Dorena Historical Society

Rujada

 

logging rujada

 

According to McArthur’s Oregon Geographic Names Rujada started out as a lumber camp at the eastern end of the Oregon, Pacific and Eastern Railway out of Cottage Grove.  The name sounds Spanish, but it is not.  It comes from the first initials of Reserve and United States, followed by the initials of the first names of some of the founders (Jack and Dave?) It is correctly pronounced Roo-jay-duh. A train full of logs from Rujada.

 

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Here is a family group on the porch of a lumber camp cabin at Rujada.  Love the hammock! 

An article in the Oregon Daily Journal in 1922 had a story about an excellent mountain guide up at the Rujada camp. According to the article this guide, Ruggles, “did not waste one’s breath with conversation, walked as slowly or as fast as one wanted, obeyed all commands and piloted folks to and from the logging camp.”  Ruggles was, of course, a dog.  He would meet the train and lead the passengers to the camp and back.

 

 

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There was a fire look-out for a time at Rujada, as well as a Civilian Conservation Corps camp.

 

 

rujada campout 1964

  Here is a group of campers in 1964.

Starting in the 1930’s Rujada became a popular place to camp.

 

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The Swordfern Trail

Rujada is still a wonderful place to camp and hike. The Swordfern Trail follows the creek for a while and then heads up to an old logging road that loops back to the campground.

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Early Timber Photos

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.

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