Kerby, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Kerby is an unincorporated community
in Josephine County, Oregon
, United States
, north of Cave Junction
on U.S. Route 199, Zip code
97531. Although the current population of
the Kerby area reported by the US Census is 400, it is often listed in tourist guides as a ghost town
, because of the number of historic buildings left from its days as a gold-mining town. Kerby came into existence between 1854 and 1857.
mining and went through numerous name changes (and various spellings) in its early years. When Josephine County was established on January 22, 1856, a new county seat
was to be chosen in the next county election. The original county seat was a place called "Sailor Diggings" (which was eventually renamed Waldo
). One of the polling places listed was called "Kirbey's Ranch". James Kerby and Samuel Hicks, partners in a general mercantile
and supply business, probably founded the town of "Kerbeyville" for the county seat race, and the town was selected in the election of June 1857, beating out Grants Pass
. Grants Pass became the county seat in 1886.
An act of the territorial legislature
of December 18, 1856 changed the name from "Kirbeyville" to "Napoleon", possibly because of the association of Napoleon
with the name Josephine
. The new name was not popular and a bill was introduced in the next legislature that would change it back. The bill passed the House but was then held up in the Senate judiciary committee. Though the county commissioners used the name Napoleon for a short time, they reverted to calling the place Kerbyville in about April 1860. The name Kerbyville was used officially for many years despite the failure of the legislature to restore it. The name was finally changed to Kerby for the sake of simplicity.
The history of the name of the post office in this locale is simpler: Kerby office was established in September 1856; it was later made a rural station of Cave Junction. The post office was proposed to be closed in 2009.
Kerby School, a rural elementary school in the former Illinois Valley School District, served children in the Illinois Valley
and was located next to the Kerbyville Museum. Most children arrived there by school bus. Directly across Highway 199 from the school site is the site of the Cabax (Kabax) Mill, a thriving sawmill
in the late 1950s and 1960s. In its day it was a modern facility and a significant source of income for the community. The decline of logging in the Illinois Valley in the late 1960s and 1970s doomed the mill.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Josephine County, Oregon
Josephine County, Oregon
Josephine County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. According to Oregon Geographic Names, the county is probably named after a stream in the area called Josephine Creek, which in turn is probably named after Virginia Josephine Rollins Ort. In 2010, its population was 82,713...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, north of Cave Junction
Cave Junction, Oregon
Cave Junction, incorporated in 1948, is a city in Josephine County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,883. Its motto is the "Gateway to the Oregon Caves," and the city got its name by virtue of its location at the junction of Redwood Highway and Caves Highway...
on U.S. Route 199, Zip code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
97531. Although the current population of
the Kerby area reported by the US Census is 400, it is often listed in tourist guides as a ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
, because of the number of historic buildings left from its days as a gold-mining town. Kerby came into existence between 1854 and 1857.
History
Kerby was named for James Kerby (or Kerbey, as he sometimes spelled his name). The community was founded during the heyday of Josephine County goldGold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
mining and went through numerous name changes (and various spellings) in its early years. When Josephine County was established on January 22, 1856, a new county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
was to be chosen in the next county election. The original county seat was a place called "Sailor Diggings" (which was eventually renamed Waldo
Waldo, Oregon
Waldo is a ghost town located in Josephine County, Oregon, United States, about three miles from the California border. It was settled in 1852 as a gold mining camp called Sailor's Diggings....
). One of the polling places listed was called "Kirbey's Ranch". James Kerby and Samuel Hicks, partners in a general mercantile
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
and supply business, probably founded the town of "Kerbeyville" for the county seat race, and the town was selected in the election of June 1857, beating out Grants Pass
Grants Pass, Oregon
-Rogue River:The Rogue River runs through Grants Pass.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 23,003 people, 9,376 households, and 5,925 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 9,885 housing units at an average density of 1,303.3 per square mile . By 2008,...
. Grants Pass became the county seat in 1886.
An act of the territorial legislature
Oregon Territorial Legislature
Oregon’s Territorial Legislature was a bicameral legislative body created by the United States Congress in 1848 as the legislative branch of the government of the Oregon Territory...
of December 18, 1856 changed the name from "Kirbeyville" to "Napoleon", possibly because of the association of Napoleon
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
with the name Josephine
Joséphine de Beauharnais
Joséphine de Beauharnais was the first wife of Napoléon Bonaparte, and thus the first Empress of the French. Her first husband Alexandre de Beauharnais had been guillotined during the Reign of Terror, and she had been imprisoned in the Carmes prison until her release five days after Alexandre's...
. The new name was not popular and a bill was introduced in the next legislature that would change it back. The bill passed the House but was then held up in the Senate judiciary committee. Though the county commissioners used the name Napoleon for a short time, they reverted to calling the place Kerbyville in about April 1860. The name Kerbyville was used officially for many years despite the failure of the legislature to restore it. The name was finally changed to Kerby for the sake of simplicity.
The history of the name of the post office in this locale is simpler: Kerby office was established in September 1856; it was later made a rural station of Cave Junction. The post office was proposed to be closed in 2009.
Kerby School, a rural elementary school in the former Illinois Valley School District, served children in the Illinois Valley
Illinois River (Oregon)
The Illinois River is a tributary, about long, of the Rogue River in the U.S. state of Oregon. It drains part of the Klamath Mountains in northern California and southwestern Oregon. The river's main stem begins at the confluence of its east and west forks near Cave Junction in southern Josephine...
and was located next to the Kerbyville Museum. Most children arrived there by school bus. Directly across Highway 199 from the school site is the site of the Cabax (Kabax) Mill, a thriving sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
in the late 1950s and 1960s. In its day it was a modern facility and a significant source of income for the community. The decline of logging in the Illinois Valley in the late 1960s and 1970s doomed the mill.
External links
- Josephine County Historical Society: Kerby history page at webtrail.com