Sitkum, Oregon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sitkum, Oregon
Unincorporated community
Civilian Conservation Corps' Camp Sitkum, 1933
Sitkum, Oregon Location in Oregon Show map of Oregon Sitkum, Oregon Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Oregon
County	Coos
Elevation	722 ft (220 m)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)

Sitkum is a small, unincorporated community in Coos County, Oregon, United States. This means it's a place where people live, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. It's located about 27 miles north of Remote in the Southern Oregon Coast Range. Sitkum is found near the East Fork Coquille River. The mail for Sitkum is handled by the Myrtle Point post office.

History of Sitkum

A Halfway Stop

Sitkum started as an important stop for travelers way back in 1872 or 1873. At that time, people traveled by stagecoach, which was like a horse-drawn bus. A tavern, or roadhouse, was built here. It was a place where travelers could rest and get food. This spot was chosen because it was about halfway between Roseburg and Coos City on the Coos Bay Wagon Road.

Another similar stop was built nearby by a different person. Because it was a "halfway" point, the name Sitkum was chosen for the area. Sitkum is a word from Chinook Jargon, which was a trade language used by different groups of people in the Pacific Northwest. It means "half."

The Halfway House

The Sitkum post office, which handled mail, took its name from the tavern. It operated for many years, from 1873 until 1964, with only one short break. The main building, known as the Halfway House, was a very busy place. It served as a restaurant and a tavern where people could eat and drink. It was also a rooming house, offering beds for travelers to sleep. On top of that, it was the local post office and a telegraph station. This meant people could send messages over long distances using telegraph wires. Travelers would stop here to change horses before continuing their journey.

Sitkum Today

Today, there isn't much left of the original community of Sitkum. The old Sitkum School building has been turned into a home. However, the house where the teacher used to live and the old gym building are still standing on the property.

Climate

Sitkum has a type of weather called a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. This kind of climate is common in most of western Oregon. It means the area usually has warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters.