Clarksville
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Banks Chamber Of Commerce
Our Mission
The Banks Chamber of Commerce is an organization of business and professional people working together to stimulate a prosperous business environment for a more vibrant community.
History of Banks
The early pioneers settled in Banks around 1840 using Government donation land claims of 640 acres each. The Peyton Wilkes land claim is the site of the present town of Banks.
William Mills donated part of his land in 1870 for a cemetery-- now called Union Point Cemetery. A Post Office was started in the late 1890's. On January 21, 1902 the Post Office was established in Banks with Ewell S. Turner the first Postmaster. Ewell (born 1870 - died 1919). Montgomery "Gum" Turner a brother of Ewell were storekeepers in Greenville, a settlement two miles to the south of the current town, Banks. The settlement was called Greenville. It was a small community developed as a meeting place for trappers and early area settlers. The name Turner was submitted for the Post Office, however, a Post Office (town) by that name already existed in Oregon. Therefore, Banks was submitted to the Government as brothers John and Robert Banks owned land next to the Union Point Cemetery on Banks Road and were instrumental in developing Banks next to the new Railroad built throughout the area. In addition to this land, John L. Banks bought land from the Wilkes and added many improvements in the area that is known today as Quail Valley Golf Course.
Today's United Methodist Church (originally known as the community church) was started in 1908 and built by Mike Schrammel and Phil Parmley. The first town bank was built in 1909. In 1921, the town of Banks was incorporated population 75. Reservoir and water system came in 1924 for $30,000, and a sewer system in 1938 for $10,000.
In 1910, 100 Japanese families came to Banks and started raising strawberries. By 1950, acreage had grown to where the Banks 1950 Bar-B-Q program reported that 4,000 tons of berries were handled annually in Banks.
The Banks Chamber of Commerce is an organization of business and professional people working together to stimulate a prosperous business environment for a more vibrant community.
History of Banks
The early pioneers settled in Banks around 1840 using Government donation land claims of 640 acres each. The Peyton Wilkes land claim is the site of the present town of Banks.
William Mills donated part of his land in 1870 for a cemetery-- now called Union Point Cemetery. A Post Office was started in the late 1890's. On January 21, 1902 the Post Office was established in Banks with Ewell S. Turner the first Postmaster. Ewell (born 1870 - died 1919). Montgomery "Gum" Turner a brother of Ewell were storekeepers in Greenville, a settlement two miles to the south of the current town, Banks. The settlement was called Greenville. It was a small community developed as a meeting place for trappers and early area settlers. The name Turner was submitted for the Post Office, however, a Post Office (town) by that name already existed in Oregon. Therefore, Banks was submitted to the Government as brothers John and Robert Banks owned land next to the Union Point Cemetery on Banks Road and were instrumental in developing Banks next to the new Railroad built throughout the area. In addition to this land, John L. Banks bought land from the Wilkes and added many improvements in the area that is known today as Quail Valley Golf Course.
Today's United Methodist Church (originally known as the community church) was started in 1908 and built by Mike Schrammel and Phil Parmley. The first town bank was built in 1909. In 1921, the town of Banks was incorporated population 75. Reservoir and water system came in 1924 for $30,000, and a sewer system in 1938 for $10,000.
In 1910, 100 Japanese families came to Banks and started raising strawberries. By 1950, acreage had grown to where the Banks 1950 Bar-B-Q program reported that 4,000 tons of berries were handled annually in Banks.