The name Averill in the article about the avocet made me curious. The Oregon Hikers page about Averill Lake says this: "According to McArthur & McArthur's Oregon Geographic Names, the lake is named after Ed Averill, a "State Fish Protector for many years in the 1920s." "
Finley Lake must be named after the other guy in the byline: William L. Finley.
Does anyone know have access to Oregon Geographic Names and/or know if my assumption is correct?
What about Gifford Lake? Maybe it was one of these guys: Gifford, Ralph I., 1894-1947 or his father, Gifford, Benjamin A. 1859-1936.
I guess Gifford Lake could also have been named after Gifford Pinchot.
Benjamin A. Gifford, his son Ralph, Wanda (Ralph's wife) and Ben (Wanda and Ralph's son) were all known for their scenic photography in the Pacific Northwest. I'm guessing the lake was named for one or all the Gifford photographers.
Here's a snippet about the senior Gifford from the Oregon Encyclopedia: "Benjamin Gifford, who operated studios in Portland and The Dalles and was known for his images of the Columbia River Highway, central Oregon, the Portland area, and the Indigenous people who lived on or near the Warm Springs Reservation."
Benjamin Gifford, c.1920.