Rogue River Real Estate

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A Land Of Opportunity:

Around 1850, an early settler by the name of Davis ‘Coyote' Evans built two log cabins and a ferry at the mouth of Evans Creek. The eight-inch by 45-foot cable-operated ferry piloted across the Rogue River was the beginning of trails used by mule trains that freighted supplies to area gold mines.

Original settlers and gold prospectors wishing to avoid or unable to pay the ferry charges were reported to have swum the rough and often treacherous Rogue River during high water by holding on to their horse's tails. From this practice, the City earned its earliest known name: ‘Tailholt.'

Evans built a water wheel-driven saw mill on Evans Creek about four miles north of Rogue River in 1852, with most of the lumber for the soon-to-be-built town coming from the Evans Mills.

Evans was also the first postmaster in 1855, reportedly using one of his first two cabins for the post office. It has also been reported that school was taught in the cabins in 1859.

The Savage Rapids portion of the river, located just north of Rogue River , was named for early white settlers, James and Margaret Savage. Rogue Indians reportedly would gather and help the Savages build a barn and do other work. The young couple won the confidence and trust of the local Native Americans and never during the Indian Wars that followed were the Savages threatened or harmed.

In 1855 the subsequent settlement of Tailholt became known as Gold River , then reverted back to Tailholt. In 1868, a covered bridge was build beside a large live oak tree near the ferry, with the bridge being used by the stage to cross Evans Creek. From there the town of Woodville sprouted, so named in 1872 when John Woods settled there. Woods built the first house in Woodville, naming it Waldorf Rooms (on what is now the southwest corner of the intersection of Pine, Main and Foothill streets). It later served as a stage stop, post office and small store.

Samuel Mathes served as the first mayor of the city, and a school house was built in 1883, with M.J. Stonby serving as its first teacher. In 1909, the first steel bridge was constructed across the Rogue River .

The old brick school house was also built in 1909, on the location of the present Rogue River Elementary School site. Bricks for the building were made locally at the Horton Brick Yard.

The old gym building behind the school is still in use. The old school house was razed in 1959, when the present elementary school was built. The original bell from the old school house can be seen in front of the grade school.

The small town remained Woodville until March 11, 1912 , when the residents changed the name of the town. Apparently, all mail carried by Wells-Fargo destined for Woodville had its seal stamped as ‘ Rogue River .' To avoid confusion, the citizens voted to change the name of the town to Rogue River , agreeing also to incorporate.

A concrete bridge was built to replace the covered bridge over Evans Creek in 1914, with the covered bridge being moved seven miles up the creek. The re-located covered bridge was destroyed by flood in 1964.

The steel bridge built in 1909 was replaced in 1950 with the bridge that traverses the river today. Interstate 5 was opened through Rogue River in 1962.