Dorena, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Dorena is an unincorporated community
in Lane County, Oregon
, United States
. It is located southeast of Cottage Grove
on the Row River
, a tributary of the Coast Fork Willamette River
.
and gold mining
became the mainstays of the local economy. Dorena was named by combining the first names of Dora Burnette and Rena Martin. Dorena school was built in 1896, and Dorena post office was established in 1899. In 1946, the town was abandoned when the Corps of Engineers
began construction of Dorena Dam on the Row River for flood control. The Corps relocated approximately one hundred homes from the town's former site at 43°46′32"N 122°55′38"W. The dam was completed in 1949 and created Dorena Reservoir
, which flooded the townsite. The community was moved five miles upriver.
, a rails to trails
conversion of a former Oregon, Pacific and Eastern Railway
line, passes through Dorena.
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 Lane County, Oregon
Lane County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge *Siuslaw National Forest *Umpqua National Forest *Willamette National Forest -Government:...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located southeast of Cottage Grove
Cottage Grove, Oregon
Cottage Grove is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. It received its name from its first postmaster, G. C. Pierce, in September 1861. Pierce's home at the time was in an oak grove. The population was 9,686 at the 2010 census.-History:...
on the Row River
Row River
The Row River is a river, approximately long, in Lane County, Oregon, United States. It rises in the Cascade Range and flows into the Coast Fork Willamette River near Cottage Grove. The stream was originally known as the "East Fork Coast Fork", but was later renamed after a dispute between...
, a tributary of the Coast Fork Willamette River
Coast Fork Willamette River
The Coast Fork Willamette River is one of several forks that unite to form the Willamette River in western Oregon in the United States. It is about long, draining an area of the mountains at the south end of the Willamette Valley south of Eugene.-Course:...
.
History
The first settlers arrived in the Dorena area in the 1850s and depended on agriculture to survive, but later loggingLogging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
and gold mining
Gold mining
Gold mining is the removal of gold from the ground. There are several techniques and processes by which gold may be extracted from the earth.-History:...
became the mainstays of the local economy. Dorena was named by combining the first names of Dora Burnette and Rena Martin. Dorena school was built in 1896, and Dorena post office was established in 1899. In 1946, the town was abandoned when the Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
began construction of Dorena Dam on the Row River for flood control. The Corps relocated approximately one hundred homes from the town's former site at 43°46′32"N 122°55′38"W. The dam was completed in 1949 and created Dorena Reservoir
Dorena Reservoir
Dorena Reservoir is a reservoir on the Row River in Lane County, Oregon, United States. It is located east of Cottage Grove. Dorena Dam was completed in 1949....
, which flooded the townsite. The community was moved five miles upriver.
Transportation
The Row River TrailRow River National Recreation Trail
Row River National Recreation Trail is a rails to trails conversion in the U.S. state of Oregon. It follows the Row River for between Cottage Grove and Dorena Lake, and provides access to many forest trails of Umpqua National Forest....
, a rails to trails
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
conversion of a former Oregon, Pacific and Eastern Railway
Oregon, Pacific and Eastern Railway
The Oregon, Pacific and Eastern Railway is a short line railroad that began in 1904 as the Oregon and Southeastern Railroad . The line ran between the towns of Cottage Grove and Wildwood. The Oregon, Pacific & Eastern Railway Company incorporated in 1912, and purchased the physical assets of the...
line, passes through Dorena.
External links
- Historic images of the Dorena area from Salem Public Library
- 1911 image of students inside Dorena School from University of Oregon LibraryKnight LibraryKnight Library is the main facility of the University of Oregon's library system. It is located on the university's campus in Eugene, Oregon, United States. The library design is emblematic of the architecture of the university's older buildings, and it serves as a hub of student activity. As of...