Nimrod, Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nimrod, Oregon
|
|
|---|---|
Closed bridge in Nimrod
|
|
 Nimrod, Oregon
Location in Oregon
Nimrod, Oregon
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Lane |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
97488
|
| Area code(s) | 458 and 541 |
Nimrod is a small, unincorporated community in Lane County, Oregon, United States. It sits right on the McKenzie River, a beautiful waterway. You can find Nimrod along Oregon Route 126, nestled between the towns of Vida and Blue River. It's about 35 miles (56 km) east of Eugene, deep within the Willamette National Forest. As of 2003, about 190 people lived there. Nimrod was once the site of a ferry that helped people cross the McKenzie River. Today, the community gets its mail through the Vida post office, using zip code 97488.
What's in a Name? The Story of Nimrod
The name "Nimrod" for this community first appeared in the early 1900s. That's when Alfred Parkhurst opened a place called the Nimrod Inn. People think the inn might have been named after a famous hunter from the Bible, also named Nimrod. This biblical character was known as a "mighty hunter," which would make sense given the great fishing in the McKenzie River.
Other Ideas for the Name's Origin
There are a few other ideas about how Nimrod got its name:
- It might have been named after a type of fishing lure.
- It could have been named to honor a really good local hunter or fisherman.
- Another possibility is that it was named after Nimrod O'Kelly, one of the first settlers in Lane County, who arrived in the area in 1845.
Interestingly, Nimrod is one of the few places in Oregon that isn't listed in the book Oregon Geographic Names. This is because no one has ever fully confirmed where the name truly came from.
The Name's Modern Meaning
Today, the name "Nimrod" can sometimes mean "fool" or "idiot" to some people. This might be because the cartoon character Bugs Bunny once used the term to describe Elmer Fudd. Bugs Bunny probably meant "hunter," like the biblical Nimrod, but it got misunderstood. Because of this unusual meaning, the main sign marking Nimrod is a popular spot for photos. The sign is even bolted down to stop people from trying to steal it!
