About 1852 or 1853 , a man named Woody started a " house of entertainment " ( aka a roadhouse ) at this locale , which he named " Woodyville " . It was also known as Woody 's Landing . The property was bought by Johnson Mulkey , who built a sawmill at the site and changed the name to Lancaster . The sawmill was still operating in 1861 and likely longer . Two stores operated at the site , which was chosen for its proximity to the southernmost navigable point on the river and a prosperous agricultural district , with hopes of the place becoming a viable town . The Great Flood of 1862 changed the course of the river , leaving the town too far from the main channel , however , and the Oregon and California Railroad bypassed Lancaster , so Junction City became the more important community
Great Flood of 1862
Great Flood of 1862
Lancaster, Oregon