Ditter was appointed fire chief after Chief Tom Reuf died of pneumonia. Eugene “Gene” Ditter served until 1979.

1937 - Sublimity Fire Department acquired a 1931 International Pumper. This pumper was the first motorized fire equipment in East Marion County.

1940s - There was a new water system, grade school, two general stores, the building supply and a tavern.

1941 - The St. Boniface Hall and Gymnasium building was built for $7500.

1945 - St. Boniface High School was constructed for $51,000, just west of the gym. It had tile with brick and the capacity for seven teachers and 100 students.

1948 - The Marian Sisters (Catholic order of nuns) built a modern living quarters across the street from the new high school for $52,000.

1949 - A new grade school was built on the William Bell Place for $55,000.

1949 - The Rural Fire District was formed. One engine was purchased/equipped/ housed and manned in the Sublimity Station.

1979 - Gene Ditter retired as the Sublimity Chief after 42 years of dedicated service. His successor was Kevin Hendricks.

1987 - The Rural Fire District annexed the City Fire Department to become the current Sublimity Rural Fire Protection District.

1989 - A new headquarters station was built at 115 Parker St.

1991 - Kevin Hendricks left the chief position to move to Woodburn as their new fire chief. Jerry Heater became the new fire chief.

Additional pumpers, a rescue vehicle, brush rig, tender and command vehicle, along with a second station located on Drift Creek Road and a dedicated core of fire fighters, now complement the fire district’s arsenal.

1995 - On November 15, Alan W. McMahen was hired as the district’s first career fire chief. Chief Heater was appointed to the position of assistant chief.

2005 - In September, Alan McMahen retired as fire chief. Tim Frost took over the position of fire chief in October.

2008 - Tim Frost took a position with Lebanon Fire District in March.  Brandon Hamilton was hired as the fire chief in May.