Rogue River Ranch
Encyclopedia
The Rogue River Ranch is a pioneer farm complex in Curry County
in southwest Oregon
, United States
. The ranch is located on the north shore of the Rogue River
just outside the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
. The original ranch buildings were constructed by George Billings. Later, the ranch was sold to Stanley Anderson, who increased the size of the property and built additional farm buildings. The Bureau of Land Management
bought the ranch in 1970. Today, the main ranch house is a museum
. The Bureau of Land Management also maintains a campground on the property. The Rogue River Ranch is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
occupied the area around the Rogue River Ranch for over 9,000 years. Ancient Takelma
speaking people were the first to make their home in Rogue River valley. Later, Athabascan speaking people migrated into the area. While their languages were different, both groups shared a common way of life based on fishing, hunting, and gathering. For thousands of years, the site that is now the Rogue River Ranch was a seasonal camp. However, it appears likely a permanent village was eventually established at the site. The Native American way of life along the Rogue River came to an end in 1856 when the native people were removed to reservations in northern Oregon.
In 1887, Tom Billings filed an official homestead claim on the north shore of the Rogue River at the mouth of Mule Creek. The following year, Tom transferred the claim to his older brother, George. In 1894, Tom and his wife, Anna, had their first child, a daughter named Marial. The settlement at Mule Creek was named Marial, after their daughter.
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In 1903, George Billings constructed a large 2-story house and established the Billings Trading Company at Marial. Billings also ran a boarding house for travelers and local miners. Over time, the trading post
became the center of commercial and social life for residents of Marial, who eventually number around 100 people. In 1907, Billings sold his property on the west side of Mule Creek, an area called Douglas Bar, to the Red River Mining and Milling Company. The next year, Billings built a barn
on his remaining property. The building eventually became known as the tabernacle. Billings hosted dances and church services in the tabernacle. The Red River Mining Company closed in 1912, and Billings re-acquired the property on the west side of the creek. In 1931, Billings sold his 70 acres (283,280.2 m²) ranch to Stanley Anderson for $5,000.
The Anderson later purchased 130 acre (0.5260918 km²) across the river from the ranch. In the years following the purchase of the ranch, the Anderson family expanded the main house and built a caretaker’s house, bunkhouse
, blacksmith
shop, tackhouse
, woodshed, storage shed, and chicken coop
. The Andersons also tore down most of the old mining buildings at Douglas Bar. The Marial post office, which had been open since in 1903, was closed in 1954. In 1956, Anderson painted the main house a distinctive red, a color it still retains. In 1970, the Anderson family sold their 200 acre (0.809372 km²) ranch to the United States Government under the National Wild and Scenic Rivers program, and the Bureau of Land Management was given responsibility for managing the property.
The Bureau of Land Management established the Rogue River Ranch National Historic Site and converted the main house into a museum. The museum has displays on Native American history, the local mining era, the Billings homestead period, and the development of the Anderson family farm. The Rogue River Ranch museum is open to visits from May to October.
The Rogue River Ranch offers visitors the opportunity to experience the rich heritage of the Rogue River canyon area. Because the ranch played an important role in the commercial and social development of the local area, the Rogue River Ranch was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on 29 December 1975. This historic ranch covers 700 acres (2.8 km²). There are four historic buildings on the property plus six non-contributing structures.
The main house was built in 1903. It sits on a gentle slope facing Mule Creek. The house is a two-story, wood–frame structure. The lumber for the house was all cut by hand from Ponderosa pine
logs cut on the site. The siding was smoothed with hand planes down to one quarter inch in thickness. The window glass was shipped overland from Portland
, but the window frames were handmade at the ranch. The main house does not have a fireplace. It is heated by a wood-burning stove in the living room.
The other ranch buildings are also wood-frame structures with wood-lap siding. The Bureau of Land Management renovated the Tackhouse in 2008. The project replaced badly rotted framing members that had made the entire structure unsound.
The Rogue River Ranch is 45 miles (72.4 km) northwest of Galice, Oregon
; 42 miles (67.6 km) south west of Glendale, Oregon
; 24 miles (38.6 km) southeast of Powers, Oregon
; and 23 miles (37 km) northeast of the small unincorporated community of Agness, Oregon
. It take at least two hours to reach the ranch from any of these starting points. There are no gas stations along the route, so visitor driving to the ranch should depart with a full tank of gas. The nearest city is Grants Pass, Oregon
, which is 75 miles (120.7 km) from the ranch by way of Galice or Glendale.
