Douglas
County Places
The intention here is to make a long comprehensive
list of places in Douglas County. Please add to the list and add imput on
the descriptions. It will take a while to achieve an inclusive list. Historians
and genealogists need to know old names and once existing place names and
the incidents that occurred there. Lewis A.McArthur's Oregon
Geographic Names, 4th ed. (1974), published by the Oregon Historical
Soc., Portland, has been referred to extensively. Other references are Ellnora
Young's: Cemeteries of Douglas Co. Interview with Ron Agee, and Greg
Orton's: Rock Climbing Southwest Oregon. New: Dr. Robert Casebeer's contribution from his 40 years of collecting Douglas County
place names for a forthcoming Gazetteer.
Azalea -
Small community in the southern part of the county just off of I5.
Acker Rock Lookout int he Tiller Ranger District of the Umpqua Nat. Forest.
Arrow Rock in the Callahans: 43d 15' 90" N, 123d 34' 27.4"
W.
Bear Creek - Drains the area above Fish Creek Valley and joins Clearwater
near the North Umpqua Highway. Bear have been known to frequent this area
and Fish Creek Desert.
Big Camas Ranger Station - The headquarters in the first half of the 20th century
for the Forest Service in the North Umpqua area located south of and above
Toketee. Now dismantled. Existed near the intersection of many roads and
trails.
Booth -
1. Near south end of Siltcoos Lake, named for Robert Booth. Post Office
1834 - ?.
2. A Post Office site 1907-1914 named
for Winfield Booth in Cow Creek Valley, earlier called Starvout and later
Azalea
Boswell Springs - 3 miles south of Drain, owned by Captain Benjamin Boswell.
Post Office 1895- 1909.
Boulder Creek Wilderness - NE of Dry Creek.
Boulder Creek Campground
Boundary Creek - A tributary of Little River south of Glide, that followed
an early boundary of the Umpqua Forest.
Brittsan Rock - in the Callahans: 43d 12' 51.7" N, 123' 34' 26.6"
W
Brockway
- West of Winston. A store existed here for many years. Once known as Civil
Bend. Post Office 1881-1888. Name changed to Brockway after 1889 for B.
B. Brockway a pioneer.
Boze Shelter - in the Umpqua forest.
Buckhead Camp Cemetery - Near Toketee near Buckhead Camp where a lady became sick
and died on a trip from Fort Klamath to Roseburg.
Burt Cemetery - On Temple Brown Road east of Roseburg on old Boyer Ranch
behind Nordic Veneer, estabilshed in 1857.
Cabin Creek - Site where a creek enters Callapooia River near Oakland;
site of the first cabin built in the area by J. A. Cornwall for wintering
over in 1846 when he was caught by weather on his trip up the Applegate
trail.
the Callahans - a ridge or range
west of Melrose.
Calamut Lake - In NE Douglas Co. Name may be a variant of Klamath.
Calvert
- Post office 1892-1894. 4 miles east of Yoncalla in Scott Valley. An Applegate
family name.
Camas Valley, SW of Roseburg, from the Camassia bulb used by Indians
throughout the west. Camas Valley cemetery in Dutchman Butte area where
a prospector and a few others are buried south of the community.
See another History of Camas Valley.
Camp Comfort - A forest camp on the upper South Umpqua.
Canyonville - A town on the Applegate trail, now Interstate 5, near
the South Umpqua where it bends from flowing mainly west to mainly north.
By the time the first wagons got to this part of the trail, fall rains had
set in, most provisions had run out and they found the going rough. The
Canyonville IOOF and Masonic cemetery is on Hwy 99N on east side. Canyonville
Bible Academy and Canyonville Cemetery are east of town. The Canyonville
Pioneer cemetery is on the hill behind Forest Glenn Senior Residence, west
of I5 (aka Jesse Roberts Cemetery).
See a History of Canyonville.
Cavitt Creek - Flows North to Little River, named for R. L. Cavitt a
bachelor who lived there for many years and found dead in his cabin.
Cedar Hill IOOF cemetery - North of Oakland on Cemetery Road on topf of the hill
south of the road, on Reason Reed Donation Land Claim.
Cedar Springs - At the North end of Fish Creek Desert not far from Toketee
airstrip and Fish Creek.
