Colestin, Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Colestin, Oregon
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 Colestin, Oregon
Location in Oregon
Colestin, Oregon
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Jackson |
| Elevation | 3,720 ft (1,130 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1639299 |
| Coordinates and elevation from Geographic Names Information System | |
Colestin is a small, quiet community located in Jackson County, Oregon, in the United States. It's nestled in the Siskiyou Mountains, close to the Klamath National Forest. Colestin is an unincorporated community, which means it's a group of homes and businesses that don't have their own local government like a city does. It's about 10 miles (16 km) south of Ashland.
Discovering Colestin, Oregon
Colestin is found in a beautiful natural area. It's just a short distance west of Siskiyou Pass, a mountain pass that crosses the Siskiyou Mountains. The community is also very close to parts of the Klamath National Forest, offering lots of outdoor activities.
How Colestin Got Its Name
The community of Colestin is named after a man named Byron Cole. He and his brother were early settlers in the area. They claimed land that was right on the border between Oregon and California. Here, they set up a place called "Cole's," which was a station for stagecoaches. Stagecoaches were like old-fashioned buses that carried people and mail.
In 1859, Byron Cole sold his share of the stagecoach station. He then bought more land a bit further north. On this new land, there was a special natural spring with mineral water. In 1883, Byron Cole built a hotel at this spot. He thought a railroad would soon be built nearby, bringing more visitors.
That same year, a post office was opened at the hotel. It was first called "White Point." Later, in 1892, the post office's name was changed to "Colestin." The Colestin post office served the community until it closed in 1943.
The Railroad's Arrival
The change of the post office's name to Colestin happened because a Southern Pacific (SP) railway station was built there. By 1884, the Oregon and California Railroad line had reached as far south as Ashland. In 1887, the Southern Pacific company took over this line.
The SP then finished building the railway, connecting it to their existing tracks in northern California. This new connection created a route between Portland, Oregon, and San Francisco, California. Colestin became a stop on this important "Mt. Shasta Route." A railway schedule from that time shows Colestin as a key station on the line.
