| Wilkesboro, Oregon | |
| Settlement Type: | Unincorporated community |
| Pushpin Map: | USA Oregon#USA |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within the state of Oregon |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Oregon |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Population As Of: | 2000 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | Pacific (PST) |
| Utc Offset: | -8 |
| Timezone Dst: | PDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -7 |
| Elevation Ft: | 210 |
| Coordinates: | 45.6086°N -123.0958°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP codes |
| Area Code: | 503 and 971 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 1637939[1] |
Wilkesboro is an unincorporated community in Washington County, Oregon, United States. It is located on Oregon Route 6, one mile east of Banks.
Wilkesboro was settled in 1845 by its namesake Peyton G. Wilkes, and platted in 1912.[2] [3] The locale was named about the time United Railways built its interurban line through the area.[3] [4] The post office was established in 1916.[2] [3] In 1915 the town had a population of 50, two churches, a fraternal lodge, a farmer's alliance and a railroad depot.[2] Later there was also a grocery, meat market, blacksmith shop and brickyard, but by 1990 none of these businesses remained.[2] The post office was closed in 1932.[5]
The terminus of the United Railways line was in Wilkesboro, and Gales Creek and Wilson River Railroad (GC&WR) started from this line and ran 12.75 miles to Glenwood.[6] The GC&WR also connected with the Tillamook Branch of the Southern Pacific line in Wilkesboro—that line is now operated by the Portland and Western Railroad[6] via a lease agreement with the Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad. When Oregon Route 6 was extended from Glenwood in 1957, portions of it used the then-abandoned GC&WR grade.[6] The United Railways track was eventually extended to Vernonia but is now abandoned.[6]