Return to home page. CURRY COUNTY HISTORICAL NAMES
Use the index below to jump quickly to the area you want.
A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-UVW-XYZ
AGNESS
The Agness post office was established on October 16, 1897, and was named for the daughter
of Amaziah Aubery, the first post master. Amaziah was born in northern California on
December 24, 1865, and moved to Curry County in 1883. He married Rachel Fry on February
22, 1887. A daughter was born to them. The girl was named Agnes. Amaziah submitted her
name to the authorities as the name for the new post office but there was confusion
somewhere and another "s" was added and Agness post office had a name.
Return to index
HOME
BAGNELL
In pioneer days a man named William Bagnell operated a ferry on the Rogue River about five
miles northeast of Ellensburg, not Gold Beach. On June 7, 1894, the Bagnell post office
was established at the ferry crossing and John R. Miller was named the first and only post
master. The Bagnell post office officially closed on April 4, 1895
Return to index
BAILEY MOUNTAIN
With an elevation of 3920 feet, Bailey Mountain can be found about a dozen miles west of
Kerby. The mountain was probably named for an early miner. A cabin, known as the Bailey
Cabin is still existent in the area.
BALD MOUNTAIN
This mountain is about 3000 feet high and is located about 10 miles southeast of Port
Orford. It's name can be traced back to the early mining days in the 1850's.
BANDON
Bandon is a community on the south side of the mouth of the Coquille River and was named
by George Bennett who settled not far from the present town in 1873. Bennett was from
Ireland and he named the new city for Bandon, on the Bandon River, in County Cork,
Ireland. Bennett married Katherine Ann Scott Harrison, and they had three children. Two of
the children became well known citizens of Coos County.
Bandon was almost completely destroyed by the big fire of September 26, 1936.
An Englishman, named William Davidson, and also known as Billy Buckhorn was believed to have been the first resident. The Bandon post office was established on September 12. 1877, with John Lewis serving as the first post master.
BATTLE BAR
On April 27, 1856, a minor skirmish was fought at Battle Bar, on the rogue River. This was
during the Rogue River Indian War of 1855-56. The Oregon Volunteers were on the north side
of the Rogue River, about a mile west of what is now the east boundary of Curry County.
The Indians, men women and children, were on the south bank of the Rogue River which is
now known as Battle Bar. Neither side made a river crossing so the battle consisted of
shooting back and forth across theriver, too far to inflict any damage. After a day they
lost interest.
BATTLE ROCK
This landmark is located on the shoreline at the north end of Port Orford and is a massive
rock standing well into the water. In June of 1851, Captain William Tichenor, commander of
the steamer Sea Gull, which was operating between the Columbia River and San Francisco,
decided to establish a commercial enterprise at Port Orford. He hired J. M. Kirkpatrick
and a number of others to go to Port Orford. He put them ashore on Battle Rock and left
them provisions. On June 10, 1851 the landing party was besieged by Indians and a battle
was fought. Seventeen Indians were killed, most by cannon fire. Kirkpatrick and his party
finally succeeded in sneaking away from the rock and making their way north. After several
days, they came across a settlement of whites. When Captain Tichenor's representative
returned by sea he found them all gone and assumed they had been killed by the
Indians.
BIG MEADOWS
This is an area in the northeast part of Curry County. The name has been in use since the
1855-56 Indian wars. Fort Lamerick was established at the Meadows in 1856. There is
another Big Meadows near Illahe.
BLACKLOCK POINT
This point, north of Cape Blanco, was named for John Blacklock who was born in Scotland
and lived on the point for many years. He died at Bandon on June 8, 1905. A post office
near named Sandstone operated at this location from October 1890 to May 1891. Annie J.
Blacklock was post mistress.
HOME
BLAINE
The Blaine post office was in existence for only a few months in 1891. It was absorbed by
Ophir. Eliza Woodruff was it's first and only post master. It may well have taken it's
name from James G. Blaine, a presidential candidate in 1884. There is a good chance that
the post office never in fact did any business.
BOSLEY BUTTE
This peak is located in the southwest part of Curry County, and was named for Julia
Bosley. Julia was a young woman who liked to hike to the meadows lying south east of the
peak. She climbed to the top of the peak and named the butte by this accomplishment.
BOWMAN CREEK
This creek, which flows into the Pacific Ocean north of Cape Ferrelo, was named after W.
Bowman, an early day blacksmith in who lived in Langlois. He established a homesteaded on
the creek in the late 1870's.
