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Oregon State...
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Oregon Counties
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Oregon Counties
There are 36 counties in the state of Oregon. The Oregon Constitution does not explicitly
provide for county seats. |
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Curry County, Oregon
Curry County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education
County Seat: Gold Beach
Year Organized: 1855
Square Miles: 1,627 |
Court House: 94235 Moore Street
County Courthouse
Gold Beach, OR 97444-0000
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Etymology - Origin of County Name
Initially it was proposed that the new county be name after
Captain William Tichenor, council member from Port Orford. However, he declined
because his constituents wanted to honor the territorial governor, George Law
Curry.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts:
Census Bureau Quick Facts
History
Curry County was created on December
18, 1855, from the southern part of Coos County. Initially it was proposed that
the new county be name after Captain William Tichenor, council member from Port
Orford. However, he declined because his constituents wanted to honor the
territorial governor, George Law Curry.
Curry County is situated along the Pacific Coast in the southwest corner of
Oregon. It is bounded on the south by California, on the west by the Pacific
Ocean, on the north by Coos County, and on the east by Josephine County. The
county originally contained about 1,500 square miles. However, boundary
adjustments with Coos County in 1872 and 1951 and Josephine County in 1880 and
1927 increased the area to 1,648 square miles.
Upon creation of Curry County, the Territorial Legislature fixed the county seat
temporarily at Port Orford until the citizens of the county could determine a
permanent site. In 1859, following an informal vote of county citizens during
the general election, Ellensburg was designated the county seat. In 1891
Ellensburg was renamed Gold Beach because of the gold and other minerals found
in the sands in this area and to eliminate confusion with the city of Ellensburg
located in the state of Washington.
The first courthouse was in Judge Fred Smith's home in Port Orford. Apparently
the town's inability to finance the construction of a proper courthouse was a
factor in the vote that favored the move to Gold Beach. The first courthouse in
Gold Beach was replaced in 1912. The current courthouse was constructed in 1958.
The government of Curry County consisted originally of a probate judge, a three
member board of commissioners, sheriff, auditor, treasurer, and coroner. The
county judge`s position was replaced by a board of commissioners in 1969. Port
districts were established at Port Orford in 1919 and Gold Beach in 1955.
The first county census in 1860 showed a population of 393. There has been a
steady increase in population with the 2000 population given at 21,137, a 9.37%
increase over 1990.
In 1852 explorers discovered gold and other precious metals in the rivers and
along the beaches of this area. Initially settlement in the county was
concentrated along the coast and depended primarily on water transportation. The
slow development of inland transportation routes kept the county relatively
isolated well into the twentieth century. While there is still some mining of
cobalt, nickel, and chromium in the Gasaquet Mountain area, the economy has
reoriented to agriculture and timber. Port Orford cedar (Lawson Cypress) and
myrtlewood are important export products. The county has excellent grazing areas
for raising cattle and sheep. The county also produces blueberries,
horticultural nursery stock, and ninety percent of all Easter lilies raised in
the United States. Vacation and recreational possibilities in the county draw
tourists to the area and provide additional economic diversity.
Neighboring Counties:
Cities and Towns:
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- Brookings |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Gold Beach
(County
Seat) |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Port Orford |
city |
Incorporated Area |
County Resources:
Enter County Resources and Information Here
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County Resource Guide
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The history of our nation can be seen as a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names we've given our counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic
features of our country!"
But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.
Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally,
act locally." |
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