New historic sign in Old Town

Each street in Old Town is named for a key element in the early days of the town known as Oswego. And each street (Leonard, Ladd, Durham, Furnace, etc.) is adorned with a street post sign with a short history.

Except one: View Court.

Today, unexpectedly, a sign now fills us in on the history of the shortest street in Old Town.

It reads: View Court

Roscoe Hudson Court (1879-1963)

The street was not part of John C. Trullinger’s original 1867 plat for Oswego. It became a street much later, and the origin of the name is suspect at best. Some say it was named after a park originally planned for the area. Others say it was named for resident Roscoe “View” Court, a nattily attired bachelor who caused many to swoon. Men and women longed to catch “a view” of the dashing Court as he walked from his house on Durham Street. Others believe the street was named View Court since one could see Mount Hood from here until the Army Corps of Engineers moved the mountain to its present location.