Category: People

People

The Town of Faubion

Faubion: The Forgotten Settlement on Mount Hood

Much has been written about how Welches, Oregon, got its name, but it isn’t the only town in the Mount Hood area that carries the legacy of its founding family. Just east of Welches and beyond the historic Zigzag Ranger Station, you’ll find Faubion Loop Road.

Although now a quiet residential area, it was once the home of the William J. Faubion family—early settlers who played a significant role in the development of the region. Their handcrafted log home and roadhouse, La Casa Monte, became a well-known stop for travelers along the old Barlow Road, which later became the Mount Hood Loop Highway.

The Faubion Family Arrives

In 1907, William and Anna Faubion moved their family to 80 acres just past Zigzag. The following year, in 1908, they built their home and named it La Casa Monte, meaning “The Mountain House.”

Like many settlers in the region, William Faubion made a living through timber work and hunting. He harvested the massive old-growth cedar trees on his land, cutting shake bolts to sell. To this day, remnants of this early logging can still be seen—several large stumps with springboard notches remain visible along Highway 26 near Faubion Loop Road.

Eventually, the family’s home evolved into something more—a place of hospitality and rest for weary travelers.

La Casa Monte: A Handcrafted Mountain Retreat

As traffic increased along the Mount Hood road, the Faubions converted their home into a roadhouse, similar to today’s bed and breakfasts. They called it La Casa Monte (“The Mountain House”), a fitting name for its rugged yet inviting presence in the wilderness.

The home itself was an architectural marvel for the time:

  • Built entirely from hand-split cedar lumber and shingles, without any milled wood.
  • Featured a large rock fireplace, made from stones collected from the banks of the Zigzag River.
  • Designed with a two-story structure, gabled roof, and wide eaves, making it both rustic and inviting.
  • The recessed front porch had arched openings, with a short staircase leading to the main entrance.

Inside, the rustic charm continued. Handmade furniture filled the rooms, and the walls were adorned with mounted animals, showcasing William’s skill as a hunter. The abundance of game in the area made hunting a necessity and a way of life for early settlers.

However, it was Anna Faubion’s cooking that truly put La Casa Monte on the map. Known especially for her huckleberry pies, she made the inn a favorite stop for early tourists heading to Mount Hood.

Faubion’s Place on the Map

As the community around the roadhouse grew, it became more than just an inn—it became a settlement of its own. The addition of a store and post office turned Faubion into an official location.

  • 1925 – The Faubion Post Office was established.
  • 1937 – The post office closed, but the store remained.

The store and post office were operated by Aneita (Faubion) and Thomas Brown, William and Anna’s daughter and son-in-law. It became a popular stop for early motorists and adventurers traveling up the Mount Hood road.

Much like the Rhododendron Inn, La Casa Monte served a critical role in accommodating early automobile tourists, who at the time took hours to reach Mount Hood due to the primitive roads and slow vehicles.

The Faubion Family Legacy

William and Anna Faubion had seven children—three boys and four girls. Their oldest daughter, Wilhelmina Jane (Jennie) Faubion, was born in Gladstone, Oregon, in 1890.

At twenty years old, Jennie married William “Billy” Welch, the son of Barlow Trail pioneers who had homesteaded the area that later became Welches, Oregon. She lived there until her passing in 1985 at the age of 95, connecting two of Mount Hood’s most historic families.

Most of the other Faubion children remained in the area, becoming well known as an important part of Mount Hood’s history.

The End of La Casa Monte and the Faubion Settlement

With the construction of the modern Mount Hood Highway (Highway 26), Faubion—like many other historic settlements—began to fade.

  • La Casa Monte was eventually lost. Few photographs exist of it today.
  • The store still stands, though it has since been converted into a private residence.
  • The post office is long gone, closing in 1937.
  • Faubion itself is no longer an official town, but the name lives on in Faubion Loop Road.

A Community That Remains

Although the original Faubion structures are gone, the community they helped establish continued to grow.

  • Arlie Mitchell, one of the first homebuyers after the property was divided into home sites, built his home here.
  • George Pinner constructed a beautiful stone house, which still exists today.

Despite the passage of time, residents of the area still recognize their community’s history. To this day, many locals proudly say they live “At Faubion.”

A Forgotten Piece of Mount Hood History

The story of La Casa Monte and the Faubion settlement is one of pioneering spirit, hard work, and adaptation. Like the Rhododendron Inn, Welch’s Hotel, and other historic mountain retreats, it was a vital part of early tourism on Mount Hood.

While nothing remains of La Casa Monte, the legacy of the Faubion family lives on in the land they settled, the stories they left behind, and the name that remains on maps today.

