A Deeper Look: Curry County

Wreck of the Mary D. Hume, Curry County Oregon

For they shall partake of the abundance of the seas And of treasures hidden in the sand. Deuteronomy 33:19

Did you know: Most of the Easter lilies grown in the United States are grown in Curry County?

Curry County is, of course, in the southwestern corner of the state, and is the final county in our South Coast region of Oregon. It is bordered by Coos County to the north and California to the south. It contains Cape Blanco, the westernmost point in Oregon. Curry shares a lot of history with Coos County and much of southern Oregon, with the discovery of gold in the 1850’s leading to a small gold rush, and then settlement by farmers and ranchers. The original natives, the Tutuni and Chetco, were relocated to the Siletz Reservation after the Rogue River Indian Wars of the mid-1850’s.

The population centers are along the coast and include Brookings, Port Orford, and Gold Beach (the county seat). Brookings got its start as a company lumber town in the early 20^th century. Gold Beach sits just south of the Rogue River and was the site of a battle during the Rogue River Indian War of 1855-56. Port Orford, about thirty miles north of Gold Beach, is the oldest settlement in the area, and the westernmost community in the mainland United States.

                                                                        Curry County

During World War II the Japanese sent submarines to the West Coast. One, Submarine I-25, made more than one trip to Oregon, and succeeded in doing some damage. In June of 1942 the submarine shelled Fort Stevens which is near the mouth of the Columbia River. That fall the submarine was assigned again to the West Coast to start forest fires. On September 9^th a small plane was launched from the sub which dropped two incendiary bombs on Wheeler Ridge east of Brookings in Curry County.  On the 29^th they tried it again east of Port Orford. Neither attempt produced a forest fire, fortunately, but Curry County holds the distinction of being the only place on the mainland United States bombed by an enemy aircraft.

I-25 had two more bombs to drop but elected not to. Instead, on October 4^th they torpedoed an oil carrier, the SS Camden, off Coos Bay. It later sank while being towed for repairs. A day later, off Gold Beach in Curry County, they torpedoed and sank another oil carrier, the SS Larry Doheny, which resulted in the loss of the ship and the lives of six crewmen.

Curry County is unique in many ways. It might be interesting to those who are into botany and horticulture that Port Orford Cedar only grows in that section of Oregon and Northern California, that the rare Knobcone pine is found in the mountains and along the California border there, and the Manzanita tree, while not so rare, is also native to Curry County. In addition to growing most of the Easter lilies in the United States, Curry County grows a great many of the cranberries, which were begun commercially in 1885.

Curry County shares many of the same concerns and problems the rest of southern Oregon does, with economic shortfalls, understaffed police, and with things like homelessness, drug smuggling and illegal marijuana grows. Those problems get worse going east, but Curry County is not immune. In 2021, 15 million dollars in illegal marijuana plants were seized someplace near Brookings.

How do we pray for Curry County?

My times are in your hands. Deliver me from the hands of my enemies and from those who pursue me. Psalm 31:15

The story of enemy submarines off the Curry County coast makes a great spiritual allegory. Pray any hidden plots of the enemy in Curry County be exposed and of no effect.

A lot of the Rogue River Indian War took place in or near Curry County. Repent for the “sins of our fathers,” for the mistreatment and injustice to the Native Americans.

Pray for law enforcement in Curry County, that they will be adequately staffed and funded, that they will be able to deal with smugglers and lawbreakers coming into the area as well as with ongoing local issues. The Curry County Sheriff is John Ward.

Pray for the County Commissioners: Court Boice, John Herzog, Chris Paasch. In this year’s election Chris Paasch’s position is up for election, which is a four-year term. Pray for discernment for the voters, and for integrity and wisdom for the commissioners.