Maps indicate the values held by their makers. Old maps provide a guide to the history & heritage of our region, “The Land of the Oregon Myrtle.”

Early maps of Southwestern Oregon show an interest in gold, transportation, personal safety, relative location and place names.  Sometimes the mapmakers respect historic and native information, sometimes the mapmakers take notice of landmarks, land form and vegetation.  Primarily these maps indicate why the mapmakers came to Oregon, for profit, for gold, for a new place to live. 

Oregon is named for the big winds that blow here, Early explorer maps of Northwest North America are marked with Mackenzie’s word Orkan or the French Ouragan which also became the English word hurricane, I mark my maps  with the phrase: “Land of the Oregon Myrtle,” for that tree demonstrates what it takes to live near the Southwest coast of Oregon.

Our 1887 Victorian Cottage stands shielded to the SW by an ancient Myrtle whose sprawling limbs absorb and redirect even the stiffest storm.  A Myrtle Tree is nature’s shockabsorber and a symbol for the grit and sometimes even personality of those who spend extended time here. 

We encourage you to send us your observations and insights, we respect each point of view. 

Some comments so far:   “Very impressive signature on the 1863 map.”  “The prospectors did not tell any more about the lay of their claim than they needed to to file their claims.” “Town names sure change often.  “Empire City!  It is strange to see it ranking notice equivalent to or above any West Coast City other than San Francisco.” “The rivers have changed outflow by miles, the mouth of the Coquille was sometimes way north of Bandon.”