Rogue River Valley, Oregon - Southern Oregon is divided into three main river basins; the Umpqua River, the Rogue River, and the Klamath Basin. The Umpqua meets the Pacific at Reedsport, the Rogue mouth is near Gold Beach, and the Klamath empties at the Redwoods National Park in Northern California. All three rivers have their headwaters in the Cascade Mountains on the slopes of Crater Lake, Oregon's only national park. The Rogue River is a designated National Scenic River, and formed much of the backdrop for the Meryl Streep movie "The River Wild." Jet boat trips and white water rafting are very popular.

Rogue River Valley

Rogue River Valley, Oregon - A beautiful place to visit, a wonderful place to live. Come and find a place to call your own. Southern Oregon is a great place to own a home and grow your family.

Rogue River Valley
Search Travel Guides
Oregon Maps
Oregon History
Pioneer Days
Pioneer Days II
Pioneer Days III
Oregon Cavemen
Touchdown Willie
Touchdown Willie II
Touchdown Willie III
Touchdown Willie IV
Touchdown Willie V
Touchdown Willie VI
Touchdown Willie VII
Touchdown Willie VIII
Touchdown Willie IX
Touchdown Willie X
Touchdown Willie XI - END
Ox and Log Wagon
Dry Diggings
July Surprise
Gold Discovery
Decline of Mining
Mercury Mining
More Oregon History

Rogue River Valley - Oregon Travel Guide

Articles from the Historical Society in Josephine County Oregon

Touchdown Willie Heston

2/11

country school three miles away. His quest for an education was very strong even at this age, as he would walk to school over prairie, often through blizzards.

Martin and his schoolmates would play games like, Blackman, sometimes called "Wolf" or "Pullaway" or another called "Darebase", and Martin excelled because of his exceptional speed.

Poverty and hardship were continually lurking around the Heston household during the seven years they lived in Kansas. Martin's two sisters, Rose and Elizabeth developed "Tuberculosis" following the "flu". They died within two years of each other.

In March of 1892, everyone in the Heston household was needed to help with earning enough money for the family support. Martin was, as usual, taken out of school to herd cattle. Martin and a friend decided to leave home and try for a job.

The time set for leaving was the following Saturday, when Martin's father would be in Kinsley, Kansas. Martin's most difficult job was telling his mother, whom he dearly loved and respected, that he was leaving home. He waited until they were to leave before telling her. Even though she thought him to be too young for such an undertaking, she hunted around and came up with a 50 cent piece which she gave to Martin with her blessing, kissed him goodbye and reminded him to be good, and careful. Martin got a job 135 miles away, by going from farm to farm until he was hired by a Mr. Patten at thirteen dollars a month.

Here he stayed, cultivating corn and helping with the haying, until July, when he took a job harvesting at a dollar a day for six weeks. When this work was completed, Martin went to nearby Anthony, Kansas and bought his first store bought suit and a ticket for home.

THE FAMILY HEADS WEST

Martin's father was a Civil War Veteran and had applied for a pension several years back through an attorney in Washington, D. C. After the pension was finally granted, J.W. Heston would receive six dollars per month, dating back to the time of his application. After lawyer's fees, the .. Continued - Page 3

Rogue River Valley, Oregon - The Siskiyou Mountains stretch between the Cascade Mountains and the Coast Range at the California border. The entire area is more vertical than most other parts of the state, which leads to numerous waterfalls, lots of whitewater rapids, and some spectacular scenery. Rogue River Valley is outside the main population centers of the state and the area has a very rural flavor. Major industries are tourism, wood products and agriculture. The climate is generally milder and more Mediterranean than North Western Oregon. Average rainfallis about 20 % lower and the temperatures are a bit higher.