Discover More Mount Hood History

If you love learning about Oregon’s past, check out more stories at MountHoodHistory.com.

Do you have memories or stories about the Faubion family or La Casa Monte? Share them in the comments below!

 

Who Was E. Henry Wemme?

The Story Behind Wemme, Oregon

Wemme, Oregon—a place with a peculiar name. Is it pronounced “Weemy” or “Wemmy”? And how did it get its name and who was E. Henry Wemme?

Pronounced “Wemmy,” this small village often goes unnoticed as travelers speed along Highway 26. The four-lane road today gives little hint of how the route to Mount Hood once looked. Yet, the name Wemme is closely tied to the highway’s history and development.

From the Barlow Road to the Mount Hood Highway

To understand E. Henry Wemme, we must start with the Barlow Road. Established in 1845 by Oregon Trail pioneer Samuel Barlow, this rugged toll road provided access to Mount Hood’s south side. It was the primary route for early Portland-area adventurers seeking the mountain’s beauty.

Over the years, different companies owned the road, and its condition varied. At times, it was well-maintained. At others, it fell into disrepair.

E. Henry Wemme

E. Henry Wemme: Oregon’s First Motorist

In 1912, Portland businessman E. Henry Wemme purchased the Barlow Road for $5,400. A pioneer of Oregon’s automobile era, Wemme bought the state’s first car, an 1899 Stanley Steamer.

His fortune came from the tent and awning business he operated during the Alaskan Gold Rush, supplying miners with essential gear. By 1915, Wemme had spent $25,000 improving the road. He then removed the toll, allowing free public travel.

When Wemme passed away in 1917, his attorney George W. Joseph inherited the road. Two years later, in 1919, the Oregon Highway Commission accepted it, paving the way for the Mount Hood Loop Highway we know today.

The Changing Identity of Wemme

Before modern highways and automobiles, Wemme felt separate from nearby communities. Back then, wooded, rutted, unpaved roads made travel slow. Each village functioned as an independent community.

As roads improved, villages lost their distinct identities. Faster travel connected once-isolated towns, blending them into a continuous stretch along the highway.

Arrah Wanna IOnn, Wemme

When Welches Almost Became Wemme

Few people know that in 1977, Welches nearly became Wemme. The U.S. Postal Service planned to close the Wemme post office and replace it with a modern facility further east. At the time, Welches had no post office of its own.

Local resident Bill White saw a problem. The new post office wasn’t in Wemme, so he petitioned the postal service to name it after Welches instead. His efforts succeeded, preserving the community’s name and identity.

Wemme Today

Today, you’ll pass through Wemme in the blink of an eye. Almost as soon as you enter, you’re already leaving—headed toward Welches. But despite its small size, Wemme is home to terrific businesses and restaurants worth stopping for.

Next time you drive through, slow down. Take a moment to appreciate the history behind this often-overlooked village and the man for whom it was named for.

 

Bill White – Mount Hood Historian

Meet Bill White

Humans have been interested in preserving their legacy since the dawn of time, and that want for the preservation of their legacy may have been a major reason for the development of written language. In recording history, a first hand account is always the best source. Most of those that hold the historically valuable information are our senior citizens, many of which discount their role in the stories, thus keeping the story from being told.

That’s where the next generation must assume the responsibility of searching out these people and begging such stories to be told. In my research of our local history, I have become acquainted with a long time Brightwood resident that has had the foresight to recognize his role as a record keeper of our local Mt Hood History. He has been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to become close to, and visit with many local legends that are no longer around The Mountain.

William H White, “Bill”, and his family have owned a home in Brightwood for almost 40 years. His interest in local history was keen while Jenny Welch, who was married to Billy Welch, whose family the village of Welches was named for, was still spry. He was able to get to know Arlie Mitchell, who was the last tollgate keeper at the Rhododendron tollgate of the old Barlow Road as well as folks like Harry Abernathy, who when he and “his bride” first came to Welches, camped out at the spot that the Hoodland Shopping Center sits today. As past president of the Friends of Timberline, among other civic activities that he’s been involved with, he has been in association with many other notable figures who have shared their memories with him.

Bill has kept all of this information handy for historical work involving many projects and events. The Mt Hood area’s history has found a bridge in Bill White, a bridge between the generation that settled the Villages of Mt Hood, and those of us who enjoy learning as a benefit of the fruits of their labor.

Bill and his wife Barbara, are retired now and live in Brightwood full time. Bill spends much of his time sorting and filing the historical information that he has collected through the years. Bill won’t accept it, but he really is the Villages of Mt Hood Official Historian, and we owe him a debt of gratitude.