in the northern part of this valley, although the tree has been dead for many years."
GOLD BEACH, Curry County. Gold was discovered in the sands of Curry County in the early '50s and the beaches were named on that account. They were the scene of operations of hundreds of placer miners in pioneer days. This particular beach was at the mouth of Rogue River, and the settlement there was for some years known as Ellensburg, but it is said that there was confusion with Ellensburg, in Washington Territory, and the name was changed to Gold Beach. The name Ellensburg was derived from Sarah Ellen Tichenor, daughter of Captain William Tichenor. See under TICHENOR ROCK. Bancroft and Mrs. Victor both refer to the fact that the settlement at the mouth of Rogue River was once known as Whaleshead, but Orvil Dodge says that is a mistake. What is now known as Whalehead Island is some distance south of Gold Beach. For information about early history of Gold Beach see Port Orford News, December 14, 1926, where it is said that Sebastopol was one of the early names for the place. For additional history of Gold Beach, see editorial page Oregon Journal, July 20, 21, 1927, and under
FORT MINER.
GOLD CREEK, Clackamas and Marion counties. Gold Creek and a tributary East Gold Creek drain a large basin that is traversed by the Clackamas-Marion county line. Gold Creek flows into Little North Santiam River from the north just east of the west line of township 8 south, range 5 east. Gold Creek is in the very heart of the North Santiam mining area, and from time to time there has been a good deal of activity in that region. The stream was named for the gold ore that was uncovered. There were also silver, copper, iron, galena and other minerals. For an account of these discoveries, see Down's History of the Silverton Country, pages 85 and 86. Down does not give the date of the discovery of minerals in the North Santiam area, but it seems probable that it was in the middle '60s. Gold CREEK, Polk County. Gold Creek flows into South Yamhill River from the south a little west of Willamina. It is sometimes shown on maps as Cold Creek but various county authorities have informed the compiler that Gold Creek is the correct name, not Cold Creek. The local school is officially known as Gold Creek School. The compiler has not been able to get the origin of the name; its history seems to be as closely guarded as the metal itself. Gold Hill, Jackson County. Gold Hill was the scene of an early gold discovery in southern Oregon. There is now some controversy as to the exact location of the hill so known, but from what evidence the writer has seen it is quite certain that the original Gold Hill was on the south bank of Rogue River opposite the present community of Gold Hill. There seems to be no historic reason to believe that it was north of the town, even though so shown on some maps. The hill to the north is somewhat more imposing than the original Gold Hill to the south, and this may be the reason that some local residents tried to move the name. The town is of course named for the hill. In pioneer days the main settlement in this neighborhood was that of W. G. T'Vault at Dardanelles, on the south side of Rogue River. Gold Ray, Jackson County. Colonel Frank Ray of New York was interested in the power development at the falls of Rogue River at
