| Opal in the southern part of Lincoln County has a little story connected with its name. The first settler in the vicinity was Charles Robinson who located on a ranch in 1877. In 1881 two visitors arrived at the Robinson Ranch. One was a promoter for the Oregon Short Line Railroad Company, the other an editor from Omaha. Mr. Robinson showed them over the ranch and the surrounding county. As they were going over the ranch, the promoter suddenly stopped, picked up a peculiar stone, and began to examine it. Mr. Robinson said, "It is an Opal". Other specimens were found later and after that the locality was always called Opal. When a little settlement grew up there it was named Opal. (WPA) |
