Founding and name

Vesper was settled by William Johnston in 1876 with his family, who were from Ireland.^[1][2] The name Vesper is commonly applied to Hesperus, Greek mythology's personification for the planet Venus.^[1] The reason Johnston selected the name is unknown.^[1] Johnston established the first post office in Vesper during the Winter of 1879.^[3] He also served as the town's first postmaster.^[3] By 1895, E. A. Carl had taken over the reins as postmaster.^[4] Another contribution to the Vesper community by Johnston was the town's first church, which he built with his family.^[5] Lumber for the church was supplied by the local Douglas-fir trees.^[5] The congregation at Emmanuel Episcopal Church was still meeting at the church until the late-1980s.^[5] The church stands to this day.

Roads

The first wagon road connecting Astoria, Oregon with the Nehalem Valley, ending at Vesper was built in 1901.^[6] The road was 42 miles long.^[6] Those roads were restored often after that, including 1908, 1911, and 1914.^[7][8][9] The 1914 reconstruction was the most expensive highway project in the history of Clatsop County at the time with an estimated cost of $542,875.^[9] Vesper was host to an early automobile run from Portland, Oregon on July 15, 1915.^[10] The 129 mile tour took the duo on the run, Frank L. Parker and C. S. Brown, 13 hours.^[10]

The first bridge in Vesper, which spanned the Nehalem River, was built in 1914.^[11] Clatsop County approved the building of two additional bridges connecting Vesper and Jewell, Oregon three years later.^[12] The two steel bridges consisted of a single truss.^[12] Presently, Oregon Route 202 goes through the town of Vesper.^[13] Another notable road in the town is Old 77 Vesper Lane, which is a gravel road built alongside the Nehalem River.^[13]

Natural history and agriculture

Much of Vesper is forested timberland and agriculture. During the 1920s, a Vesper resident by the name of H. A. Scullen operated an apiary.^[14]