Ewing Young Elementary History

Ewing Young School 1846 to 1953

The original school was named West Chehalem School and was built in 1846.  From 1914 to 1951 the second school building served the residents of this area well. In the early years the school served both elementary and secondary students. In 1941 the school joined the Newberg School District and was renamed Ewing Young.  After the new school was built the old building was used as a play area. In 1953 the old buildings were removed and the current school was built. The bell from the original school proudly rests outside the school today.

The Sidney Smith House

is one of Yamhill County's oldest homes. The two-story wood frame house was built by Smith, an associate of Ewing Young, between 1869 and 1872. It is now privately owned and lived in by the parents of one of our students.

The home is built on land once owned by Oregon pioneer Ewing Young. It is also the house where Joe Meek is said to have spent the night now and then. In a letter written by Smith's granddaughter she stated, "Joe Meek used to come in the middle of the night (they never had to lock doors in those days) and stretched out in front of the fireplace and when the family got up in the morning grandmother felt hurt and scolded him saying, 'Why didn't you wake us up? You could have had a bed.' the reply was that he didn't want to disturb them."

Sidney Smith, builder of the house was himself a notable character.  Smith was an early associate of Young and purchased Young's farm after his death. It was Ewing Young's death that ultimately brought about the vote at Champoeg, called by Joe Meek, which established Oregon's first provisional government and finally led to statehood.

On Smith's initial journey to Oregon he wrote in his diary, (spellings and punctuation are as in the diary); "Campt on the B.B. River this
morning Just as we ware about to Start we espied a Lolitary harsman which proved on our approach to be a Mr. Meaks (Joe Meek) the man that had the combat with the Grizally Bear."