The ranch can also be reached by boating down the Rogue River or by hiking the Rogue River canyon trail. The ranch is 22 river miles from Grave Creek Bridge (which is 8 miles (12.9 km) north of Galice), or 23 miles (37 km) along the canyon trail. Most people make the float trip in two days. The canyon hike from Grave Creek usually takes three days.
Because the Rogue River Ranch is a popular stopping point for boater floating down the Rogue River and hikers trekking the Rogue River canyon trail, the Bureau of Land Management maintains a campground at the mouth of Mule Creek. The campground has a several primitive camp sites with public toilet available nearby. Drinking water is available at an outside spigot near the caretaker’s house. The Bureau of Land Management does not charge a fee for camping at the ranch; however, campers must coordinate their stay with the ranch caretaker.
Curry County, Oregon
Curry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. In 2010, its population was 22,364. The county is named for George Law Curry, a governor of the Oregon Territory. The seat of the county is Gold Beach.-Economy:...
in southwest 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...
. The ranch is located on the north shore of 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...
just outside the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
The Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest is a United States National Forest located on both sides of the border between the states of Oregon and California. The formerly separate Rogue River and Siskiyou National Forests were administratively combined in 2004...
. The original ranch buildings were constructed by George Billings. Later, the ranch was sold to Stanley Anderson, who increased the size of the property and built additional farm buildings. The Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
bought the ranch in 1970. Today, the main ranch house is a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
. The Bureau of Land Management also maintains a campground on the property. The Rogue River Ranch is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
History
Archeological evidence shows that Native AmericansNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
occupied the area around the Rogue River Ranch for over 9,000 years. Ancient Takelma
Takelma
The Takelma were a Native American people that lived in the Rogue Valley of interior southwest Oregon, with most of their villages sited along the Rogue River. The name Takelma means Along the River.-History:...
speaking people were the first to make their home in Rogue River valley. Later, Athabascan speaking people migrated into the area. While their languages were different, both groups shared a common way of life based on fishing, hunting, and gathering. For thousands of years, the site that is now the Rogue River Ranch was a seasonal camp. However, it appears likely a permanent village was eventually established at the site. The Native American way of life along the Rogue River came to an end in 1856 when the native people were removed to reservations in northern Oregon.
In 1887, Tom Billings filed an official homestead claim on the north shore of the Rogue River at the mouth of Mule Creek. The following year, Tom transferred the claim to his older brother, George. In 1894, Tom and his wife, Anna, had their first child, a daughter named Marial. The settlement at Mule Creek was named Marial, after their daughter.
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
became the center of commercial and social life for residents of Marial, who eventually number around 100 people. In 1907, Billings sold his property on the west side of Mule Creek, an area called Douglas Bar, to the Red River Mining and Milling Company. The next year, Billings built a barn
Barn
A barn is an agricultural building used for storage and as a covered workplace. It may sometimes be used to house livestock or to store farming vehicles and equipment...
on his remaining property. The building eventually became known as the tabernacle. Billings hosted dances and church services in the tabernacle. The Red River Mining Company closed in 1912, and Billings re-acquired the property on the west side of the creek. In 1931, Billings sold his 70 acres (283,280.2 m²) ranch to Stanley Anderson for $5,000.
Bunkhouse
A bunkhouse is a hostel or barracks-like building that historically was used to house working cowboys on ranches in North America. As most cowboys were young single men, the standard bunkhouse was a large open room with narrow beds or cots for each individual and little privacy...
, blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
shop, tackhouse
Horse tack
Tack is a term used to describe any of the various equipment and accessories worn by horses in the course of their use as domesticated animals. Saddles, stirrups, bridles, halters, reins, bits, harnesses, martingales, and breastplates are all forms of horse tack...
, woodshed, storage shed, and chicken coop
Chicken coop
A chicken coop is a building where female chickens are kept. Inside there are often nest boxes for egg laying and perches on which the birds can sleep, although coops for meat birds seldom have either of these features....
. The Andersons also tore down most of the old mining buildings at Douglas Bar. The Marial post office, which had been open since in 1903, was closed in 1954. In 1956, Anderson painted the main house a distinctive red, a color it still retains. In 1970, the Anderson family sold their 200 acre (0.809372 km²) ranch to the United States Government under the National Wild and Scenic Rivers program, and the Bureau of Land Management was given responsibility for managing the property.
The Bureau of Land Management established the Rogue River Ranch National Historic Site and converted the main house into a museum. The museum has displays on Native American history, the local mining era, the Billings homestead period, and the development of the Anderson family farm. The Rogue River Ranch museum is open to visits from May to October.