BRAVO CREEK
This creek is a tributary of the North Fork Chetco River and was named after cattleman
John C. Bravo who came to the area in 1892 from Switzerland.
BROKENCOT CREEK
This creek is located in the southeast part of the county in the Siskiyou mountains.
It's headwaters are near Chetco Peak and it empties into the Chetco River. It was named
after a camp, named Brokencot Camp, and the camp probably got it's name from a worn out
cot.
BROOKINGS
Brookings came into existence about 1908 and was a company town for the Brookings Lumber
and Box Company. John E. Brookings was it's president and chief executive officer. His
cousin, Robert S. Brookings, lived in the east and provided much of the financial support
for the company. Robert hired Bernard Maybeck, a well known San Francisco architect, to
lay out the town site. Bernard Maybeck was later involved in the Panama-Pacific
Exposition. The Brookings post office was established on January 4, 1913.
BRUCES BONES CREEK
This creek, located north of Cape Ferrelo. By one account it got it's name in the 1950's,
from Bruce Schilling, a chainman with the crew completing the survey for the new alignment
of US 101. When their work was finished for a day Bruce headed the wrong way and one man
in the survey party said they would probably find his bones next spring. Another version
says that a homesteader living in the area had a horse named Bruce that died in the creek,
and that became the resting place for Bruces bleached bones.
BRUSH CREEK
Brush Creek comes out of the mountains north of Port Orford and flows into the Pacific
Ocean just north of Humbug Mountain. Gilbert Brush, was a member of an exploring party in
the early 1850's that worked in the area and he probably gave the creek his name. Gilbert
Brush was partially scalped by some local Indians.
BUCKSKIN CREEK
Rising 3925 feet, this peak is in the Siskiyou mountains and just over six miles north of
the Oregon-California border. A lot of buckskin colored boulders cover the top of the
peak.
CANFIELD HILL
Jason W. Canfield was born in Ohio and homesteaded on the Rogue River in the late 1800's.
The hill was named for him as well as a riffle about 5 miles upstream from the mouth of
the river.
CAPE BLANCO
Cape Blanco is the most westward point in Oregon. Blanco is Spanish for white. In 1602
Sebastian Vizcaino sailed from Acapulco, leading an exploring party. One of the ships in
the expedition turned back at Monterrey, but Vizcaino in his ship and Martin de Aguilar in
his ship, left Monterrey on January 3, 1603, sailing northward along the coast. The two
ships separated during a storm and Vizcaino sailed up the coast alone. On January 20,
1603, he reached a Cape which he named Sebastian. He then turned and headed back south. In
the meantime, captain Aguilar had headed on north. On January 19, 1603, when he reached
the 43rd parallel, he found a which he named Cape Blanco. He then turned back, but he and
most of his crew did not survive.
CAPE FERRELO
Bartolome Ferrelo was a pilot in the expedition of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese,
who said from Mexico in June of 1542, to explore the coast of California. When Captain
Cabrillo was taken back by exhaustion, Ferrelo took over. For some reason the cape was
named in his honor in 1869.
CAPE SEBASTIAN
Cape Sebastian. On January 20, 1603, Sebastian Vizcaino was exploring north from Acapulco
and he spotted the cape. He named it in honor of the saint of that day, San Sebastian.
CARPENTERVILLE
The area is located on the old Oregon Coast Highway about 16 miles north of Brookings. In
1921 D. W. Carpenter and his family settled at this locality and among other things
operated a small mill for fence lumber. Carpenter later moved to California and then to
Bandon, but his sons continued to run the mill. He returned to the place about the time
the highway was built and started a store and tourist cabins. A post office was
established there in 1932 and named after the family.
CHETCO RIVER
This name is derived from the name of a small Indian tribe that lived along the lower
reaches of the river. It was originally spelled Chetko or Chitko. Lucky Dick was the last
of the Chetco Indians and a post office named Chetco was established in 1863, and Augustus
Miller served as first post man, and continued to operate until 1910.
COLEBROOK BUTTE
Standing a little over 2000 feet high, this butte is located south of Port Orford about
two miles inland, just north of Euchre Creek. It was named after a settler, F. W.
Colebrook, who moved there around 1860 and lived there for about 30 years.
COLEGROVE BUTTE
Just southeast of Carpenterville, this landmark was named after Delmar Colegrove, who assumed control of the Raleigh Scott properties around the turn of the century.
