Rogue River Ranch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Rogue River Ranch
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Rogue River Ranch National Historic Site
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 Location in Oregon
Location in the United States
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| Location | Curry County, Oregon, USA |
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| Nearest city | Agness, Oregon |
| Built | 1903–1930s |
| Architect | George Billings |
| Architectural style | Common wood frame |
| NRHP reference No. | 75001581 |
| Added to NRHP | 1975 |
The Rogue River Ranch is an old farm complex in Curry County, southwest Oregon, United States. It sits on the north side of the Rogue River. The ranch is just outside the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. George Billings built the first ranch buildings. Later, Stanley Anderson bought the ranch. He made it bigger and added more 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 has a campground there. The Rogue River Ranch is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a special place with important history.
Contents
A Look Back: History of the Ranch
Early Native American Life
Scientists have found proof that Native Americans lived near the Rogue River Ranch for over 9,000 years. The ancient Takelma people were the first to live in the Rogue River valley. Later, Athabascan-speaking people moved into the area. Even though their languages were different, both groups lived in a similar way. They fished, hunted, and gathered food.
For thousands of years, the spot where the Rogue River Ranch now stands was a seasonal camp. This means people would visit at certain times of the year. It seems a permanent village was later built there. The Native American way of life along the Rogue River changed in 1856. At that time, native people were moved to special reservations in northern Oregon.
The Billings Family Homestead
In 1887, a man named Tom Billings officially claimed land on the north side of the Rogue River. This was at the mouth of Mule Creek. The next year, Tom gave the land claim to his older brother, George. In 1894, Tom and his wife, Anna, had their first child, a daughter named Marial. The small settlement at Mule Creek was named Marial, after their daughter.
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In 1903, George Billings built a large two-story house. He also started the Billings Trading Company in Marial. Billings also ran a boarding house for people traveling or working as miners nearby. Over time, the trading post became very important. It was the center of business and social life for the people of Marial. About 100 people lived there at one point.
In 1907, Billings sold some of his land to a mining company. This area was called Douglas Bar. The next year, Billings built a barn on his remaining land. This building became known as the tabernacle. Billings used the tabernacle for dances and church services. The mining company closed in 1912. Billings then bought back the land at Douglas Bar. In 1931, Billings sold his 70-acre ranch to Stanley Anderson for $5,000.
The Anderson Family Era
The Anderson family later bought 130 acres across the river from the ranch. After buying the ranch, the Anderson family made the main house bigger. They also built many other buildings. These included a caretaker's house, a bunkhouse, a blacksmith shop, a tackhouse, a woodshed, a storage shed, and a chicken coop. The Andersons also took down most of the old mining buildings at Douglas Bar.
The Marial post office had been open since 1903. It closed in 1954. In 1956, Anderson painted the main house a bright red color. It is still that color today! In 1970, the Anderson family sold their 200-acre ranch. The U.S. Government bought it as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System program. The Bureau of Land Management was then put in charge of the property.
Rogue River Ranch Today
The Bureau of Land Management created the Rogue River Ranch National Historic Site. They turned the main house into a museum. The museum has exhibits about Native American history. It also shows what life was like during the local mining days. You can learn about the Billings family's homestead and how the Anderson family farm grew. The Rogue River Ranch museum is open from May to October.
The Rogue River Ranch lets visitors experience the rich history of the Rogue River canyon. The ranch was very important for business and social life in the area. Because of this, the Rogue River Ranch was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 29, 1975. This historic ranch covers 700 acres. There are four historic buildings on the property.
Buildings to Explore
There are four ranch buildings that you can visit. These are the tackhouse, the blacksmith shop, the tabernacle, and the main house museum. There is also a caretaker's house, a large barn, and other farm buildings. These are not open to the public.
The main house was built in 1903. It sits on a gentle hill facing Mule Creek. The house is a two-story building made of wood. The wood for the house was cut by hand from Ponderosa pine trees found on the ranch. The outside wood siding was smoothed by hand. The window glass came all the way from Portland. However, the window frames were made by hand right at the ranch. The main house does not have a fireplace. It is heated by a wood-burning stove in the living room.
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Historic main house
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Tabernacle building
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Ranch tackhouse
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Blacksmith shop
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The other ranch buildings are also made of wood. They have wood siding on the outside. The Bureau of Land Management fixed up the Tackhouse in 2008. They replaced old, rotted wood that made the building weak.
Getting to the Ranch
The Rogue River Ranch National Historic Site is in the Rogue River canyon in southern Oregon. The ranch is at the mouth of Mule Creek. It is on the north side of the Rogue River. The ranch is about 420 feet above sea level. It is a quiet place, surrounded by the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. The ranch is a main stopping point along the wild part of the Rogue River. This part of the river is a National Wild and Scenic River.
The Rogue River Ranch is about 45 miles northwest of Galice, Oregon. It is 42 miles southwest of Glendale, Oregon. It is 24 miles southeast of Powers, Oregon. It is also 23 miles northeast of the small town of Agness, Oregon. It takes at least two hours to drive to the ranch from any of these places. There are no gas stations along the way. So, if you drive, make sure your car has a full tank of gas! The closest city is Grants Pass, Oregon. It is about 75 miles from the ranch.
You can also get to the ranch by boating down the Rogue River. Or, you can hike the Rogue River canyon trail. The ranch is 22 river miles from Grave Creek Bridge. This bridge is 8 miles north of Galice. It is about 23 miles along the canyon trail. Most people take two days to float down the river to the ranch. The canyon hike from Grave Creek usually takes three days.
The Rogue River Ranch is a popular stop for boaters and hikers. Because of this, the Bureau of Land Management has a campground at the mouth of Mule Creek. The campground has several simple campsites. There are public toilets nearby. Drinking water is no longer available from an outside faucet. The Bureau of Land Management does not charge a fee to camp at the ranch. However, campers must talk to the ranch caretaker about their stay.
