By Kelly Moyer Wade
Of the News Times

Newport is famous for agate, but what about petrified wood and jasper? And did you know there are reports of Apache tears in Lincoln City, garnets in Pacific City and bloodstone, chalcedony and sagenite near Cape Perpetua?

A new series of maps, created by Ralph Preston of Tidewater, shows all of this and a lot more.

For instance, have you heard of the gold and silver deposits from Bandon to Port Orford? Or the town called Ona near Ona Beach, which had a population of four people?

For Preston, pulling together interesting facts about the Pacific Northwest states has been a lifetime hobby.

In recent years, the Tidewater man has published sets of detailed maps of Idaho ghost towns, Washington and Idaho gold and gem deposits from the past and present, and a book about the early days of Kansas - in honor of his Kansas-born wife of 10 years, Monte Jackson Preston.

His latest map collection, now available at Powell's bookstore in Portland, shows the gold, silver and gem deposits of Oregon from "then and now."

"I've been collecting maps since the early 1970s,"explained Preston. "And I've always been fascinated with the old West. The next maps will show Oregon's ghost towns."

The most recent packet, includes five, double-sided maps - four looks at gold, silver and gem deposits in four, blown-up sections of the state; the northeast Oregon mining district from 1890; a map of gold placers in southwest Oregon; the southern Oregon mining district in 1904; the Bohemia mining district of Lane County from 1939; and a page outlining the history of Oregon's mining operations and how to find and mark your own gold deposits.

"Every map tells the greatest story," said Preston. "That's why I love them." In the Tidewater A-frame home that Preston and Monte share with their two Boston terriers are a variety of maps from the 19th and early 20th centuries and a well-worn book of place names and their origins.

"This is the book that we take with us when we travel," said Preston.

The couple travels extensively in their recreational vehicle and have researched the states of Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Kansas thoroughly. Next on the agenda is northern California and possibly Nevada.

In their travels, the Prestons have stumbled across some fun facts about Oregon towns. "For instance, there is a town in eastern Oregon named Olex," said Preston. "It was named by Alex, who had poor penmanship!"

In another eastern Oregon town, the couple met the town's only resident. "He was the sheriff; the postman, he was everything in that town," said Preston.

Monte too, has taken a great interest in the history of the Northwest. As a talented watercolor artist who has shown in local galleries and at a winery in Pasco, Wash., Monte illustrated her husband's historical atlas of Kansas, and reproduced a scene for the cover that shows the old west in vivid detail.

For gem collectors, historical buffs or people interested in knowing more about the Pacific Northwest's history, Preston's maps are a must-have. All four sets are currently available through the Internet and at Powell's.

"So far, all of them have been very well received," said Preston. "I'm very pleased that we've already had some reorders from the bookstores."

The maps' suggested retail price is $10.95 each. For more information or to order the series of historical maps, see Preston's website at www.maps-nwd.com, call 1-800-528-4488, email him at nwd@teleport.com or fax Preston at 1-541-528-7000.