▁the ▁city ▁had ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁ 2 5 , 1 0 9 . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁settlement ▁by ▁Oregon ▁pione ers , ▁the ▁area ▁which ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁West ▁L inn ▁was ▁the ▁home ▁of ▁ancest ors ▁of ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁present - day ▁Confeder ated ▁Trib es ▁of ▁the ▁Grand ▁Ron de ▁Community ▁of ▁Oregon . ▁▁ 1 9 th ▁century ▁Major ▁Robert ▁Moore ▁was ▁an ▁early ▁sett ler ▁arriv ing ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 9 — before ▁the ▁Cham po eg ▁Me et ings — h aving ▁been ▁the ▁senior ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁attempt ▁to ▁create ▁an ▁American ▁state ▁in ▁Oregon , ▁the ▁Pe oria ▁Party . ▁S omet ime ▁after ▁journey ing ▁around ▁the ▁Will am ette ▁Valley ▁and ▁Columbia ▁Bas in , ▁Moore ▁bought ▁title ▁to ▁appro x . ▁ ▁on ▁the ▁west ▁side ▁of ▁Will am ette ▁F alls , ▁across ▁the ▁Will am ette ▁River ▁from ▁Oregon ▁City , ▁from ▁a ▁local ▁Native ▁American ▁chief , ▁on ▁which ▁he ▁pl atted ▁a ▁town ▁he ▁called ▁" Rob in ' s ▁N est " ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 8 4 3 . ▁He ▁also ▁file d ▁a ▁prov is ional ▁claim ▁with ▁the ▁then ▁government ▁of ▁the ▁Oregon ▁Country , ▁not ▁knowing ▁if ▁his ▁transaction ▁would ▁be ▁hon ored ▁by ▁the ▁event ual ▁gover ning ▁laws . ▁The ▁Oregon ▁Territ orial ▁Legisl ature ▁voted ▁to ▁rename ▁it ▁L inn ▁City ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 8 4 5 ▁as ▁a