Culp Creek, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Culp Creek is an unincorporated community
in Lane County
, Oregon
, United States
, southeast of Cottage Grove
on the Row River
. It lies on Row River Road between Dorena
and Disston
.
is located 961 feet (292.9 m) above sea-level in the foothills of the Cascade Range
. The community is located where the Row River receives the stream that shares its name with the community. Hawley Butte lies just north of Culp Creek and stands 2992 feet (912 m) tall.
John Culp just before 1900. A logging camp was established in the area and named Culp Creek Camp, so when a new post office was set up in 1925, it was named Culp Creek after the camp.
The community's economy was long driven by the logging
industry, including the Bohemia, Inc. sawmill
just across the river that ran from 1959 until about 1990. Bohemia was headquartered in Culp Creek until it was bought by Willamette Industries in 1991. At one time, there were over 20 mills along the Row River. The Oregon, Pacific and Eastern Railway
(OP&E) line was built through Culp Creek in the early 1900s to ship ore, timber, supplies and passengers. Today the former OP&E line has been converted into a rail trail
that opened in 1997, the Row River National Recreation Trail
, which ends just past Culp Creek. Culp Creek's only store closed shortly after the closure of the mill.
In 1926, Buster Keaton
filmed the climax of the silent film The General
on the OP&E line near Culp Creek. Keaton spent $40,000 to build a temporary trestle
over the Row River. During the scene, the bridge was set on fire and collapsed just as a locomotive
passed over it. The remains of the bridge and locomotive were left in the river for 15 years, until they were removed in 1941 for scrap
metal.
Culp Creek's post office was closed in 2009,and the community is now served from the Dorena office.
located in Culp Creek. Childs Way is a public charter school
serving 35 students in grades six
through twelve
. Culp Creek Elementary School was consolidated with a school in Dorena in 1989 and closed, with the buildings becoming home to the charter school in 1994.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Lane County
Lane County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge *Siuslaw National Forest *Umpqua National Forest *Willamette National Forest -Government:...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, southeast of Cottage Grove
Cottage Grove, Oregon
Cottage Grove is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. It received its name from its first postmaster, G. C. Pierce, in September 1861. Pierce's home at the time was in an oak grove. The population was 9,686 at the 2010 census.-History:...
on the Row River
Row River
The Row River is a river, approximately long, in Lane County, Oregon, United States. It rises in the Cascade Range and flows into the Coast Fork Willamette River near Cottage Grove. The stream was originally known as the "East Fork Coast Fork", but was later renamed after a dispute between...
. It lies on Row River Road between Dorena
Dorena, Oregon
Dorena is an unincorporated community in Lane County, Oregon, United States. It is located southeast of Cottage Grove on the Row River, a tributary of the Coast Fork Willamette River.-History:...
and Disston
Disston, Oregon
Disston is an unincorporated community in Lane County, Oregon, United States, southeast of Cottage Grove where Brice Creek and Layng Creek join to form the Row River. It is about a mile west of the Umpqua National Forest....
.
Geography
This populated placePopulated place
A populated place is a place or area with clustered or scattered buildings and a permanent human population referenced with geographic coordinates...
is located 961 feet (292.9 m) above sea-level in the foothills of the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
. The community is located where the Row River receives the stream that shares its name with the community. Hawley Butte lies just north of Culp Creek and stands 2992 feet (912 m) tall.
History
Culp Creek is a tributary stream of the Row River, and was named for settlerAmerican pioneer
American pioneers are any of the people in American history who migrated west to join in settling and developing new areas. The term especially refers to those who were going to settle any territory which had previously not been settled or developed by European or American society, although the...
John Culp just before 1900. A logging camp was established in the area and named Culp Creek Camp, so when a new post office was set up in 1925, it was named Culp Creek after the camp.
The community's economy was long driven by the logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
industry, including the Bohemia, Inc. sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
just across the river that ran from 1959 until about 1990. Bohemia was headquartered in Culp Creek until it was bought by Willamette Industries in 1991. At one time, there were over 20 mills along the Row River. The Oregon, Pacific and Eastern Railway
Oregon, Pacific and Eastern Railway
The Oregon, Pacific and Eastern Railway is a short line railroad that began in 1904 as the Oregon and Southeastern Railroad . The line ran between the towns of Cottage Grove and Wildwood. The Oregon, Pacific & Eastern Railway Company incorporated in 1912, and purchased the physical assets of the...
(OP&E) line was built through Culp Creek in the early 1900s to ship ore, timber, supplies and passengers. Today the former OP&E line has been converted into a rail trail
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
that opened in 1997, the Row River National Recreation Trail
Row River National Recreation Trail
Row River National Recreation Trail is a rails to trails conversion in the U.S. state of Oregon. It follows the Row River for between Cottage Grove and Dorena Lake, and provides access to many forest trails of Umpqua National Forest....
, which ends just past Culp Creek. Culp Creek's only store closed shortly after the closure of the mill.
In 1926, Buster Keaton
Buster Keaton
Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton was an American comic actor, filmmaker, producer and writer. He was best known for his silent films, in which his trademark was physical comedy with a consistently stoic, deadpan expression, earning him the nickname "The Great Stone Face".Keaton was recognized as the...
filmed the climax of the silent film The General
The General (1927 film)
The General is a 1926 American silent comedy film released by United Artists inspired by the Great Locomotive Chase, which happened in 1862. Buster Keaton starred in the film and co-directed it with Clyde Bruckman...
on the OP&E line near Culp Creek. Keaton spent $40,000 to build a temporary trestle
Trestle
A trestle is a rigid frame used as a support, especially referring to a bridge composed of a number of short spans supported by such frames. In the context of trestle bridges, each supporting frame is generally referred to as a bent...
over the Row River. During the scene, the bridge was set on fire and collapsed just as a locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
passed over it. The remains of the bridge and locomotive were left in the river for 15 years, until they were removed in 1941 for scrap
Scrap
Scrap is a term used to describe recyclable and other materials left over from every manner of product consumption, such as parts of vehicles, building supplies, and surplus materials. Unlike waste, scrap has significant monetary value...
metal.
Culp Creek's post office was closed in 2009,and the community is now served from the Dorena office.
Education
The area is served by the South Lane School District, which includes the Childs Way Charter SchoolChilds Way Charter School
Childs Way Charter School is a charter school in Culp Creek, Oregon, United States.-Academics:In 2008, 100% of the school's seniors received their high school diploma. Of 3 students, 3 graduated and 0 dropped out....
located in Culp Creek. Childs Way is a public charter school
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
serving 35 students in grades six
Sixth grade
Sixth grade is a year of education in the United States and some other nations. The sixth grade is the sixth school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 11 – 12 years old...
through twelve
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
. Culp Creek Elementary School was consolidated with a school in Dorena in 1989 and closed, with the buildings becoming home to the charter school in 1994.
Further reading
- Hunter, Wally. The Bohemia Story. Culp Creek, Oregon: Bohemia Lumber Co., 1969.
External links
- Historic images of Culp Creek from Salem Public Library