The City of Rogue River's Centennial Year

—Rogue River, Oregon

The City of Rogue River, Oregon, celebrated its centennial year in 2012. Previously the river crossing in Southern Oregon was called Tailholt. In 1872 it was named Woodville after John Woods, and in 1912 the town council officially changed the name to Rogue River.

The town has had a colorful history. Long before Europeans arrived here -- at least 8,500 years ago -- there were Native American settlements in the region now called Oregon. In the early 1800s, the location of the future City of Rogue River became an important river crossing point. By the 1830s and 1840s it had became a regular stopover for trappers and traders traveling from Fort Vancouver on the Columbia River south to California along the Siskiyou Trail. Today's Interstate 5 traces the route of that trail, which was itself based on Native American pathways.

This video features the people, places, and events of the city's year-long celebration, "A Century of Hometown Pride." It's a time capsule; an exciting glimpse of a vibrant, American river community in the Pacific Northwest. It includes the Whiskerino Contest, the 59th Annual Rooster Crow, the Woodville Museum with its Native American and pioneering exhibits, beautiful aerial photography, the Ride the Rogue bicycling event, the grape harvest at Evans Creek Vineyard, segments on the riverside Rogue River Greenway, Palmerton Park, Wimer Bridge (one of only 50 remaining covered bridges in the State of Oregon), the Rogue River Fire Department, Mercy Flights, and the October 2 car-lift operation on the river by Waterway Recovery.

A year and a half in the making, Rogue River's Centennial Year was produced independently by videographer Randy Johnson. DVDs of the half-hour program will be available by early summer 2013 through the Rogue River Chamber of Commerce.

Painting of Lewis and Clark courtesy of Mort Künstler, http://www.mortkunstler.com
Painting of Ft. Vancouver courtesy of University of Texas Libraries
Satellite image of the western U.S. courtesy of Sea Wifs Project, NASA/Goddard Flight Center
Maps of Oregon courtesy of Raven Maps and Images, http://www.ravenmaps.com

Special thanks to Jack and Iris Johnson, Susan Eileen Burnes, Cheryl Martin Sund, Dean Stirm, Paul E. Young, John Rachor, Teresa Pearson, Tammy Asnicar, Carol Weir, Daniel Miller, Shannon Fain, VFW Post 4116, Rogue River Press, City of Rogue River, and the Rogue River Chamber of Commerce.

Rogue River Chamber of Commerce: http://rogueriverchamber.com
City of Rogue River: http://www.cityofrogueriver.org
Rogue River Press: http://www.rogueriverpress.com
Red Line Gallery: http://www.susaneileenburnes.com
Randy Grubb: http://www.randygrubb.com
Key of Three: http://www.keyofthree.info

Soundtrack by Southern Oregon musicians:
Kim Kristofer Hector, Darren M. Jahn, Brett Claytor, Heidi Eyler and the Key of Three, Rogue River Accordian Club, and Jon Galfano, http://www.jongalfano.com

This video is dedicated to the memory of Medora Nankervis.

Video, photography, writing, and narration by Randy Johnson
Produced by Randy Johnson

The City of Rogue River's Centennial Year
©2013 by Randy Johnson
[email protected]
http://www.johnsonartworks.com/portfo...