Willard Stump LbNA #1144 (ARCHIVED)

WILLARD STUMP


Nearest Town: Portland, OR
County: Multnomah
Placed: 8-10-02
Placed By: Fudrick, with thanks to Funhog
Placed For: Oregon Gathering 8/10
Clues: Trivial
Trek: Easy, a bit uphill

The original owner and settler in the land around Macleay Park was Danford Balch. He carved out a space in the forest for a large cabin in which to house himself, his wife, and their nine children. A nearby donation land claim was taken by the Stump family. The two families did not care for each other. In true Shakespearean fashion, Mortimer Stump, the eldest son of the clan, began courting Anna, the oldest of the Balch daughters. Danford Balch, a peaceful man, warned Mortimer to stay away from his fifteen-year-old daughter, but Mortimer paid no heed. When Anna turned sixteen, she and Mortimer ran away to Vancouver, where they eloped. Two weeks later, Danford Balch met members of the Stump family, including Mortimer, at the Stark Street Ferry. They began arguing and Balch shot Mortimer with his shotgun, killing him instantly. Balch later became the first man to be legally hanged in Oregon. The creek that runs through Macleay Park bears his name because for years after his hanging people still referred to that area as "The Old Balch Place."

To The Trailhead:
From downtown Portland head west on NW Lovejoy, which turns into NW Cornell Road. The Audubon Nature House is about ¾ mile beyond the second tunnel, on the right. Go about one block further west, there is a parking area at the trailhead to Collins Sanctuary.
Alternately, park at the Audubon Nature House and pick up a map, located in a cupboard by the entrance to the Nature Store. It will come in handy for the multitude of letterboxes in the area. Carefully cross the road at the crosswalk. Walk about one block further west to the trailhead at the Collins Sanctuary.

To The Letterbox:
Head up the trail into the Collins Sanctuary trailhead. When you reach the first trail intersection, go right.At this junction begin counting the boardwalks. Duck under and stepover. After you've walked the planks for the third time, go eighteen steps more. Willard S Stump is hiding to your right at the base of a rotting stump.
Continue on the Collins Trail. Count three more boardwalks. Step over a stepover, step over another stepover (don’t fall in the hole). Go 6-1/2 paces (13 steps :-) to wher you see on your left some logs making an ‘X’ over Willard T. Stump.

Before you set out read the waiver of responsibility and disclaimer.

NOTES -
Willard T. Stump was placed in Lower Macleay Park for the Oregon Gathering. The site was not too good,; the box was later relocated to it's new home .
I found the history shown above while researching Macleay Park. Although the person murdered was Mortimer Stump, somehow I got the idea that his name was Willard Stump, hence the name of the box and stamps. What can I say???

www.geocities.com/fudrickus/stump.html