Champagne Cemetery - North of Melrose on Joseph Champagne Donation LaND Claim,
Est. 1873..
Cinnamon Butte - NE of Diamond Lake: elev. 6417.'
Civil Bend - named in derision of the wild drinking, fighting, and
racing that took place north of Dillard on a bend in the river. Post office
1881-1888. Name changed to Brockway for postal reasons.
Civil Bend Cemetery - Cemetery in Winston est. by J. Dillard, B. Brockway,
Wm Winston, J. Story Benj. Agee, I. C. Kent & J. Velzian at Civil Bend 12
May 1877.
Clearwater Falls - On Clearwater Creek above Toketee of exceptionally clear
water that can be appreciated in the pool above the falls where dipper birds
live.
Cleveland - An old settlement NW of Melrose that has given its name
to Cleveland Hill road. Cleveland Cemetery north of Melrose on Jeff. Gilham
DLC, est. 1877.
the Clocktower - a rock in the
Callahans.
Coffee Creek - Enters the South Umpqua 15 miles east of Myrtle Creek.
Named by soldiers in 1858 when some complained of the lack of the commodity.
Cemetery there from Mining days near Tiller at Coffee Creek Rd.
Cole Cemetery - West of Sutherlin on Cole Road on Garrett Van Riper DLC,
est. 1864..
Coles Valley - Cemetery est. 1854, includes Indeans burried in a upright
position on the hillside, near Umpqua.
See a History of Coles
Valley.
Cooper Creek Reservoir - Located at the east end of Sutherlin.
Coos Bay Wagon Road - An early military road that started from Roseburg with
the other end on the coast. The Eastern section remains as Military Rd,
and the Eastern section is still named Coos Bay Wagon Road from Lookingglass
to Myrtle Point. It is quite steep in some places.
Coos River - Headwaters west of Melrose.
Cow Creek - in southern Douglas Co. A band of Indians.
Cowan Cemetery - Near the freeway and Yoncalla exxit from I5.
Cox cemetery - South of intersection of Elkhead and Hogan Roads on Cozad
DLC in Driver Valley
Cozad Cemetery - At the North end of Fish Creek Desert not far from Toketee
airstrip and Fish Creek.
Curtin
- At the extreme north end of the county where the mountains close in on
Interstate 5.
Days Creek - East of Canyonville. Named for the Day family. Never
seen flowing at night.
See another History of Days Cr.
Deer Creek - Drains the Dixonville basin and flows west through Roseburg
to the South Umpqua. Early name for Roseburg.
Deer Leap - a rock in the upper North Umpqua River area.
Devil's Flat On upper Cow Creek. Early day Forest camp, still maintained.
Dicks HIll - Named for Dick Ambrose. Some unmarked graves there on a
hill north of Wilson hill or Ambrose Hil north of Wilson Rd.
Dillard - Railroad station on the South Umpqua south of present day
Winston, named for John Dilard who came in 1850.
Dimmick Cemetery- In the Kellogg area, not far east of the bridge. Est. 1867.
Dixon Cemetery - Eleven graves now part of Roseburg Lumber plant 5 miles
east of Roseburg. Dixon Family Cemetery is at the end of Sunshine Road by
the North Umpaua River on the Hiram Dixon DLC.
Dixonville Named for Dixon family, early day ranchers in the area
east of Roseburg a few miles.
Dole -
see Ruckley
Double Chocolate Rock - in the Callahans, west of Melrose.
Drain
- A town north of Oakland, named for the pioneer, Charles Drain
History of Drain
See another
history
Drain IOOF Cemetery- Easst of HS on the hill at the end of Moreland or Whipple
St..
Dread and Terror Ridge - elev:4896 ft., a four mile long ridge full of thorny
brush in 1908 on the North Umpqua
Douglas-
county named for Stephen Arnold Douglas a democratic candidate for President
in 1860, a senator form IL who supported OR statehood.
Driver Valley - East of Oakland. Served by Driver Valley Rd. A cemetery
there on Oldham Cr...
Dutchman Butte - North of the West fork of lower Cow Creek at elev. 3907.'
Eagle Rock - a prominent outcrop North of the North Umpqua seen from
the North Umpqua Highway and overlooking a forest camp there. East of Steamboat.
Eden - An
area west of Melrose. Eden church and cemetery on the Elgarose Loop off
of Doerner Road.
