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History can be very interesting . When we moved here over thirteen years ago, we were curious about the background & history of Grants Pass and Josephine County. We did learn a lot! Among other things, we learned about THE SCHMIDT FAMILY (No relation!)of early Grants Pass (see Josephine County Historical Society link below.). It's an interesting area and if you like history or not, this page should interest you.
Downtown Grants Pass has been honored as a National Historic District because of the many renovated business buildings and residential homes.
We're PROUD of this distinction!
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The Schmidt Team Tim and Nancy Schmidt Real Estate Brokers GRANTS PASS HISTORY
This is an interesting
area with lots to see
and enjoy!
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JOSEPHINE COUNTY AND GRANTS PASS - A TOUCH OF HISTORY
The only county in the state of Oregon named in honor of a woman, Josephine County derives it's name directly from Josephine Rollins, who was the first white woman to settle in this part of Oregon. In 1850, Josephine and her father, Lloyd Rollins, became members of an emigrant train heading west. The train reached Oregon City in October. The following spring Josephine accompanied her father and a party of miners south to the Rogue River. Guided by Indians, the party made its way to a creek, within a few miles of the present Illinois River. The creek marks the location of the first gold strike in southern Oregon, and it is still called Josephine Creek.
In 1852, sailors who had deserted their ship near Crescent City, started for the newly discovered gold fields at Jacksonville, but found rich deposits at a location in the Illinois Valley some 25 miles south of present Grants Pass. This discovery at "Sailor Diggin's" immediately became an important mining center with a population of several thousand. The name was later changed to Waldo in honor of William Waldo, brother Daniel Waldo, a prominent figure in early Oregon history. In 1858, many miners left for new discoveries on the Frazier River of British Columbia never to return again.
Sailor Diggin's had been designated as the first county seat "until a permanent location was established" by a vote of the people. On July 7, 1857, Kerbyville was selected to serve as the seat of government for Josephine County. In 1885, the voters cast a majority of their votes for Grants Pass as a "permanent location" for the county government.
The Indians who lived along the Rogue River have often been termed fierce. There were a number of linguistic groups comprising these tribes of Indians frequently referred to as "The Rogues", because of their willingness to fight for their rights. The true tribal classifications were Takelma and Shasta. After the final war of 1856, the Indians were moved to the Siletz and Grande Rone Reservations on the Northern Oregon Coast.
The Applegate wagon train of emigrants in 1846 made the first wagon tracks through the beautiful Rogue River Valley. The emigrants of that time had but one destination in mind, the Willamette Valley, and they failed to note the spectacular beauty which would one day provide Oregon with one of it's greatest tourist attractions. The trail followed by the Applegate party was on the south side of the Rogue River and crossed at Fort Vannoy about five miles west of present Grants Pass.
Grants Pass served as a stagecoach stop in the 1860's and became a railhead with the completions of the California/Oregon railroad (now the Southern Pacific) in 1884. The city name was selected to honor General U. S. Grant's success at Vicksburg.
The railroad line was completed to Grants Pass on Christmas Eve, 1883. The rapid population growth in the county brought tradesmen of many types, including miners, farmers, lumbermen, and orchardists. Grants Pass became the trading centre of the county.
The link below will take you to a site with a lot more Grants Pass HISTORY! Enjoy!
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THE SCHMIDT HOUSE HOME OF THE JOSEPHINE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY MORE COMING SOON!
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THE NECESSARY DISCLAIMER!
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Thank you.
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