By the time the final links in the Oregon Coast Highway were made in 1936, the highway stretched 394 miles from Astoria to the border of California. It had taken 12 years to complete the construction over stretches of rugged headlands and thick forests. Early travel along the coast was difficult; what roads existed were generally unimproved and often completely impassable during the rainy winter months. In many cases, the beaches themselves served as the only means of transporting freight and passengers. When Maj. Henry Bowlby, the first Oregon State Highway engineer, outlined a proposed system of state highways in 1914, he presented the vision of a coastal highway to the Oregon State Highway Commission. The eventual construction of this highway opened access to the Willamette Valley and beyond for many formerly isolated coastal communities. It also signaled an economic shift that included the promotion of tourism and the accommodation of the flood of visitors anxious to take advantage of the spectacular vistas along the Oregon coast.
Eugene
9780738593234
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Since its beginnings in the 1850s, Eugene has attracted independent thinkers. Its early leaders sited the town in a picturesque location along the Willamette River and were confident that agriculture and timber businesses would guide its growth. As Eugene transformed from a settlement to a city, its citizens took an active voice in the creation of its identity, like advocating for a main railroad line to run through town and determining how the commercial district would branch out from the central downtown core. Today, the population continues to express strong and diverse feelings about politics, personal rights, and the environment as it shares the common experience of living and working in a place of great natural beauty.
Dallas
9780738596228
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The only people living along the banks of the LaCreole River before 1842 were Native Americans and a few itinerant French Canadian fur trappers who, according to local lore, bestowed its name. Wagon trains first arrived in 1843 with these pioneers settling along the LeCreole River's banks. The community of Cynthian grew on the north side of the LaCreole River, the area of north Dallas today. The LaCreole River evolved into the Rickreall, and Cynthian was renamed Dallas when it relocated to the south banks of the river. Dallas, the county seat of Polk County, is rich both in its history and its heritage, with many of the old buildings and early homes still in use. Numerous descendants of those original 1843 and 1844 pioneer families continue to call modern Dallas home.
Pendleton
9781467130004
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Before Europeans came to the Pendleton area, the Umatilla River valley of eastern Oregon was populated by Native Americans. The Cayuse, Umatilla, Walla Walla, and Nez Percé Indians avoided conflict and befriended early white settlers. Catholic missionaries established the earliest missions, schools, and churches in the area. The gold rush in the Blue Mountains and the coming of the railroad brought floods of settlers to the growing town. Timber and flour mills provided flourishing industries. Though the tribes were ultimately moved to a reservation, natives and whites continued to live and work companionably together. Inside these covers, over 200 photographs depict the Pendleton area from the earliest days through modern times. Many of these fine photographs would not exist if it were not for early resident Thomas Leander Moorhouse, who served as the first Indian agent on the Umatilla Reservation. He was an avid amateur photographer who left a legacy of thousands of photographs of early Pendleton.
Vanport
9781467134798
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Nestled in the floodplain between North Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington, a housing project was built to help house World War II shipyard workers. Its very name, Vanport, is derived from Vancouver and Portland. When the United States entered the war, the demand for ships and for workers to build those ships became a huge priority. Workers were recruited from all corners of the United States. Portland had a serious lodging shortage, so much so that these workers lived in cars, tents, parks, and whatever shelter could be found. Vanport, built in a little over a year to house them, was a city that did not sleep. In its heyday, Vanport was the second-largest city in Oregon with a population of over 40,000 residents. It was a city with many firsts. It was a city that touched many lives in a very short period of time. And on May 30, 1948, it was a city that disappeared just as quickly as it came into existence, leaving a legacy that will not soon be forgotten.
Bend
9780738571843
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Bend, astride the Deschutes River at the eastern foot of the Cascade Range, got its name from a place on the river that runs through it. Pioneer travelers called the place Farewell Bend because it was where they had their last view of the double bend in the river that afforded a good place to camp and to ford the waterway, otherwise flowing through deep canyons. When the U.S. Post Office Department approved a name for a post office established there in 1886, it settled on a shorter version-Bend-because there already was a Farewell Bend on the Snake River in eastern Oregon. Arrival of a railroad in 1911 connected Bend with a market for Central Oregon's vast timber resources. Large sawmills began operations in 1916 and Bend grew tenfold in 10 years. And it kept on growing into a favored place to live. By its centennial in 2005, some 75,000 people called Bend home.
