Rice Hill is an unincorporated

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 Douglas County

Douglas County, Oregon

-National protected areas:* Crater Lake National Park * Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest * Siuslaw National Forest * Umpqua National Forest * Willamette National Forest -Adjacent counties:* Lane County, Oregon -...

, 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. It is located about 10 miles north of Oakland

Oakland, Oregon

Oakland is a city in Douglas County, Oregon, United States located two miles from Interstate 5. The population was 954 at the 2000 census.-History:...

 on 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:...

.

Rice Hill is a summit that divides the watersheds of Elk Creek and the Umpqua River

Umpqua River

The Umpqua River on the Pacific coast of Oregon in the United States is approximately long. One of the principal rivers of the Oregon Coast and known for bass and shad, the river drains an expansive network of valleys in the mountains west of the Cascade Range and south of the Willamette Valley,...

. It was named either for Isadore F. Rice, who settled in the area in the 1850s, or for William S. Rice, who had a Donation Land Claim

Donation Land Claim Act

The Donation Land Claim Act of 1850 was a statute enacted by the United States Congress intended to promote homestead settlement in the Oregon Territory in the Pacific Northwest...

 at the north end of Rice Valley at about the same time. The two-mile long valley

Valley

In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...

 stretches south from the community of Rice Hill. Southern Pacific Railroad (today Union Pacific

Union Pacific Railroad

The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....

) has a station on its Siskiyou Line at the summit named Rice Hill. Rice Hill post office was established in 1892, and soon renamed Ricehill. The office closed in 1908. The steep grade of Rice Hill, elevation 710 feet, was an obstacle for pioneer

American 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...

 travelers and it also created problems for the construction of the railroad, as it rises 325 feet in 3 miles.

Rice Hill has complete tourist facilities, including a truck stop

Truck stop

A truck stop is a commercial facility predicated on providing fuel, parking, and often food and other services to motorists and truck drivers...

, motels, and restaurants. It is has long been a popular spot to stop for ice cream.

External links

• Images of Rice Hill from Flickr