Edenbower - A place NW of Roseburg that has been absorbed by the
city.
Elliott State Forest - Between Reedsport and Loon Lake.
Elk Head
- East of Rice Hill.
See a History of Elk
Head.
Elkton
- site of the second Hudson's Bay Fort Umpqua where Elk Cr joins the Umpqua
river. Elkton cemetery is south of town on Azalea Drive less than a mile
on west side of road.
Fair Oaks Cemetery - East of Sutherlin on south bank of Calapooia Cr. on Fair
Oaks Rd off of Nonpareil Rd.
Fantasy Island - rock in the Callahans.
Fish Creek - This creek flowing North into the North Umpqua near
Toketee, was known for its rich supply of trout in the first half of the
20th century.
Fish Creek Desert - A now densely wooded area above Fish Creek and the North
Umpqua where a prehistoric fire had left a somewhat denuded and extensive
'desert,' for most of the 20th century.
Fish Creek Valley - a remote and deep valley west of Fish Creek Desert drained
by Fish Creek.
Fraser Canyon -East of Sutherlin. A cemetery there on Fraser Canyon Rd.
French Creek cemetery- East of Azalea on Upper Cow Creek Rd, near Anchor, on
Cow Cr., near French Cr.
Galesville - In Cow Creek Valley; Post Office: 1854-1916. Possibly
named for a Mr. Gale.
Garden Valley - NW of Roseburg, site of much truck gardening and husbandry
on the South Umpqua where it joins the North Umpqua. The Roseburg Country
Club is there.
Gardiner - Located near the mouth of the Umpqua on the north side.
Named for a Boston merchant who wrecked there in 1850 and saved his goods
for trade. Made a Customs district headquarters in 1851. Post Office (Gardiner's
City) est. 1851.
Garwood Butte - Elevation 7024, west
of and overlooking Diamond Lake
Fish Creek Valley - a remote and deep valley west of Fish Creek Desert drained
by Fish Creek.
Flournoy Valley, west of Melrose.
Gazley
Southeast of Canyonville. There is a cemetery there.
Gilmore cemetery - East of Roseburg on South Deer Cr. Est 1861.
Glide -
located east of Roseburg where Little River meets the gliding North Umpqua
river . Post Office est. 1890.
Goff Cemetery - on Rathburn Rd southwest of Sutherlin on a hillside,
est. 1882
Green
- a district SW of Roseburg named for the Green Family.
Green Mt.
at the extreme south end of the county of elev. 4843.'
Gunter
- on the Smith River at the north end of the county. A cemetery aka Wooley
on Smith River west of town
Greenman Creek - Joins Little River west of Wolf Creek where J. W. Greenman
settled in 1908.
Gunter
- On the Smith River at the North end of the county, named for the Gunters.
the Honeycombs: a set of rocks
east of Glide.
Idleyld
on the North Umpqua where Rock Creek Enters from the North. Name created
to stump students at spelling bees. Sometimes pronounced 'Idle - wild.'
Illahe
- on the North Umpqua. From the Chinook: 'ilahekh' meaning 'land' or 'home.'
Inca Rock - in the Callahans:
43d 12' 52.9" N, 123d 34' 26.0" W.
Kalistopox - Known as Rabbit Ears from their appearance by
the Indians. High rocks in the Crater Lake area.
Kellogg
- Area South of Elkton - see history elsewhere
Lake Creek - drains Diamond Lake and enters the North Umpqua River.
There is a Forest Camp there.
Lake in the Woods Campground: Umpqua Nat. Forest
Little River - joins the North Umpqua near Glide.
Lemolo Falls -Chinook word lemolo means wild from French Canadian 'le
moron', a runaway. On the North Umpqua below Kelsay Valley.
Lemolo Lake - Created by damming the North Umpqua River 2 miles upasteam
from Lemolo Falls. Developed campsite and resort. Elev. 4148.
Loafer Creek - Drains Thorn Prairie into the North Umpqua. Named for
its intermittent appearance.
Lookingglass - Named by Hoy Flournoy in 1846 for the glassy grass which
grew there.
Loon Lake - South of Scottsburg where loons are found.
Lucy Ridge - in the Callahans.
McKinley Rock - east of Glide.
Medicine Rock - Used by the Umpqua Indians - on the upper Umpqua River.
