Timber was the mainstay of the Row River Valley for over a century.  The first lumber mill in the valley was called Up Today and Down Tomorrow and was used by early settlers to mill the lumber for their homes.  At one point there were 11 lumber mills along the Row and its tributaries.  Among these were Booth Kelly, Durable Fir, Wildwood, Brown Lumber, Row River Lumber and the big daddy of them all, Bohemia.

Steam Donkey used in logging

Lumber Camp along the Row

Lumber Camp Resident Opal Whiteley

Row River Lumber Company

Row River Lumber Company

Brown Lumber Company

Logs from Rujada

For a comprehensive look at the Timber Industry in the Row River Valley, try to get a hold of a copy of Bohemia,  The Lives and Times of an Oregon Timber Venture by Michael Thoele, published by the Oregon Historical Society Press.

The Dorena Dam project was initiated in the 1930’s but World War II put off construction until the mid 1940’s.  The Dam was built primarily for flood control. Over 500 men worked on the construction and 100 homes were moved or dismantled to make way for the reservoir.  The Dam was completed in 1949.

Post card mailed from the Row River Post Office in 1911.

The Row River was originally referred to as the East Fork of the Coast Fork River.  A long and violent dispute between two neighbors, George Clark and Joseph Southwell, resulted in the area being called the valley of the “row.”  The name attached itself to the river and to a Post Office that existed for a few years in the 1910’s.  The fight between the two men ended with Mr. Clark being killed by Mr. Southwell.

The Row River flowing through the valley in the 1930s before being dammed to form Dorena Reservoir.

In 1964 the Row River experienced a 100 year flood.  The above photo shows Rocky Point (about 1 mile up river from present day Dorena School) during the flood.  Ruth Stewart, Postmistress at the time, reported that her husband put on waders and hiked down the railroad track to Rocky Point with sacks of outgoing mail. He then exchanged them for sacks of incoming mail with the mail carrier who met him there.

There were reports that some of the cabins along the river were saved from being washed downstream by chaining them to trees with logging cables.  Another rumor suggests that someone obtained a home by snagging it with cable as it floated by.

The road to the Bohemia Mining District

Lund Park on the way to the mines

Another photo of Lund Park

The hotel at Lund Park

Musick Mine

Vesuvius Mine with Post Office

For more information about the mines, see the Bohemia Gold Mining Museum at

308 S 10th St, Cottage Grove, OR  97424    541 942-5022.

They have a great collection of mining memorabilia, books and photos.

Early settlers in the Row River Valley were primarily farmers.  Most of the farms were subsistence only but there was some commercial farming in the area.

The England Farm at the base of Cerro Gordo.

The Doolittle and Bales families on Rat Creek both had commercial orchards. They shipped their fruit by railroad to Portland and from there to points east including New York.  High shipping costs put these two ventures out of business.

Members of the Bales and England families, old Row River Valley farmers.

The Stewart Farm further up the valley was mainly a cattle operation but was also known for its gooseberries.

The Stewart Farmhouse in the 1930s.

The Stewarts on the road in front of their farm.

Grain Display by the Currin Farm. Photo is courtesy of George Currin.

The Grain Display by the Currin Farm won 1st place at the Lane County Fair in 1911.  The Currin Farm was where the Dorena Grange is now located.  This entry was probably part of the Dorena Grange’s exhibit.

Barn at the old Wicks farm.

There is actually more commercial farming going on in the Row River Valley today than at any other time.  Check out rowrivervalley.com to catch up with our local farmers.