COLLIER CREEK
This stream empties into the Illinois River and flows along the north side of the Craggy
Mountains. It took it's name from Cole Collier, who also gave his name to Collier's Butte,
a prominent landmark in the upper part of the creek and Collier's Bar, near the mouth of
the creek.
CORBIN
Corbin was located on Mussel Creek between Gold Beach and Port Orford, inland a ways from
the old coast highway. It was named after a man that was involved in a saw mill operation
there. A post office bearing that named survived from the turn of the century until 1910.
Richard D. Jones was the first post master.
CROOK POINT
This point is about 5 miles south of Cape San Sebastian. It was named for A. H. Crook, who
raised cattle in the large flat area near the point.
CUMTUX
Cumtux was a short lived post office near Agness, that gradually was taken over by the
Agness post office. It was established on July 29, 1895 and Henry P. Moore was the post
master, and lasted a matter of months.
CUNNIFF CREEK
This creek headwaters up 11th street in Gold Beach, crosses over to 10th and enters the
ocean southwest of the fair grounds. The creek runs through what was once the Cunniff
ranch which took in the south third of the Gold Beach area. For many years sea run
cutthroat migrated up this short creek while there was still a bridge across 101.
CURRY COUNTY
Curry County was taken from part of Coos County on December 18, 1855. It was named for
George Law Curry. In 1853 president Pierce appointed Curry as secretary of the Territory
of Oregon, and a few days later he became acting governorwhen Joseph Lane resigned. He
served as governor until Oregon became a state in 1859. It was originally decided to name
the county Tichenor County, but Tichenor declined the honor. He suggested the new county
should bear the name of the new Governor. Curry has an area of 1623 squared miles.
DANS CREEK
Located near Illahe this creek took its name from Indian Dan, a fellow that lived there in
the 1860s.
Return to index
DEAN CREEK
Dean Creek flows through Gold Beach in the gully in the middle of town. It was named for
George Dean, an early settler who served as county clerk in the 1860's. It flows through
the city park.
DENMARK
The first settlers in this area north of Port Orford, named Lorentzen were from Denmark,
hence the name. Some family members went down with the barge Majestic at Humboldt Bay, in
1892..
DULEY CREEK
Winfield S. Duley lived on this creek in the 1800's. It empties into Lone Ranch Creek
inland from Cape Ferrelo.
DUNKELBERGER BAR
Dunkelberger bar was named after R. B. Dunkelberger who, in 1946,
built a lodge 14 miles up the Rogue River, called 14 Mile House. The lodge
burned down in the fall of 1952. R. B. Dunkelberger was killed in a
hunting accident in Lakeview, Oregon in 1954. At some point folks starter
calling Walker Bar, (William Walker Creek flows through the property,)
Dunkelberger Bar, to the chagrin of some old timers. All that remains of
the lodge now is the chimney.
DWYER CREEK
This stream, named for P. F. Dwyer, flows into the South Fork of Floras Creek near Edson
Butte.
ECKLEY
Eckley was in the eastern part of the county on the old Port Orford to Myrtle Point road.
And at different times bore the names of New Castle and Tell Tale. The name that stuck
came from Eckley Guerin, son of George Guerin et ux, who was born in 1882.
Return to index
EDSON BUTTE
This butte is located about half a dozen miles east of Langlois. The butte and Edson Creek
were named after Avery J. Edson who came from New York in 1846 with the Applegate wagon
train. Edson operated the Pacific Hotel at Port Orford in 1854 and later married Christina
Geisel and operated a small store in Gold Beach. Christina survived the massacre north of
Gold Beach in 1856 only to be murdered in 1900 by Coleman Gillespie.
EKOMS
On June 20, 1899. George W. Billings was appointed to be to be the first post master at
Ekoms, located on the Rogue River, but the post office never opened. Ekoms was named by
spelling Smoke backwards. That was the same way that Ragic, a post office near Lobster
Creek, got it's name.
ELK RIVER
This empties into the ocean between Cape Blanco and Port Orford. It has been known as Elk
River since the mid 1800's and probably took its name from the many elk that roamed that
area.
EUCHRE CREEK
A band of Tutuni Indians, called Yukichetunne, or "people at the mouth of the
river", probably gave this creek a name. The early miners referred to the creek as
Euchre Creek, using the name of a popular card game. The name Euchre Creek may also come
from the Eu-Qua-Chees Indians, a sub-tribe of the Tutuni. They inhabited the area between
Frankport and Nesika Beach.
