Welcome to the Rogue River...
In the 1850’s, miners and packers traveling through the area that is now the city of Rogue River were able to cross the river safely and easily thanks to the cable operated ferry built by Davis “Coyote” Evans. Before the ferry existed, travelers held tightly the tails of their horses to safely cross the strong current and thus the town was originally named “Tailholt”. Evans went on to build a water powered saw mill which supplied lumber for the growing town. The first steel bridge over the river was built in 1909 and was replaced by a concrete span in 1950 which will soon be replaced by a new bridge presently under construction.
The town was to change its name three times. It became known as Gold River for a while and then took on the name Woodville in the late 1870’s to honor John Woods, the postmaster. Incorporated in 1912, the city was then officially named Rogue River and has become known for its friendly residents, excellent schools, gentle climate, relaxed pace of life and of course, the spectacular setting of the Rogue River itself. The town has an interesting mix of shops, restaurants and lodging and each year since 1953, on the last Saturday in June, the city plays host to the National Rooster Crowing Contest and celebrates with a parade, a car show, a quilt show, and a 5K run. With a children's play area, arts and crafts and many other activities there certainly is much to crow about!
Visitor Information
Elevation: 1001 feet
Population: 1,856 people
County: Jackson
Zip Code: 97537
Local Spotlight
Fishing on the Rogue
Mileage Chart
Ashland: 33
Bend: 182
Portland: 253
Seattle: 426
San Francisco: 382
|
