It has only been a few weeks since the people of North Plains voted NO on the massive growth proposal forced upon them by their Mayor and small-town council. Small-minded leaders with tunnel vision about growth, touting a false narrative about how all they were doing was what the State required- that turned out to be a lie. Those leaders have been silenced for now, but that fight is still smoldering and about to flare up at any time. Good people, those North Plains folks call BS when they see it, and they take action.
Now, a fight seems about to break out in Banks, Oregon, the next stop to the West of North Plains. A very fine town of solid people, at least in my long experience of knowing many of them. Banks is also besieged with growth requests, including a very large subdivision West of Main Street and the conversion of the Quail Valley Golf Course to 955 homes. Caught up in the middle of this unprecedented growth, the citizens of Banks, all 1,800 of them, must brace for another 2,000 people or more who are most certainly coming from other places around the West. Saving the best parts of their town, their way of life, and maintaining the friendly brand they are known for will be the trick.
This morning in Banks, the developer of the land on which the historic Wilkes House sits destroyed it. Read on to find out more.
The Squeeze Is On
To understand how this growth is playing out, look at the map we created below using the two subdivision plans being processed, as shown above.
Growth can be good, but history tells us that the bad often outweighs the benefits. This little town is headed for a huge influx of new people, which will test all its existing systems, including school water, sewer, traffic, and park infrastructure.
There will be adjustments and sacrifices on both sides- the old and the new. First blood was drawn by the Sunset View Developers, and it came in the form of a large piece of machinery showing up. Yesterday, the 4th of July, a large fire-breathing excavator showed up at the old historic Jabez Wilkes House, located on the part of the planned subdivision of Sunset View. By this morning, the machine was plowing through the walls of the 150-year-old farmhouse, which had been the subject of several recent news stories. For some time, members of the Banks Historical Society have been working to discuss saving the home, which is one of Oregon’s oldest and one of the most important. After all, the Wilkes family settled there in 1845, and the land the town is on was originally theirs. The group was raising awareness, talking with the developer and the City about preserving the home, and considering an offer to see if the home could be moved. A meeting is scheduled with the City of Banks to meet with group members to discuss plans to save the home. That meeting is all but irrelevant now.
And planning this demolition on the 4th of July heat? Oh man, what a genius move out of the Developer 201 class they offer at Kabuki University. All kidding aside, this move appeared hurried but orchestrated, making the morning news cycles all over the Metro area. No comments from the landowners/developers were offered.
The City of Banks has reportedly agreed to purchase the acre that the Wilkes home sat on and has made it clear that it will be the future home of a new water sanitation plant. It was within their means to save the house, and they knew of this interest and the importance of the home. Leadership from the Mayor on down thumbed their nose at this grand old home and its deepest roots by not lifting 1 finger to offer to help in any way, according to our sources.
This sounds just like the North Plains disaster, proving a big disconnect exists between what the people want and what leaders view as important. Of the People, By the People, For the People. Seems like I heard that somewhere once. The Wikes House is gone- and it was done in a hurry before a meeting or any more traction could be gathered to save it- just one mans opinion. Banks citizens need to look at Mayor Stephanie Jones who is letting this happen, their city attorney Dean Hearn, and their city planner Lauren Scott. It is also very important to look at the fact this developer is planning to fill some wet areas, is asking for several variances, and needs the City to sign of on some things still just based on what has been listed on the Banks Planning page of the City Website.
Many questions remain:
- Was a proper demolition permit issued?
- Were precautions taken for lead-based paint, asbestos, oil tanks, and the like? All standard stuff for a demo job.
- Is the History of the Wilkes family living in a cohesive settlement on their land with the Atfalati people true? It appears to be. Local rumors of graves have been circling for years. Was archaeological work required? If not, will it be?
- Will the Ghost of Jabez Wilkes look for the wrongdoers and pay them karmic visits for generations to come, as a local I chatted with suggested? (Tongue in Cheek but Yikes)
In closing, let me return to this small town vs. developer issue. These are big-time developers and builders. Small towns are not well-equipped to understand how they work and the limits they are willing to go to. Portland and Hillsboro need houses in Banks and North Plains for the worker bees—not a few, but thousands of them. The chest of gold is in that ground and in those future homes. If this is how this project and this growth wave are starting, what the hell is about to happen next?