FARMER CREEK
This creek located two miles east of Carpenterville was named after Henry Farmer, a
homesteader. Henry was known for his beautiful hand made rugs and his large feet. He
passed on in Gold Beach on March 7, 1945.
Return to index
FERRY
The ferry that crossed the Chetco river was not far from the present day bridge gave it's
name to a post office established there in 1888. Sarah E. Cooley was the first post master
and the post office continued until it was absorbed by the Harbor office.
FLORAS CREEK
This stream enters the ocean north of Cape Blanco. In the summer of 1852, Lieutenant H. W.
Stanton was cut a trail from Fort Orford up Rogue River to the Rogue River Bar. The work
force was accompanied by a civilian miner named Fred Flora, who gave his name to the
creek.
FORT LAMERICK
Located in Big Meadows, this fort was named after Brigadier-General John K. Lamerick of
the Oregon troops. The fort was located in the spring of 1856 and the Indian War was ended
that summer. The fort was probably a crude affair, composed of raised logs around a place
to camp. The remains could be seen as late as 1896. Although it was short lived as a
military fort, it continued to be an important camping place, or rendezvous, along the
trail.
FORT MINER
This stockade type structure was built by miners and settlers about a mile and a half
north of the mouth of the Rogue River, not far inland, in 1855, and it was used as a
shelter during the 1856 Indian uprising. It basically consisted of two log houses
surrounded by a mounded earth. The miners and settlers built their first stockade on the
south side of Rogue River near where Gold Beach lays. Judge Michael Riley was out of town
when the stockade was built and when he came back he told the people that there was not
enough open space and for safety's sake the stockade should be located there was no cover
for approaching Indians. A sign on the old Coast road now marks the location of Fort
Miner.
FORT ORFORD
Fort Orford was established 1851, when 135 soldiers under the command of Lt. Colonel Silas
Casey, arrived from Benicia, California and occupied the fort. The soldiers built the fort
with local cedar logs and with lumber shipped from San Francisco. The Fort took it's name
from the community of Port Orford, where it was located. In addition to this military post
a civilian stockade was located southeast of the military fort. It was also called Fort
Orford. It burned in the big Port Orford fire of October 10, 1868.
FORT POINT
At the southern end of Port Orford, near the ocean, Fort Point was located just northwest
of Battle Rock. In July of 1851, Captain Tichenor's second expedition built two civilian
block houses at that location. Just two months later Fort Point was built by the military.
The fort burned up in the fire of 1868..
FOSTER CREEK
With it's headwaters near Ophir Mountain this creek flows into the Rogue River near
Illahe. The creek was named for Charles Foster who came to Port Orford about 1851 and was
a captain in the Gold Beach Guards during the Indian wars. He homesteaded near the mouth
of this creek until his death in 1883.
GARDNER RIDGE
In 1877, Johnson Gardner came to Curry County and settled near the mouth of the North Fork
Chetco River and raised a large family.
Return to index
GARRISON LAKE
Sometimes called Garrison Lagoon, Garrison Lake is located just north of Port Orford
and took it's name from, John B. Garrison, a member of the Tichenor party.
GEISEL MONUMENT
This grave site contains the remains of the John and Christina Geisel family and is
located about 7 miles north of Gold Beach, on the north side of US 101. It is a state park
and is enclosed by a white picket fence containing a granite shaft upon which is inscribed
the following words. "Sacred to the memory of John Geisel, also his three sons, John,
Henry and Andrew, who were massacred by the Indians, February 22, A.D. 1856, ages
respectively 45, 9, 7 and 5 years. Also wife and mother died September 20, 1899, age 75
years."
GOAT ISLAND
Located in the Pacif Ocean west of Brookings, Goat Island was declared a migratory bird
refuge in 1935 to protect the many kinds of birds that nest there. No one seems to know
how it got the name Goat Island.
GOLD BEACH
Originally known Ellensburg, after Captain William Tichenor's daughter Sarah Ellen, it
became Gold Beach when gold was discovered in the sands along the beaches. It is the
county seat for Curry County..
GRAVEYARD POINT
This high ground southwest of the town of Port Orford, extends southeastward into the
harbor. While the military was garrisoned at Port Orford, two soldiers were buried on this
point, and it was thereafter referred to as Graveyard Point. No other burials took place
there.