Melrose
- A crossroads named for Melrose Abbey, Scotland by Henry Scott. Earlier
named Hogan, changed in 1890. West of Roseburg 8 miles, south of the forks
of the Umpqua a few miles.
Milo -
West of Tiller. Post Office est. 1923. Named for Milo, Maine which was named
for Milo, Greece where a Venus once lived and impressed a sculptor. Earlier
named Perdue with a Post Office of that name before 1920.
Miller Mt. - At the headwaters of the North Umpqua; 7400' elevation.
Millwood
- Sawmill site west of Sutherlin named by W. B. Clarke.
Mountain Meadows - Meadows in the mountains North of the Umpqua Hot Springs.
Mt. Bailey - West of Diamond Lake. elev. 8363.'
Mt. Nebo
- Mt. immediately west of Roseburg that creates a narrow place for Interstate
5 opposite the town and South Umpqua river. Goats that have gone wild live
on the rugged cliffs.
Mt. Thielsen Wilderness - East of Diamond Lake Mt. Thielsen is at elev. 9182.'
Myrtle Creek - in southern Douglas Co., settled in 1851 by J. B. Weaver,
town laid out in 1865. Post office est. 1854.
See a History of Myrtle
Cr.
Neet
- 5 miles south of Tiller in the South Umpqua area. Post Office 1899-1901.
Named after Charles Neet who lived 1 mile west of Drew.
Noel Creek - Enters the Smith River NE of Gardiner. Settled by Stephenson
C. Noel.
Nickel Mt. - 4 miles from Riddle containing green silicate of NI.
Nichols -
A railroad station in the 1880s in Cow Creek canyon SW of Riddle. Post Offic
1914-1929.
No Fog
- On Cavitt Creek, south of Little River. Post Office 1915-1918. A sign
identifying this place was first discovered by this compiler about 1952
in a dense fog.
Nonpareil - East of Sutherlin on Calapooia Creek. Nothing parallels
this place.
Oak Creek - about 10 miles NE of Roseburg. Post Office 1878 - about
1911. School house remains in the 1990s.
Oak Creek Cemetery - at Oak Creek east of Roseburg about 8 miles.
Oakland
- North of Sutherlin 3 miles. Post office est. 1852, surrounded by Oregon
white oak.
See a History of Oakland
Old Man Rock and Old Woman Rock -
Upper North Umpqua River area.
rphan Rock - in the Callahans: 43d 12' 54.2" N, 123d 34' 24.2"
W.
Perdue
- see Milo.
Pig Iron Mt. - Prominent outcrop with a Forest Lookout East of Toketee.
Poole Lake - Joins Jackson Creek. Named for Andrew Poole, forest
ranger.
Poore Creek A tributary of Little River west of Taft Mt., named for
the poor logging conditions by Harold Church.
Quartz Mt. - Prominence east of Cavitt Creek.
Rabbit Ears - Elevation 6031, SE extremity of Douglas Co. North of
Union Creek Campground.
T29S R3E, sections 34,35. Also see Kalistopox.
Rattlesnake Mt. - Elev. 6656'
Reedsport - A coastal town near the terminus of the Umpqua River,
named for Alfred W. Reed. Laid out about 1900. Post Office est. 1912.
Reston
- Post Office 1890 - before 1941; named for the 'rest' travelers achieved
there. West of Winston.
Reston Ridge
Rice Hill - a steep grade on old Highway 99 and now Interstate 5
where a massacure of Indians took place by early settlers. A prominent truck
stop today at the north base of the grade.
Riversdale - A settlement In Garden Valley.
Riddle
- Town west of Canyonville and I5, named for Mr. Riddle.
Roseburg
- County seat, once called Deer Cr., where Deer Cr. joins the South Umpqua,
named for Aaron Rose who came in 1851. Post office since1852 (Deer Cr.)
Early name: Roseburgh changed to Roseburg in 1894.
See another History of Roseburg
Rose Mt. - Highest elevation around the Roseburg basin, NE of town.
Rogue - Umpqua Divide Wilderness - West of Crater Lake. Home of gigantic Incense cedars.
Roman Nose Mt. - at the extreme norrth end of the county at elev. 2856'
in the Coast range.
Round Prairie - A round prairie between Winston and Myrtle Creek. Post
Offic est 1853.
