Archives West Finding Aid

The region of the Rogue River documented by these slides is a rugged canyon approximately thirty miles downriver from Grants Pass. Gold was discovered in the tributaries of the Rogue in the 1850s. In the wake of this discoery, the native peoples were removed to allow for white settlement. By the twentieth century, most of the surface gold had been extracted and larger industrial hard rock mining operations were established in a handful of locations. One of these operations, the Almeda Mine, is documented in these slides. Almeda was located in Josephine County, Oregon, near Galice, Oregon, in a steep canyon reach of the Rogue River. The gold and copper mine operated primarily between 1908 and 1916, but it has been a site of activity as recent as the 1980s. The mine site is also a toxic hazard that emits acidic water with heavy metal concentrations that exceed Oregon and national drinking water quality standards. At the time these photos were taken, the Almeda mine was in operation, and the population in the area was at its peak. Many of the mines in the region were abandoned in the early 20th century because of cost concerns and dwindling resources, and as a result the region's population declined. A handful of subsistence farmers remained, but the area increasingly became a recreational center for fishing. The famous author and fisherman Zane Grey owned along a roadless stretch of the river. In 1968 Congress designated an 84 mile stretch of the river, encompassing the tour sites documented in these slides, as a Wild and Scenic River (Public Law 90-542; 16 U.S.C. 1271 et seq.). The Wild and Scenic River Act preserved rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition for the enjoyment of present and future generations. As a result of this act, much of the Rogue River canyon is completely unpopulated, and is used for recreational hiking, rafting, and fishing. The Rogue River trail, which follows the course of the river and was the main transportation route for miners is documented in these slides.