GRAY
Gray post office was in commissioned in November 1884 and closed in November 1887. Loftin
Gray was the only postmaster. The post office was situated on Gray Flat, two miles north
of Brookings
GRIZZLY MOUNTAIN
Located a couple of miles east of Gold Beach this mountain now serves as a repeater
station for transmitting radio signals. Supposedly the name Grizzly has nothing to do with
bears but was the nick name of a hunter that lived in the area and provided meat for the
miners many years ago
GROUSLOUS MOUNTAIN
John and Peter Groslouis settled near Port Orford around 1853 and gave their name to the
mountain although the "I" no longer remains.
GUERIN CREEK
This creek empties into the of North Fork Floras Creek and is named for Alexander H.
Guerin who had a homestead there. He was born in 1874, the son of William S. Guerin, a
prominent Curry County resident
GUERIN PRAIRIE
This prairie lies on the North Fork of the Sixes River. It is named for the Guerin family
who were among the first to settle the area. Charlotte Guerin was the sister of Captain
William Tichenor. She came to the country in 1876 along with two of her sons, George H.
Guerin and William S. Guerin. They all located at the town of Eckley and Charlotte was
postmaster.
HAINES CREEK
This stream flows into Sixes River from the north at the site of Eckley and is named for
John Haines who came to the in the late 1850's
Return to index
HAMILTON CREEK
This creek is located about three miles north of Brookings and got its name from Adam
Hamilton who homesteaded there in the 1880's.
HARBOR
Harbor got its name from the Chetco Harbor Land and Townsite Company. A post office was
established here on November 24, 1894.
HARE
The Hare post office came into being in 1898 in the extreme north part of the county about
several miles east of Langlois on the road to Myrtle Point. Joseph Hare, the first post
master gave the post office it's name. It remained in service until 1913.
HARRIS CREEK
George S. Harris came to the area from Scotland in 1871 and settled on a large tract of
land north of Brookings where he raised sheep and gave his name to Harris Creek and Harris
Beach State Park.
HAYWARD PEAK
This peak, located about 20 miles northwest of Kerby, was named in 1941 after Stanton B.
Hayward, a forester who worked in the Siskiyou National Forest.
HOOSKANADEN CREEK
This creek, located between Gold Beach and Brookings probably gets it's name from trying
to pronounce the name of the Wish-to-na-tan Indians who lived along the creek.
HUBBARD CREEK
Hubbard Creek empties into the ocean a mile or so south of Port Orford and is named after
Isaac Hubbard, an employee of Captain William Tichenor, who lived on a plot of land
bordering the creek.
HUMBUG MOUNTAIN
Once known as Sugarloaf Mountain, Humbug Mountain is five miles south of Port Orford. As
the story goes, William Tichenor sent a party to explore Sugarloaf Mountain, but the party
went north from Port Orford, rather than south, and the mountain got the name, Tichenor's
Humbug, which later shortened to Humbug.
HUNT ROCK
Hunt Rock was named for James M. Hunt, a gold miner who lived near the mouth of the Rogue
River in the 1850's.
HUNTER COVE
This cove is on the south end of Cape Sebastian, and was a heavy weather lay up area for
sea otter hunters who gave the island it's name. The large rock in the cove bears the name
Hunter Island for the same reason.
HUNTER'S CREEK
According to Edsel Colvin, Elizabeth Colegrove, nee Turner, was born and raised on
Hunter's Creek, She told Edsel that it was always called Hunter's creek. Edsel's father,
Frank, was born on Hunter's Creek in 1882, at what is now known as the Leith place. Frank
always called it Hunter's Creek. It continued to be called Hunter's Creek until the state
put up a sign calling it Hunter Creek.
HUNTLEY SPRING
Huntley Spring is between Fairview Meadows and Game lake in the general area of Collier's
Butte and got it's name from Nathaniel Huntley, who liked to camp there.
HURT CABIN
This cabin was located on the ridge above Collier's Creek and took it's name from E. G.
Hurt. The cabin was there and occupied by a miner and his mule in the late 1940's.
ILLAHE
This is a Chinook jargon word that means country. Illahe is located up river from Agness.
Return to index
ILLINOIS RIVER
Gold was discovered on this river by the Althouse brothers of Albany. These brothers,
Samuel, John and Phillip came to the area from Peoria, Illinois, and the river took its
name from their home state.
IRMA
This a post office was located on the old road about halfway between Gold Beach and
Harbor. The first post master, in 1895, was Clara Clark who had a daughter named Irma.
JIM HUNT CREEK
James M. Hunt lived near the mouth of the Rogue River in the mid 1800's. This creek, about
five or six miles up stream, bears his name.