Sunriver
9781467129930
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The idyllic community of Sunriver sits at the crossroads of Central Oregon. The region was inhabited as early as 11,500 years ago by native tribes. The first non-native explorers filtered through the area in the early 19th century, and homesteaders began farming the region in the late 1800s. During World War II, large tracts of land in the area became a training center for the US Army Corps of Engineers called Camp Abbot. In 1965, developer John Gray and attorney Don McCallum announced plans to build a residential and resort community on the former Army site. Named for the area's two main features, sunshine and recreational waters, Sunriver is a dynamic community. Today, permanent residents and vacationing visitors take advantage of Central Oregon's recreational opportunities, including golfing, fishing, hiking, biking, skiing, and snowboarding.
Tigard
9780738596952
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Tigard, Oregon, began as an elegant farming community on the Tualatin Plains in the Northern Willamette Valley and became an upscale metropolitan residential community. The Native American Atfalati Kalapuyas interacted with early trappers, traders, missionaries, and pioneer settlers. Pioneers arrived in the 1850s to take up donation land claims. Tigard was originally called East Butte, and numerous nationalities and religions populated the settlement. A grange was formed to aid farmers' causes, and churches were established to build a sense of neighborliness. East Butte became Tigardville when Charles Fremont Tigard opened a post office in his general merchandise store in 1886 and named the postal station after his parents. Tigardville became Tigard when the Oregon Electric Railway came through in 1908, and residents distinguished Tigard from Wilsonville. The Oregon Electric shipped Tigard's farm produce north to Portland and south to Salem. Tigard was incorporated as a city on September 11, 1961, and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2011.
Astoria
9780738575278
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Astoria is the oldest American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. It began in 1811 as a small but ambitious fur trading venture of New York entrepreneur John Jacob Astor and his Pacific Fur Company. The town has seen the development of commerce and trade ebb and flow like the tide throughout its history. Bounded on three sides by water and much of it originally built over the river, Astoria is a town that is deeply rooted in maritime history and traditions. This proud community of 10,000 is ready to share its heritage with the rest of the world.
Lincoln City and the Twenty Miracle Miles
9780738559315
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On the central Oregon coast lies a sliver of land bounded on the north by the Salmon River and on the south by Depoe Bay, with Devils Lake at its heart. Creeks and rivers wind their way across this coastal plain, down from the mountains, through stands of towering spruce trees, and empty into the sea. This little bit of paradise remained as nature shaped it for many thousands of years of Native American habitation. In the late 1890s, rugged individuals began to find their way into the more hospitable corners of this windswept coast. In time, a string of small towns and cities appeared, stretched like a string of pearls along the beach between the mountains and the sea. These towns grew and overlapped until five combined to become Lincoln City. By the 1950s, the area had become a tourist mecca so beautiful it was known as the Twenty Miracle Miles.
Coos Bay
9780738589176
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Originally called Marshfield, the city of Coos Bay has transitioned from a pioneer and frontier boomtown that was developed by coalminers, shipbuilders, timber men, and entrepreneurs. The rich, pioneer history of Coos Bay is predated by the Coos Indians, who maintained many villages along the bay and survived in peaceful harmony with nature until forcibly removed by white settlers in the 1860s. After merging with nearby Eastside and Empire, the city is now the largest municipality in Coos County and on the entire coastline of the state of Oregon.
Redmond
9780738570891
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In the desert, water is king. Prior to the arrival of irrigation canals in 1906, the Central Oregon region that would become Redmond was little more than a collection of determined settlers, many living in tents, bent on proving up their Carey Act homesteads. By 1910, the Redmond Spokesman, one of two newspapers publishing in the newly incorporated town, was bragging, "Redmond is situated in the heart of the best irrigated farming section in Central Oregon, where abundant crops are grown by an intelligent and progressive class of farmers and ranchers." By 1911, Redmond cemented its reputation as the hub of Central Oregon when the Oregon Trunk Railroad line arrived, boosting Redmond commerce by taking it out of the horse-and-wagon movement of goods and people. After World War II , the City of Redmond purchased an army airbase for $1 and built it into Oregon's largest regional airport east of the Cascade Mountains.