The Rogue River Ranch offers visitors the opportunity to experience the rich heritage of the Rogue River canyon area. Because the ranch played an important role in the commercial and social development of the local area, the Rogue River Ranch was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on 29 December 1975. This historic ranch covers 700 acres (2.8 km²). There are four historic buildings on the property plus six non-contributing structures.
Structures
There are four ranch buildings open to the public. They are the tackhouse, the blacksmith shop, the tabernacle, and the main house museum. There is also a caretaker’s house, a large barn, and several minor farm buildings that are not open to the public.The main house was built in 1903. It sits on a gentle slope facing Mule Creek. The house is a two-story, wood–frame structure. The lumber for the house was all cut by hand from Ponderosa pine
Ponderosa Pine
Pinus ponderosa, commonly known as the Ponderosa Pine, Bull Pine, Blackjack Pine, or Western Yellow Pine, is a widespread and variable pine native to western North America. It was first described by David Douglas in 1826, from eastern Washington near present-day Spokane...
logs cut on the site. The siding was smoothed with hand planes down to one quarter inch in thickness. The window glass was shipped overland from Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, but the window frames were handmade at the ranch. The main house does not have a fireplace. It is heated by a wood-burning stove in the living room.
The other ranch buildings are also wood-frame structures with wood-lap siding. The Bureau of Land Management renovated the Tackhouse in 2008. The project replaced badly rotted framing members that had made the entire structure unsound.
Location
Rogue River Ranch National Historic Site is located in the Rogue River canyon in southern Oregon. The ranch is at the mouth of Mule Creek on the north shore of the Rogue River at an elevation of approximately 420 feet (128 m) above sea level. It is an isolated property, surrounded by the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. The ranch is a major stop over point along the wild section of the Rogue River, which has been officially designated a National Wild and Scenic River.The Rogue River Ranch is 45 miles (72.4 km) northwest of Galice, Oregon
Galice, Oregon
Galice is an unincorporated community in Josephine County in Southern Oregon, United States.-History:Galice was officially settled in 1852 as a mining community, deriving its name from one of its founders, Louis Galice. It was at first called Galiceburg, and located on Galice Creek upstream from...
; 42 miles (67.6 km) south west of Glendale, Oregon
Glendale, Oregon
Glendale is a city in Douglas County, Oregon, United States. The population was 855 at the 2000 census.-History:Glendale started out as a small settlement called "Stumptown", because of an economy based on logging. After the arrival of the railroad in 1881, the town was named "Julia" in honor of...
; 24 miles (38.6 km) southeast of Powers, Oregon
Powers, Oregon
Powers is a city in Coos County, Oregon, United States. The population was 689 at the 2010 census.It is 21 miles south of Oregon Route 42 at Myrtle Point on Powers Highway Powers is a city in Coos County, Oregon, United States. The population was 689 at the 2010 census.It is 21 miles south of...
; and 23 miles (37 km) northeast of the small unincorporated community of Agness, Oregon
Agness, Oregon
Agness is an unincorporated community in Curry County, Oregon, United States. It is located near the confluence of two Wild and Scenic rivers—the Lower Rogue and the Illinois. Agness post office was established October 16, 1897. It was named after Agnes, the daughter of the first postmaster, and...
. It take at least two hours to reach the ranch from any of these starting points. There are no gas stations along the route, so visitor driving to the ranch should depart with a full tank of gas. The nearest city is Grants Pass, Oregon
Grants Pass, Oregon
-Rogue River:The Rogue River runs through Grants Pass.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 23,003 people, 9,376 households, and 5,925 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 9,885 housing units at an average density of 1,303.3 per square mile . By 2008,...
, which is 75 miles (120.7 km) from the ranch by way of Galice or Glendale.
The ranch can also be reached by boating down the Rogue River or by hiking the Rogue River canyon trail. The ranch is 22 river miles from Grave Creek Bridge (which is 8 miles (12.9 km) north of Galice), or 23 miles (37 km) along the canyon trail. Most people make the float trip in two days. The canyon hike from Grave Creek usually takes three days.
Because the Rogue River Ranch is a popular stopping point for boater floating down the Rogue River and hikers trekking the Rogue River canyon trail, the Bureau of Land Management maintains a campground at the mouth of Mule Creek. The campground has a several primitive camp sites with public toilet available nearby. Drinking water is available at an outside spigot near the caretaker’s house. The Bureau of Land Management does not charge a fee for camping at the ranch; however, campers must coordinate their stay with the ranch caretaker.