Return to index
JORDAN CREEK
Robert Jordan lived near this creek east of Brookings in the 1870's.
KIMBALL HILL
Kimball Hill is a high prairie on the south side of the Rogue River about seven miles up
from the mouth. Ira Kimball and his wife Amanda, lived on the river bottom between the
hill and the river in the area of Kimball Creek.
Return to index
KLAMATH MOUNTAINS
These mountains are part of the Coast Range of Oregon and California that includes the
Siskiyous..
LAKEPORT
Lakeport, which was also known as Crittenden and Pacific City, was
located on beautiful Floras Lake three and one half miles southwest of
Langlois. Promotions and development began March first, 1910, eventually
ending up with a thriving town of 400 residents; with numerous shops and
stores. A newspaper, post office, sawmill and a three story
hotel, which featured plush carpeting, soft mattresses and down
quilts---for class! when the telephone company lines were connected the
Lakeport Improvement Company announced to the world that as soon as the canal
was opened to the ocean vast resources would be tapped. The scheme was not
to be, however, as it was discovered that a canal would simply drain Floras
Lake, due to the differences in elevation of lake and ocean. Today, not a
trace of the town remains.. About
the first part of the century some homes were built along the east side of the lake and
eventually some other buildings went up, including the Floras Lake Hotel with a player piano that was
still there until the hotel was torn down in 1967.
Return to index
LANGLOIS
This town is near Floras Creek and is named for the Langlois family, who came from Island
of Guernsey, in the English Channel, to Curry County in 1854.
LAWSON CREEK
Lawson Creek starts east of Fairview and flows into the Illinois River above Oak Flats. It
was named for a prospector.
LOBSTER CREEK
This clear, cold stream flows to the Rogue River, about 10 miles up stream. It was
probably named for the crawfish that resemble lobsters.
LONE RANCH CREEK
Lone Ranch Creek enters the Pacific Ocean north of Brookings and gets it's name from a
ranch belonging to John Cresswell. The land was later purchased by Pacific Coast Borax and
some mining was done. When the new highway was opened in 1961, the Borax company donated
part of the land to the state in 1950 and some additional land in 1960. This land later
became Samuel H. Boardman state Park.
LOOKOUT ROCK
Several miles south of Humbug Mountain, on the ocean side of US 101, Lookout Rock is easy
to find.
LUCKY CREEK
Lucky Creek is in the eastern part of Curry County and flows into Tincup Creek. In 1938 a
large fire was burning in the Tincup Creek area and a back fire was started along a creek
that helped hold the fire to 30,000 acres. That creek was named Lucky Creek by the fire
fighters..
MACK ARCH
Between Gold Beach and Brookings is a natural rock arch a mile or so off shore. The name
probably comes from William P. McArthur, who made a coast survey of the area in 1850.
Return to index
MACKLYN COVE
Elza J. Macklin picked this protected area near the mouth of Mill Creek to establish an
anchorage and it became a transfer for borax ore brought on scows from Lone ranch to ocean
vessels.
MADDEN BUTTE
In 1856 Cyrus Madden settled near this butte located north of Sixes. Cyrus was a self
taught lawyer and the story is told that he once wrote a writ of Habeas Corpus and secured
his own release from jail.
MCVAY ROCK
This rock, located south of Brookings on the west side of US 101 is where William R. McVay
settled when he came to Curry County in 1861.
MOORE "BULLHIDE"
A pioneer businessman, citizen and father, who got his name from buying bull hides.
Click here.
MORTON BUTTE
This butte is located 5 or 6 miles north of Brookings and was the home of William Morton
in the early part of the century.
MOUNT AVERY
Named after Frederick S. Avery, who had a homestead near the mount, this mountain is
located near the headwaters of Sixes River.
MOUNT BILLINGSLEA
James L. Billingslea worked for the US Forest Service. He died in 1939 and this mount is a
tribute to his memory.
MOUNT EMILY
The Indians called this mount Emney. During World War Two the area was bombed in 1941 and
again in 1942. Neither attack caused any damage to speak of.
MULE CREEK
In the summer of 1852, a company of soldiers was opening trails along the Rogue River in
the northeast corner of Curry County. One of the officers in the party had a mule named
John that wandered off and was later found at Siletz. The name was shortened from John
Mule Creek to just Mule Creek.