Beaverton
9780738593302
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From the first land claim in 1847 to the growing technology industry of the 21st century, the city of Beaverton, Oregon, has had an impressive history. The earliest inhabitants were the Atfalati, a Native American tribe who dubbed the area Chakeipi, or the "Place of the Beaver." When modern settlers began to arrive in the mid-1800s, they continued to refer to the area as "Beaverdam," often draining the dams to aid their farming of the rich soil that remained. Beaverton has been home to many interesting and lucrative businesses since its incorporation in 1893, including a silent film studio in the 1920s, an airplane manufacturing site in the 1930s, and a busy airport in the 1940s. Since the 1950s, a growing number of high-tech companies have operated here, earning Beaverton a spot on the roster of places that comprise Washington County's Silicon Forest.
Warrenton-Hammond
9780738571607
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Located near the mouth of the Columbia River, Warrenton, incorporated in February 1899, is a city comprised of many earlier towns and villages. Hammond, although still having a separate post office and zip code, was merged with Warrenton in 1991. Fort Stevens, now an Oregon State Park, is located near Hammond. Lexington was the first county seat for Clatsop County until the county seat was vacated on December 4, 1879, and moved to Astoria. Skipanon, located near the same site as Lexington, was also annexed by Warrenton. Flavel, along the Columbia River between Warrenton and Hammond, was an active port for the Great Northern Steamship Company. It was annexed by Warrenton in 1918. Warrenton-Hammond documents each of these towns as they grew and became the present city of Warrenton.
Vanishing Portland
9780738558301
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Portland at the end of World War II was an international port and a powerhouse of the timber and shipbuilding industries. Oregon's largest city grew and changed in the decades that followed, adding new industries and population. It also endured reductions in shipbuilding capacity, a devastating flood, a declining timber industry, urban renewal, freeway construction, and social change. By the 1990s, a wave of globalization and big-box retail marketing swelled shipping at the city's port and swept away a surprising number of Portland's businesses, which remain in the fond memories of Portlanders. A few of these memorable icons include the stores Meier and Frank, J. K. Gill, Payless Drug, and Sprouse-Reitz; the restaurants Henry Theile, Jolly Joan, Tik Tok, Yaw's Top Notch, and Waddle's; the Jantzen Beach Amusement Park; the Portland Hotel; the Broadway, Fox, and Orpheum theaters; Henry Weinhard's brewery; the Ramblin' Rod television show; and Portland Wrestling.
Salem
9780738571393
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Long before the city of Salem got its name, the lush valley was a favorite winter camping location for the Kalapuya tribe. Jason Lee first ventured to Oregon in 1834, at the invitation of Northwest tribes, creating a mission and a settlement here. Native Americans called it "Chemeketa." William H. Willson, who laid out the city plan in 1851, called it "Salem." Both words mean "peace." Salem's central location, in the middle of the Willamette Valley's agricultural belt, made it an ideal location for the new capital of Oregon. Since then, Salem's character has largely been influenced by the presence of woolen mills, crop production, and many state institutions. Surviving devastating floods and fires in all three state capitol buildings, Salem and its people have a history of resilience, leadership, and public service.
US Forest Service Ranger Stations of the West
9781467103152
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Pioneer US Forest Service rangers and their ranger stations are classic symbols of the American West. Rangers managed the public forests and ranges with the cattlemen, sheepmen, lumbermen, miners, homesteaders, and others who used--and, in many cases, still use-- the lands to build and sustain economies and ways of life. The early rangers are no longer around. But some of the stations from which they protected the West's national forests to secure "the greatest good for the greatest number in the long run," as decreed by the first chief of the US Forest Service, Gifford Pinchot, remain to tell their stories and inspire their successors.