Ruckley
- Named for M. C. Rickley. Earlier called Oak Grove. The Railroad station
there is called Dole.
Schofield Creek - drains Dean Mt. into the lower Umpqua at Reedsport.
Scott Mt. - Prominent ridge seen from the North Umpqua Highway.
Elev. 4250.' Old Census forms include a Scott Mt. Precinct which included
Oak Creek, Glide, etc.
Scottsburg - Founded in 1850 by Levi Scott who came from Iowa in
1844 and helped found the Applegate trail. First Post Office there called
Myrtle City in 1851. Another called Scottsburg est. the same year. Important
town until eclipsed by Cresent City in California.
Siltcoos Lake - Extreme NW corner of the county near the Pacific.
Skookum Creek - a small stream in the Umpqua-Rogue River wilderness.
The Chinook Jargon 'skookum' for spooky.
Skookum Prairie - West of Diamond Lake and Garwood Butte.
Skookum Chuck Camp - Meaning a camp along a rapids.
Smith River - Joins the Umpqua just North of Reedsport, not far from
the Pacific.
Steamboat - Where a mining promoter 'salted' the stream with gold
dust (steamboating). A restaurant has existed there for many years.
Stump Lake - NW of Diamond Lake on Highway 38.
Suislaw National Forest - begins in the northern counties and reaches NW Douglas
county in the coast range.
Sunshine Ranch - Located on Clover Creek and North Umpqua River East of
Roseburg, West of Oak Creek, in Sunshine Valley.
Sutherlin - A town 13 miles north of Roseburg named for Fendel Sutherlin
from Indiana who came in 1850.
Swamp Creek Camp - A defunct Forest Camp in Fish Creek Desert where the
trail to Beaver Shelter and Fish Creek Valley started.
Tahkenitch Lake - Near the Pacific north of Reedsport.
Tipsoo Peak - north of Mt. Thielsen from the Chinook for grass or
hair.
Ten Mile
- West of Dillard and Brockway. Once ten miles from somewhere.
Toketee Falls - near where Clearwater Creek joins the North Umpqua.
In Chinook jargon the word means graceful. Copco set up a camp nearby for
developing hydraulic power in the 1950s. A school and ranger station is
maintained there.
Toketee Airstrip - A dirt strip in Fish Creek Desert, south and above Toketee.
Trap Creek Camp - Extensive early road camp on Trap Creek west of Clearwater
falls near where a smaller Forest Camp remains.
Turtle Rock - in the Callahans: 43d 13' 13.1" N 123d 33' 54"
W.
Tyee
- A camp near Tyee Mt. on the Umpqua river. Tyee in Chinook means 'chief.'
Post Office there before 1939.
Umpqua
- name from the Indian tribes, and their name for the river. The original
county out of which Douglas Co. was carved in 1852.
Umpqua Hot Springs - near Toketee on the upper North Umpqua.
Watson Falls - South of the North Umpqua below Fish Creek Desert.
White Rock - South of Glide and East of Winston: elev. 4019.'
Wilbur
- A community North of Winchester named for a J. H. Wilbur an early Methodist
minister, arriving in Oregon by way of the Horn in 1847. He founded Umpqua
Academy at Wilbur out of logs on his claim in 1853. An early post office
there was called Laurel 1854-55.
Wild Rose Point - North of Illahee Rock named for the wild roses there.
Winchester - On the North Umpqua where a small hydraulic power dam
was installed in the early 20th century and Interstate 5 as well as Highway
99 bridges the river.
See a History of Winchester.
Winchester Bay - A ocean fishing town west of Reedsport.
Windigo Pass - At the extreeme NE corner of the county.
Wizard's Tower - near Acker Rock in the Callahans.
Yoncalla
- A mountain NW of the present town. The Indian meaning is Eagle eyrie.
Post Office est. 1851.
Jesse Applegate settled nearby and was
first postmaster.
See a History of Yoncalla
Youtlkut Pillars - on OK Butte, southeast of Glide.
Jump to adjacent counties
CURRY COOS KLAMATH LANE JACKSON JOSEPHINE
For
input, or questions, contact Ralph Turner
This page updated Saturday 18 Dec 2004
Welcome, you are the 2975th
visitor. I hope that you have a profitable visit