The Story of Settlement in the Rogue River Canyon

Illahe tells the captivating story of the miners, packers, farmers, and families who settled southern Oregon's rugged Rogue River Canyon in the 1860s.

Kay Atwood creates a personal picture of what life was like in the remote canyon, drawing on first-person accounts from diaries, journals, and interviews she conducted with descendants of the families who settled the area, most of whom shared Native American and white ancestry. Their stories recount hardships, dangerous river travel, deadly floods, extreme winters, constant isolation, and the self-sufficiency required to survive in this wild, beautiful place.

In addition to artfully presenting the words of the homesteaders and their descendants, Atwood has also gathered a treasure trove of rare historic photographs, supplemented by her own drawings and hand-drawn maps.

For anyone who has enjoyed the Rogue River canyon and wondered about the history of this National Wild and Scenic Rivers corridor, as well as for readers interested in pioneer history and the settlement of southern Oregon, Illahe offers a fascinating portrait of a truly unique time and place.