Butter Creek runs north out of the Blue Mountains to the Umatilla. The emigrants crossed it, the first cattle grazed it, and the ranch began on it.

1840s

Butter Creek gets its name. A pioneer's diary of 1852 says volunteers in the Cayuse War took butter from the stores here; a later account says it came from the officers' mess, so the enlisted men could have hot cakes.¹

1852

The Oregon Trail crosses the creek west of Echo, and the crossing becomes a campground. Lucinda Propst, who fell ill crossing the Blue Mountains that August, is buried there. A marker stands on Oregon 207.²

1852

George Vinson, from Iowa, takes the first wagon up Butter Creek.³

1862

Travellers find cattle grazing on the creek, and Thomas Ayers settles at the forks.³

1877

The ranch's founder buys his home ranch on Butter Creek, and adds ground along Butter and Birch creeks.⁴

1878

In the Bannock War, E. B. Nelson and Luke Skelly are killed at Nelson's gate on the creek. The founder's wife was Nelson's niece. Days later the fight that names Battle Mountain is fought at the head of Butter and Birch creeks.^4,5

1890

A post office opens at Gurdane, in the upper Butter Creek country.¹

Today

Hunt Oregon's lodge stands on Butter Creek, and the ranch's planned main lodge is on Big Butter Creek. The ranch takes its name from the creek.⁶