MYERS CREEK
Myers Creek flows into the Pacific Ocean just south of Cape Sebastian and is favorite pull
out spot for travelers to walk the easy to reach beach. A man named Myers had a cabin in
the area in the 1850's and did some mining on the beach. An old cabin stood about half a
mile up stream from the mouth but it gradually succumbed to age.
NELLIES COVE
South of Port Orford this cove was named after William Tichenor's daughter Ellen, whose
nick name was Nellie. Ellen arrived in Port Orford in the early 1850's and spent her youth
there.
Return to index
NORTH FORK OF THE SMITH RIVER
Smith River is a California river that swings into Oregon. It was discovered by Jedediah
Smith who gave it his name. Sourdough camp is located on this river and can be accessed
from the road that goes from Smith River, California to O'Brien, Oregon.
OPHIR
According to the bible, Ophir was a land famous for it's fine gold. A post office was
established there in 1891 and operated into the late 1980's.
Return to index
PALMER BUTTE
D. M. Palmer homesteaded on the side of this slope in the late 1800's. It is located about
five miles northeast of Brookings.
Return to index
PATRICK CREEK
This creek flows into the Pacific Ocean north of Brookings and heads near Carpenterville.
It was named during the relocation of US 101 in the 1950's. A lady named Patrick lived on
property near the creek.
PEARSE PEAK
Charles H. Pearse, who worked for a time as lighthouse keeper at Cape Blanco, took up a
homestead on the west slope of this peak.
PISTOL RIVER
This river, located between Gold Beach and Brookings, has been known as Pistol River ever
since James Mace lost his pistol in the water in the 1850's.
PORT ORFORD
While exploring in the late 1700's, Captain George Vancouver observed what is now Cape
Blanco and he named it Cape Orford, honoring the Earl of Orford, a friend. The town built
not too far away took the same name.
PURDIN, RUBY MORGAN
Curry County pioneer, 1898 to 1998. For a short biography on Ruby Purdin, click here.
QUAIL CREEK
Peter Quail searched for gold along this stream that empties into the Rogue River.
Return to index
QUOSANTANA CREEK
About 14 miles up the Rogue River is Quosatana Creek, named after the Indian word for
beautiful stream, quosaten.
RANSOM CREEK
Hiram C. Ransom lived near the mouth of this creek that empties into Bravo Creek in the
Palmer Butte area.
Return to index
REINHART CREEK
This creek, located between Gold Beach and Port Orford, takes it's name from Herman and
Charles Reinhart who lived in the area in the 1850's.
RETZ CREEK
William Rhetz, a county commissioner in the 1870's, lived near this creek. For some reason
the highway department decided to drop the h from his name.
RILEY CREEK
The north fork and south fork of Riley Creek meet near the Riley Creek School to form
Riley Creek which then heads west past the High School to the Pacific Ocean. The creek was
named for Judge Michael Riley, who in the 1850's was one of three major property owners in
Gold Beach. Dennis Cunniff owned the south end of town, Judge Riley the middle and Alf
Gauntlett the north end, including the flat near the river where most of the town was
located. Judge Riley was county judge and also served in the state legislature.
ROGUE RIVER
Starting at Boundary Springs near the northern border of Crater Lake National Park, the
Rogue River flows in the Pacific Ocean at Gold Beach. The river probably gets it's name
from the French name for the troublesome Indians along the river, Les Coquins, or the
rogues.
SALLAL SPRINGS
Sallal is an Indian name for the fruit of the Gaultheria Shallon, called the Sallal bush
and Sallal berry.
Return to index
SAUNDERS CREEK
John Saunders and Hastings settled on this creek in the 1860's and built a grist mill and
a saw mill. The creek is about four miles upstream from Gold Beach, at the south end of
Jerry's Flat.
SCOTT CREEK
In the 1880's Raleigh Scott settled on this creek east of Carpenterville and operated a
small trading post.
SEAFORTH
Robert McKenzie was the first post master in Seaforth in 1890. The Earl of Seaforth, in
Scotland was supposedly a close family friend of the McKenzies and lent his name to area
near the mouth of Elk River.
SHASTA COSTA CREEK
A sub tribe of the Tutuni Indians, called the Shas-te-koos-tees, lived in the area of this
creek that flows into the Rogue River above Agness.
SHY CREEK
This creek, just north of Brookings, crossed through the land of Henry Shigh, who was
known to some people as Henry Shy.
SIGNAL BUTTES
These prominent buttes are located east of Gold Beach and consists of several huge rocks.
