Josephine County

Oregon

Josephine County, Oregon

Population

87,591

Indigenous Peoples

Major Waterways

Major Employers

Major Attractions

Recreational Activities

  • Bicycling
  • Birding
  • Camping
  • Caving
  • Disc golf
  • Fishing
  • Hiking
  • Horseback riding
  • Kayaking, rafting, & jet boating
  • Picnicking
  • Swimming & tubing
  • Wildlife viewing

Summary

Nestled between Curry County to the west, Jackson County to the east, Douglas County to the north, and California’s Siskiyou and Del Norte Counties to the south, southwestern Oregon’s Josephine County is named for Virginia Josephine Rollins Ort (1834–1912), the first European-American female settler to live within the county limits.

The county’s unofficial motto, “Where the Rogue River Runs,” signals the centrality of the Wild and Scenic Rogue River to this breathtaking region. “Wild and Scenic” isn’t just a pleasant descriptor—it is a federal designation that protects the Rogue River along with seven other rivers under the 1968 Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

Adding to the sumptuous beauty of the area are the Siskiyou and Klamath mountain ranges and the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest in addition to river valleys and precipitous canyons.

Grants Pass, the county seat and Josephine County’s largest city at 87,591, has its own slogan dating back to 1919: “It’s the Climate.” With a temperate Mediterranean climate characterized by dry, warm summers and mild, wet winters, the slogan captures one of the major reasons people choose not to just visit but reside in this bucolic county.

The county’s other city, Cave Junction, is the site of the Oregon Caves National Monument. It is named for being at the junction of Oregon Route 46 (Caves Highway) and Route 199 (the Redwood Highway).

Living along the Illinois and Rogue River valleys, the Takelma people—also known as the Rogue River Indians—were the primary inhabitants of the land, with the Shasta peoples sharing some of the territory in the Rogue River watershed.

The Takelma’s presence in the area dates back approximately 10,000 years before the arrival of European explorers in the 1820s. Hudson’s Bay Company funded beaver pelt expeditions during this period, and parties led by Thomas McKay and Finan McDonald were the first nonindigenous peoples to hike the Rogue River valley’s Indian trails. Alexander Roderick McLeod followed with two trapping brigades in 1826, christening a tributary the McLeod River.

In the mid-1850s following several decades of predominantly peaceful cohabitation, the Rogue River Indian Wars broke out between the Rogue River Indians and the newly arriving miners and settlers over the competition for resources. At the conclusion of the war, the majority of the Rogue River Indians were relocated to reservations in the north, with approximately 1,400 landing in Central Oregon at what would later be called the Siletz Reservation.

Southern Oregon’s first significant gold finding occurred in 1852 at Sailor Diggings (Waldo). The prior year, gold had been discovered in the Illinois Valley, but it wasn’t until the Sailor Diggings finding that the rush began, bringing both miners and Chinese laborers to the region. At the county’s founding in 1856, Sailor Diggings became the first county seat, which switched to Kerby in 1885. The 1883 arrival of the Oregon and California Railroad in Grants Pass led to its becoming the county seat in 1886.

Gold mining dominated the economy for around a decade before giving way to timber and agriculture. Tourism became an economic contributor after the 1874 discovery of the Oregon Caves by Elijah Davidson.

The timber and logging industry boomed during World War II, continuing into the postwar period in response to the high demand for housing. The 1994 Northwest Forest Plan led to an 80-percent plummet in annual timber sales along with rocketing unemployment due to mill closures.

Agriculture supplanted timber as the dominant economic force as pear orchards, cattle ranching, and vineyards ascended. With its growing reputation for wine, Josephine County shares portions of the Applegate Wine Trail with its neighboring Jackson County.

The Rogue River remains a major tourist draw, attracting whitewater rafting enthusiasts from across the nation and beyond. Recreational opportunities abound in Josephine County Parks, and hikers flock to the beautiful Rogue River National Recreation Trail.

Whether you are a senior in search of an idyllic retirement home, a farmer looking to take advantage of Josephine County’s temperate climate, or a commercial developer seeking affordable property in Southern Oregon, Phoenix Appraisal Network can provide expert valuation services for your needs. Just reach out to start the conversation.

Scroll to Top