Wake up, toughen up, and stand up, good people. Time, patience, and thoughtful development on all sides are mandatory if these big moves are to succeed and add value for everyone. After all, what is the point of any growth if those who built the town and live there do not receive any added benefits from that growth? Â
Today, the people of Banks lost their founder’s homes at the hands of the landowners/developers. Today was a loss – bottom line. Do better, all of you decision-makers, or be ready to clean your desks out. That might be the added value in this equation from the 10,000-foot view.
Editors Note:Â First American Title Insurance Online Research Tools indicate the property involved with the Wilkes House is owned by:
The Oregon Corporate Division has a record of a Loan Oak Land & Investments, which has a record of this information:Â https://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/9704045
The other entity listed is Wolverine Financial, LLC—https://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/9736161. According to the Oregon Corporate Division, its information is here.
Oregon is dead.
I am Linda Rice of Cornelius, Oregon who along with husband Howard A .Rice are in shock. Our grandkids are 8th generation Oregon born Wilkes descendants and we have a great niece who has the first 9th generation baby last summer. WE have piles of Wilkes stuff and the last really large Wilkes reunion was held at our property north of Cornelius back in 1995. I, by request of Carol a Wilkes , Great grand daughter of the builder Jabez Wilkes, I have spent a lot of time working on the Wilkes history even went to Bedford, Virginia several years ago to where they came from originally. I have copies of the land grants, weddings records, Peyton`s War of 1812 veteran record as well as many other items. Carol and I were working on updating the family history including pictures and letters. We were doing this when she was at our home and I noticed the expression on her face. My mother had recently died unexpectedly of congestive heart failure. The undertaker in upstate NY told me what to watch for so I told Carol what I suspected after seeing her. Before she went home to Alaska, she went to see a Doctor she knew down here which confirmed what I saw. She went home to Alaska and called to tell me the rest of the story.. It was not the end as she came back to work on the Wilkes stuff again and was due at out house again when unlike her norm she did not come and we heard nothing. We called up there but no answer. I wrote a note up to her son and his wife write back that Carol had died and when John understood that his wife had died, he committed suicide. I am glad she did not live to see her close family home destroyed. She would be heart broken More then once we discussed what we all could do to save it or move it or make it a museum. We knew from Washington Historical Society back 30 years ago that the Wilkes were one of the 8 original families in Oregon before it even was part of the United States. Were you aware that many of their family were married into The Hyer Jackson family, The Thomas Corneius family as he was married and had his kids by his wife Florentine Wilkes, Sam Wilkes was a toddler when he came west and married the granddaughter of Tabitha Brown of Forest Grove fame…..that they were friends with Joe Meek and MC Loughflin in Oregon City area. Their kids, grandkids and hundreds since have lived here and in coast area and central Oregon and along the area between Hillsboro and Salem and beyond. I am now 81 as is Howard and we are working to get the Wilkes stuff into safe hands before we are ” gone”. We contacted the museum at PCC before the Fourth of July. WE got little interest and to think that the next day the house was torn down is heart breaking. We went out and took some pictures and already had pics of it in the 1990`s and the original log cabin and of it and the new house side by side in the 1880`s. The lady who owned it in the 1990`s took us on a tour of the inside of the house and I took a few pictures there also. Jabez not only built the house but also hand made the stair railing and other wooden touches through the house. If you check you will find he also made much of the coffins of that time. I would like to hear from the Banks Historical people to discuss donation. I need the Stuff looked at here as it is too much for us to carry anymore ourselves.
Hi Linda… this is a very important comment and information. Howard and I are friends. The Banks historical folks are great friends of mine. They will be all over this offer! And the story needs to be told!! As you know I am the President of the Hillsboro Historical Society and we ask for anything Hillsboro related or greater Hillsboro to come to us. Please ask Howard to get you and I on the phone together asap regarding this issue!!!
Than you so much!!!
Dirk