Placer, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Placer is an unincorporated
community in Josephine County, Oregon
, United States on Grave Creek
a few miles east of Interstate 5
. Established during the local gold mining
boom, it is considered a ghost town
.
ted in 1898 by pioneer landowner L. M. Browning, who had arrived in the area in 1870. Tom East was an early southwest Oregon miner, who came to the U.S. from England as a young man. He was mining in Josephine County by 1855, and at least three Tom East Creeks and one East Creek were named for him. In the 1870s, he prospected and mined along the Rogue River
, eventually settling on Brushy Bar near the future site of the community of Marial
, where he lived until his death in 1897.
The first post office at this locale was applied for in 1893 with the name Tom East, but the Post Office Department
changed the name to "Placer". Placer was named for the placer mines
in the area. Placer post office ran from 1894 to 1924, with mail then going to Leland
.
Placer was established as a supply center for the Tom East and Upper Grave Creek mines and was on the stagecoach
line between New Leland and the Greenback Mine. In its heyday, Placer had two large hotels, two large mercantiles and three saloons—the only ones on Upper Grave Creek—as well as other small businesses, including a newspaper edited by Nellie Anderson. Placer grew rapidly with the development of the Columbia placer mine and the Greenback quartz mine, which was the richest mine in Oregon by feet of tunnel mined.
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...
community in Josephine County, Oregon
Josephine County, Oregon
Josephine County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. According to Oregon Geographic Names, the county is probably named after a stream in the area called Josephine Creek, which in turn is probably named after Virginia Josephine Rollins Ort. In 2010, its population was 82,713...
, United States on Grave Creek
Grave Creek (Oregon)
Grave Creek is a tributary, about long, of the Rogue River in southwestern Oregon in the United States. The creek begins near Cedar Springs Mountain just north of the Douglas County – Jackson County border and flows generally southwest through Jackson County and Josephine County to its...
a few miles east of Interstate 5
Interstate 5 in Oregon
In the U.S. state of Oregon, Interstate 5 traverses the state from north to south, passing through the major cities of Portland, Salem, Eugene, and Medford.-Route description:...
. Established during the local gold mining
Gold mining
Gold mining is the removal of gold from the ground. There are several techniques and processes by which gold may be extracted from the earth.-History:...
boom, it is considered a ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
.
History
Placer was unofficially established in 1885 as "Tom East" and platPlat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
ted in 1898 by pioneer landowner L. M. Browning, who had arrived in the area in 1870. Tom East was an early southwest Oregon miner, who came to the U.S. from England as a young man. He was mining in Josephine County by 1855, and at least three Tom East Creeks and one East Creek were named for him. In the 1870s, he prospected and mined along the Rogue River
Rogue River (Oregon)
The Rogue River in southwestern Oregon in the United States flows about in a generally westward direction from the Cascade Range to the Pacific Ocean. Known for its salmon runs, whitewater rafting, and rugged scenery, it was one of the original eight rivers named in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act...
, eventually settling on Brushy Bar near the future site of the community of Marial
Marial, Oregon
Marial is an unincorporated community and the site of a former post office in Curry County, Oregon, United States. Located along the Rogue River about from its mouth on the Pacific Ocean, the area was home to Takelma Indians, then to white and Karok settlers, before becoming part of a designated...
, where he lived until his death in 1897.
The first post office at this locale was applied for in 1893 with the name Tom East, but the Post Office Department
United States Post Office Department
The Post Office Department was the name of the United States Postal Service when it was a Cabinet department. It was headed by the Postmaster General....
changed the name to "Placer". Placer was named for the placer mines
Placer mining
Placer mining is the mining of alluvial deposits for minerals. This may be done by open-pit or by various surface excavating equipment or tunneling equipment....
in the area. Placer post office ran from 1894 to 1924, with mail then going to Leland
Leland, Oregon
Leland is an unincorporated community in Josephine County, Oregon, United States. A post office was established in 1855 and McDonough Harkness was its first postmaster. A railroad was also built in the area and the station of Altamont, with a post office founded by Ben Parker that operated from...
.
Placer was established as a supply center for the Tom East and Upper Grave Creek mines and was on the stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
line between New Leland and the Greenback Mine. In its heyday, Placer had two large hotels, two large mercantiles and three saloons—the only ones on Upper Grave Creek—as well as other small businesses, including a newspaper edited by Nellie Anderson. Placer grew rapidly with the development of the Columbia placer mine and the Greenback quartz mine, which was the richest mine in Oregon by feet of tunnel mined.
See also
- Golden, OregonGolden, OregonGolden is an abandoned mining town located on Coyote Creek in Josephine County, Oregon, United States.-History:Coyote Creek was first settled by white people in the late 1840s when gold was discovered. However, most of the settlers left when gold was found in the nearby Salmon River in 1850. Soon,...
, another mining ghost town in Josephine County - List of ghost towns in Oregon