SILVER BUTTE
Silver Butte is north of Port Orford and on the east side of US 101. A prospector, trying
to sell his claim, salted the area with silver, and while he did not succeed in fooling
anyone he did name the butte.
SIXES RIVER
Sixes River is located north of Port Orford and is a well know fishing stream. The river
might have gotten it's name from the Indian word for friend, sikhs, from the name of a
local tribe of Indians called Sik-ses-tene, or northern Indians.
SKINNER'S CAMP
Skinners Camp is located a short distance west of Game Lake next to the main
access road. It always has been a primitive camp with good spring water that is
available all year round. Right across the road to the north of Skinners Camp is the
trail that leads down and across Lawson Creek and on to Seven Mile Camp. The trail
is in good shape and easy to follow.
SKOOKUMHOUSE BUTTE
The Indian word for strong is Skookum, and the Indians in this area, about half way to
Agness on the Rogue River, built a stockade on the south bank of the Rogue, but it wasn't
strong enough and the white men ran them off.
SOLDIER CAMP MOUNTAIN
This is a large prairie area about ten miles or so east of Gold Beach on the north side of
the Rogue River. During the Indian war of 1856, some military personnel camped there.
TICHENOR ROCK
Located southwest of Port Orford, this landmark was named after William Tichenor, who
founded the town of Port Orford, Oregon in 1851. Although he died in San Francisco on July
28, 1887, he was buried in the family cemetery in Port Orford.
Return to index
TOM EAST CREEK
Tom East was a miner in Josephine County in 1855 and lived in southwest Oregon until his
death on July 14, 1897.
TRIANGLE
From 1914 to 1916 there was a post office located on the old road between Langlois and
Myrtle Point called Triangle. The main occupation in the area was the Triangle Ranch that
used a triangle as a brand.
WAKE UP RILEA CREEK
George Rilea was a school teacher and post master in Agness that liked to stay up late and
listen to his crystal radio. This caused him to oversleep and make his customers bang on
his door and say, "Wake up, Rilea." The stream flows into the Rogue River below
Agness. Another story tells of a man named Mike Riley that grub staked a miner that found
some iron pyrites that he thought was gold. He went to his benefactor and pounded on the
door, yelling, "Wake up Riley, we're rich."
Return to index
WATERS CREEK
Located near Agness, this creek gets it's name from George M. Water who lived there around
1900.
WEDDERBURN
Across the Rogue River from Gold Beach is the small community of Wedderburn, which was
established by R. D. Hume, a local businessman. Hume named the community for an ancestral
home in Scotland. The name comes from a combination of wether, a sheep and burn, a stream.
WHALESHEAD ISLAND
Several miles north of Brookings, a rock sits a short distance out in the ocean from the
mouth of Whaleshead Creek and Whaleshead Park. The rock has a hole in it that causes a
spray to come out of the top when water conditions are right, resembling a spouting whale.
WHEELER CREEK
This creek flows into East Fork Winchuck River, several miles upstream from the ocean. It
was named for James P. Wheeler who lived and died there in the late 1800's. His grave is
about 8 miles up the Winchuck River road and is well marked on the south side of the road.
The high ground on the south side of the creek was the area bombed by the Japanese in
September of 1942. Howard Gardiner was on the Mt. Emily lookout when the plane came into
the area. He later said he could have shot the pilot if he'd had his rifle, the plane was
so low and going so slow. Howard was honored in Portland for his service and went to
Portland for a ceremony and to speak on the bombing. He got into a fight the night before
the ceremony and got a big black eye and blood all over the only white shirt he had. He
was honored but they scrapped his speech.
WILSON PRAIRIE
In an area near Bravo Creek is a good sized prairie homesteaded by George Wilson in the
late 1800's.
WINCHUCK RIVER
There were several theories of how this stream got its name. It is quite possible that the
chinook jargon "wind chuck", meaning windy water, played a part. Another
suggestion is that "winchuck" was the local Indian name for woman. Take your
pick.
WINKLE BAR
William Winkle was a prospector who sold his mining claim on the Rogue River to Zane Grey.
Grey built a cabin that still stands and is preserved inside and out in it's original
condition. In 1962 the property sold to Walter Haas, owner of Levi Strauss. He built a
nice house there and was responsible for preserving the original cabin and a boat used by
Grey.
ZWAGG ISLAND
Folker Von Der Zwagg lived with his dog Sniff on this island offshore from Brookings, in
the late 1800's.
Return to index
Questions, comments, additions or corrections - Contact Bill Wallace at fiveo@bg.wave.net