Boring
9781467132107
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Bob Boring, great-grandson of the Civil War veteran who lent his name to the community, says, "Boring is a name, not a condition." The recent pairing of Dull, Scotland, and Boring, Oregon, has created worldwide multimedia reports, including articles in Time magazine and the Wall Street Journal that published the same week. Never incorporated as an official entity, Boring has been a thriving farm, logging, and sawmill community since Joseph and Sarah Boring traveled the Oregon Trail in an ox-drawn covered wagon and settled here in 1853. The "downtown" area of Boring is only four blocks long, but the farming area serviced by the Boring Post Office is 13 miles long and contains a population of 8,000.
Cannon Beach
9781467134347
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Cannon Beach is a small town nestled off Highway 101 along the Oregon coast. It has been called one of the "World's 100 Most Beautiful Places" by National Geographic and one of "The 100 Best Art Towns in America" by author John Villani. Located 80 miles west of Portland and 25 miles south of Astoria, the town is surrounded by the Oregon Coast Range, ocean beaches, and rivers. Only four miles in length, and with a population of less than 2,000 residents, Cannon Beach is a popular and picturesque town catering to almost 1 million visitors annually. Life seems simpler, more beautiful, and quieter here. People stroll along holding hands, enjoying an ice cream cone or a latte, and daydreaming of building a fire later that evening on the beach. The salty air frizzes their hair, and sand is found in every shoe. But no one is bothered by this, because they are at Cannon Beach, with the legendary Haystack Rock.
Vernonia
9780738580418
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Nestled in the Upper Nehalem Valley in the foothills of the Oregon Coast Range, Vernonia still reflects its pioneer virtues of hard work and independence. The area was first homesteaded in 1874 by Clark Parker and John Van Blaricom. The earliest settlers saw the dense old-growth firs and cedars as an obstacle to overcome in establishing farms, but those big trees soon became the lifeblood of the town's economy. Incorporated in 1891, Vernonia remained a small settlement with family-run farms, sawmills, and supporting businesses until the arrival of the long-awaited railroad in 1922. The Oregon-American Lumber Mill--at the time one of the largest of its kind--was built in 1923. The mill provided jobs and business opportunities for hundreds of people until 1957 when it closed. The population rapidly declined as people left to find work elsewhere. Vernonia has proved resilient, however, and continues to be home to over 2,000 residents who appreciate small-town life in a forested setting.
Prineville
9780738548722
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Early in 1868, Francis "Barney" Prine arrived in the Crooked River Valley of Central Oregon, established a blacksmith shop made of logs, and dispensed spirits from the back of the cabin. Prine saw the potential for development and industry along the lush banks of Crooked River and Ochoco Creek, and as more and more settlers arrived, the post office of Prine was established in 1871. The community soon emerged as a major commercial center for Central Oregon, one of the last frontiers in the state. In fact, Prineville boasts the only remaining city-owned railroad to operate in the United States. The decline of the timber industry led to hard times, but after Les Schwab established the headquarters of his emerging tire empire in Prineville, the city became one of the burgeoning communities in the Northwest.
Newberg
9780738581392
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The land that became the city of Newberg played a crucial role in the founding of the state of Oregon. It provided the second permanent encampment after Fort Astoria for trappers coming to the Pacific Northwest. Ewing Young came to Oregon in 1834, claiming as his own a vast stretch of land around his home in the Chehalem Valley. When Ewing died without a will, nearby residents gathered to settle Ewing's estate. This event led directly to the vote at Champoeg to make Oregon part of the United States. The town's name was given by pioneer Sebastian Brutscher after his Bavarian hometown of Neuburg. Other settlers arrived, and soon Newberg was a thriving pioneer town. Among the new settlers were members of the Friends Church, who set up an academy that is today one of the premier Christian universities in the country. Newberg was also home or way station to two U.S. presidents.
Medford
9780738574455
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Iradell Phipps and Conrad Broback saw a golden opportunity in 1884. After convincing the railroad to build its depot on their prairie land near Bear Creek, they began building what became the second-fastest growing city in America, with over 100 new buildings in its first year. Few Medfordites today know that the city once had four separate railroads and was renowned throughout Europe. Intrepid flyers Eugene Ely, Pat Patterson, Seely Hall, and Charles Lindbergh made Medford a regional air hub during the early days of flight. In 1910, Medford had more automobiles per capita than any town in the world, and in 1923, it straddled the world's longest paved road. Told through photographs, facts, and anecdotes, the story of the hometown of film and radio stars Pinto Colvig and Ginger Rogers, as well as sports greats like Dick Fosbury, Bill Bowerman, and Kyle Singler, is a captivating read.
