Hiking Sasquatch Country

A revolutionary new hiking book has just arrived in our area.  “Hiking Sasquatch Country” by Wendy and Gary Swanson departs from the average hiking book.

This book has 39 hikes and 37 historical points of interest in our immediate area.  What makes this book unique is that all but three of the 76 adventures are linked to an online photo journal for the reader to preview on their computer or any mobile device in advance, or for a record of their trip.

Hikes range from above Wolf Creek, the Rogue River trail past Galice, through the Illinois Valley, across the Applegate Valley and through the historic areas of our border with California.

The 37 separate excursions are attractions that you can drive to, and with limited walking, they are field trips into some of our rich Josephine County history

The Sasquatch stories are from recorded history in our area, such as the Almeda Mine killings of four gold miners by two “mysterious apelike creatures” and the authors’ “unexplainable and possible close encounters of the wild kind.”

“Hiking Sasquatch Country” is now available at your local bookstore or on Amazon in paperback for $16.95 and on Kindle for $8.99. 

Are You A Descendant of an Oregon Pioneer?

So what qualifies a person to be an "Oregon Pioneer?"

Very simply, it's a Euro-American settler who came to the area, now known as the state of Oregon, before its statehood on February 14, 1859.

It matters not how that person arrived; many came by the Oregon Trail, others came by sea around Cape Horn, while some were fur trappers who followed other land routes.

Are you a descendant of an Oregon Pioneer?

Did you know that the Josephine County Historical Society can help you find information about your Southern Oregon ancestors?

Call the Research Library at 541 479-7827 or visit JoCoHistorical.org
to find out more. 

Rogue River Feud

"Along the notorious Rogue River, gold seekers, crazed by discovering nuggets that made them rich overnight, were fighting it out.  In the river itself swarming salmon were bringing wealth of another kind and violent warfare between the fishermen and the packing monopoly."

The above is an excerpt from Zane Grey's novel, Rogue River Feud.

Watch the video below, by Pat Kruis, to see what inspired Zane Grey.

Watch Zane Grey’s Rogue River Feud on PBS. See more from Arts and Life.

 Rogue River Feud can be found at the Josephine County Historical Society's Research Library.  You can't check it out, but access to the Research Library is free to members.

1907 Oregon Products and Resources

This illustration created in 1907 for the Oregon Development League was used to promote Oregon's many different natural resources and products produced.

 

Booming Browntown!

"Our town, Brown[town], had a population of about 800 to 1000, and some seven or eight saloons, three Dry Goods and Clothing, two bakeries, four or five restaurants and hotels, seven or eight groceries, one bowling alley, two or three butcher shops, and three of four blacksmith shops.  Two Dance or Fancy houses, music in ours and the dance houses, sometimes in the bowling alley."

This is an excerpt from The Golden Frontier, the recollections of Herman Francis Reinhart, 1851 - 1869

 This is but one of the many hundreds of books that can be found in the Research Library of the Josephine County Historical Society.

You are welcome to read and enjoy any of the books in the library.  Members of the Society can use the facility for free!

Come visit soon, and check out our website now...

Hours:  Tuesday - Friday, 10:00 - 4:00

(541) 479-7827

Win A Historic Gold Mine!

WIN A HISTORIC GOLD MINE!

That's correct!  A first time ever opportunity to own an actual gold mine!

 

Raising funds for the Josephine County Historical Society; an Oregon, nonprofit corporation, to continue our ongoing restoration and preservation of historical records.  

So we will raffle our historic gold mine!

Winner of the grand prize award will receive a quitclaim deed to the "PYX" mine, overlooking the majestic Rogue River, and only 12 miles from the historic Zane Grey cabin!  The same cabin where the author wrote "Rogue River Feud."

Only 30 easy miles from Grants Pass, this mine was once part of the high producing Gold Bug Group.  The PYX has a profitable production history, and has two major tunnels plus offshoot branches.

There were electric lights and steel rails used in this mine before gold prices dropped years back.  She has sat waiting for a new owner to bring her to life again, and although we hate to part company, the funds are needed for our work to continue!

Only 1999 tickets will be sold.  Ticket prices are $5.00 each or six for $25.00.  Grand prize winner will have the option to choose a cash award of $550.00 in lieu of deed to the mine.  Twenty additional prizes will also be awarded.  Great odds, right?

Tickets must be sold in Oregon, although residency is not a requirement, and winners need not be present to win!  You must be 18 years of age.

Please visit our website for complete rules and details of this contest as well as purchasing information.

Click here now!

www.jocohistorical.org 

The Evolution of Bread Mixers

The first mechanical dough mixer was developed in Rome around 150 BC.  They were powered by donkeys!

In 55 BC Rome invaded Britain.  With them came the technology for milling flour and producing bread.

So, skipping ahead to Victorian times:  In the 1800's there were several companies in the United States that were manufacturing household-sized bread mixers.

The clamp, shown on the left, was used to secure the mixing bucket to a table.  The ingredients would be added to the bucket, then the hand-crank was used to turn the dough hooks, which in turn mixed and kneaded the dough.

The chore was usually done in the evening.  Once the dough was kneaded, the hand crank and dough hook would be removed, and the dough was left in the machine to rise overnight and be ready for baking in the morning.

Once electricity became commonplace, the hand bread mixers were replaced with electric ones.

 Electric bread mixers are still widely used today, even after the advent of bread making machines.