Necanicum is a historic unincorporated community in Clatsop County, Oregon, United States.[1] It is located about 13 miles southeast of Seaside on U.S. Route 26 in the Northern Oregon Coast Range, next to the Necanicum River. Necanicum Junction is about a mile east of the site of the former post office, at the intersection of U.S. 26 and Oregon Route 53.[2][3] It is served by the Seaside post office.
The post office at this locale was originally named "Ahlers" after Herman Ahlers, a local resident and the first postmaster.[4] Ahlers changed the name of the office to "Push" in 1899, because he expected the place to become an enterprising community.[4] The name was changed to Necanicum in 1907, after the Necanicum River, and the office closed in 1916, with Ahlers still postmaster.[4] "Necanicum" is one of many names in northwest Oregon beginning with ne, which is a Native American prefix indicating a place.[4] Necanicum is derived from Ne-hay-ne-hum, the name of a Native American lodge upstream.[4] The journal of the Oregon Pioneer Association gave the name as "Nekonikon" in 1887.[4] Herman Ahlers said the name meant "a gap in the mountains".[4] The current spelling was adopted by a decision of the United States Board on Geographic Names in 1915, as the most common local usage over "Necanacum" and "Nekanakum".[1]
In 1915, Necanicum had a population of 50.[5] As of 1990, there was a store and a café at Necanicum Junction.[5]
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