Seaside
9780738548944
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Following the great fire of 1912 through the "Daddy Train" era, Seaside grew as a holiday and summer resort. The opening of the Oregon Coast Highway from Astoria to California in the late 1920s and of Wolf Creek Highway (Sunset Highway) in the late 1930s made Seaside accessible from Portland by automobile. Reconstruction of the boardwalk, the era of the big bands, saltwater swimming pools, and lumber riots kept Seaside in the news. Seaside survived the crash of the stock market, and World War II brought about an era of reconstruction, along with the Miss Oregon pageant. Seaside: 1920-1950 documents the city's growth and the people and businesses that helped it flourish.
Mt. Angel
9780738593333
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The central portion of Oregon's Willamette Valley is home to present-day Mt. Angel. The history of this charismatic town bursts with a sense of community. The town has always maintained a strong set of values that supports its residents in educational, financial, and leisure activities. In the early 1900s, even though it was a small, rural town, the residents of Mt. Angel were able to finance the construction of churches, schools, and businesses. They were also able to lobby for a railroad line to provide transportation for people and crops. The lively community has earned a reputation throughout the state for its festivals and German heritage. Oktoberfest, a yearly celebration since 1966, includes traditional dances, music, food, beer, and activities for all ages. The festival attracts over 300,000 visitors each year and is considered by many to be the largest festival in Oregon.
Gold Hill
9780738581798
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Gold Hill is a product of the frontier days, when bold men sought golden riches despite ongoing hardships. The 1860 discovery of the famous Gold Hill Pocket, overlooking the present townsite, brought about its name with a gold rush that continued for decades and spilled into the nearby creeks and valleys, including mines with names like the Millionaire, Lucky Bart, and Roaring Gimlet. In 1884, the railroad bypassed neighboring settlements, which made Gold Hill a center depot and created ghost towns along the way. While the cry of "Gold! Gold! Gold!" filled the air, women and families drove in roots that tamed the town. When the area's mining and lumbering industries phased out, Gold Hill was then rediscovered in the late 20th century by folks searching for a small-town life, exquisite surroundings, and proximity to the legendary Rogue River. Wine tasting and vineyards replaced areas where stagecoaches once stopped and orchards grew.
Jacksonville
9780738580555
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It was the winter of 1851-1852 when the word "gold" echoed throughout the valley. Soon hundreds of gold miners flocked to Table Rock City, later renamed Jacksonville. In short order, families arrived and took out donation land claims and began farming, raising stock, and opening businesses. Many had already emmigrated from Europe, Canada, Ireland, and England. Jacksonville had its own Chinatown that was home to the many Chinese who had traveled far seeking their fortune through gold mining. When the railroad bypassed Jacksonville in 1883 in favor of the new town of Middleford, later renamed Medford, Jacksonville's fortunes reversed. During the ensuing decades, the town's buildings fell into disrepair. The threat of bulldozers leveling the downtown core in the late 1960s brought out a renewed interest in preservation. Today Jacksonville is a National Historic Landmark District and looks much as it did 150 years ago.
Gresham
9780738582061
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The history of Gresham, Oregon, is rooted in the pioneers who trekked along the Oregon Trail in the 1800s. Traveling down the Columbia River or over the precipitous route by scenic Mount Hood, they arrived in what was then called Powell Valley, so named by the first settlers. They found trees that were unparalleled, tall, and straight, which they used to build their first communities. The rich, fertile land was cleared to grow an array of crops that would eventually make the area well known for its agriculture.
Canby
9781467117043
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The town of Canby is located in the North Willamette Valley, in Clackamas County, Oregon. By 1838, James Baker, one of the earliest European settlers in Oregon, came to Canby with a cattle drive from California. Soon, he and other settlers were farming on the rich soil. Joseph Knight and four sons moved to the area in 1868. They were active in early Canby development, starting many local businesses and setting the framework for a future town. Maj. Gen. Edward R.S. Canby, hero of the Civil and Indian Wars, had arrived in Oregon in February 1893 to take up command of the US Army's Department of the Columbia. The new town was given this brave man's name by his good friend Ben Holladay, chief of the Oregon & California Railroad. Canby was incorporated on February 15, 1893, making it the second-oldest city in Clackamas County.
