Coos & Curry Home

Coos County was created on December 22, 1853, from parts of Umpqua and Jackson Counties. It was named after a local Indian tribe, the Coos, which has been variously translated to mean "lake" or "place of pines". (Credit: Oregon Blue Book)

Curry County - In 1852 explorers discovered gold and other precious metals in the rivers and along the beaches of this area. As a result, settlement in the county was concentrated along the coast, depending 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 (also known as Lawson's Cypress) and myrtlewood are important export products. (Credit: Oregon Blue Book)