Reedsport
9780738576046
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Incorporated in 1919, Reedsport began as a railroad town built on stilts to avoid the low-lying marsh and slough that ran beneath the town. This area was filled in 1927, and Reedsport became the hub of activity on the Lower Umpqua River. The logging and fishing industries dominated the city's landscape, with Southern Pacific Railroad and Umpqua Navigation shuttling goods to and from the area. Despite flood after flood that threatened the town, Reedsport was able to survive due to the resilience and toughness of its inhabitants.
Silverton
9780738575339
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Incorporated in 1854, Silverton sits at the eastern edge of the Willamette Valley and gives way to the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. It was built along Silver Creek, a location used for countless years by native people. As the town grew, it became a shipping center for the timber and agricultural industries of the area. During the early part of the 20th century, Silverton's mills helped supply the nation with lumber. Like many small towns, Silverton has changed with the times, but it has retained its small-town feel as a vibrant community with a diverse population. The community has nurtured many talents over the years, including political cartoonist Homer Davenport and astronaut Donald Pettit.
Grants Pass
9780738595788
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Grants Pass was one of the last towns established in Josephine County. Initially named Perkinsville, the city was a precinct of Jackson County before becoming the county seat for Josephine County in 1885. Nestled alongside the Rogue River, it was built on mining and timber and now thrives on tourism. It is equidistant from Crater Lake, the Pacific Crest Trail, the Oregon Caves, and the Pacific Ocean and offers many activities for outdoor enthusiasts, such as hiking, rafting, boating, and fishing. Old Town Historic District, the center of Grants Pass, is home to many original buildings more than 100 years old that are now occupied by a variety of shops selling souvenirs, clothing, wine, and paintings by local artists.
Gold Beach and South Curry County
9780738596150
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Curry County is made up of small communities, ranging from the county line between Langlois and Bandon to the state line. From the inception of Gold Beach, pioneers have survived in small communities scattered throughout Southern Curry County. Despite a lack of roads, these small towns and hamlets, from Humbug Mountain on down, have sprung up over the years, enduring with the help of neighbors and through the gift of self-sufficiency. Some of the former names of this area before Gold Beach included Elizabeth Town, Sebastopol, Hog Town or Logtown, and Whalesburg. Today, the small communities include Arizona Beach, Euchre Creek, Ophir, Cedar Valley, Nesika Beach, Wedderburn, Jerry's Flat, Hunter's Creek, Pistol River, Carpenterville, Whaleshead, Brookings, and Harbor. Though a small area, the people of the county are happy to say that they live where everyone knows his or her neighbors.
Josephine County
9781467115438
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The beautiful Rogue River has been beckoning people to its banks for thousands of years. The Takelma Indians called this area home long before the first pioneers arrived. Take a step back in time while enjoying these historic images of early Josephine County. Today, many of the mining towns are just a name on an old map, but there was a time when they were bustling towns filled with miners and loggers. The pioneers endured great hardships to reach Oregon, but once they arrived, they worked diligently to make Josephine County the place that residents and visitors enjoy today.
Around Florence
9781467131520
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Florence, located midway on the Oregon coast, has North America's largest stretch of dunes to the south and the most photographed headlands on the Pacific coast to the north. Although Florence is on the coast, it is a river town located on a bend of the Siuslaw River. Before the railroad arrived in 1916, the town was cut off and dependent upon ocean-going ships. The Siuslaw did not make it easy because of a notoriously shifting river mouth before the north jetty was built in 1893. Even after the jetty, crossing the bar continued to be treacherous due to shallow depths and fickle winds. Even so, entrepreneurs William Kyle and O.W. Hurd, in trying to outdo each other, developed a thriving town. For decades, fishing and logging were the mainstays. Now, they are tourists, retirees, and the arts. Old Town, where it all began, is a happening place once again.
