Riverton, Oregon

Riverton is an unincorporated community in Coos County, Oregon, United States,[1] on Oregon Route 42S, about 12 miles (19 km) up the Coquille River from Bandon.[2] Route 42S is the former alignment of U.S. Route 101.[3]

Riverton, Oregon
Unincorporated community
Riverton Riverton
Coordinates: 43°09′26″N 124°16′28″W
Country	United States
State	Oregon
County	Coos
Elevation	23 ft (7 m)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
Area code(s)	458 and 541
GNIS feature ID	1136691[1]
Coordinates and elevation from Geographic Names Information System

The townsite of Riverton was platted in 1889. Riverton post office was established in 1890 and named for its situation on the river.[4] Orlando A. Kelly, the first postmaster, was also said to have been the first settler there.[4]

In 1915 Riverton had a population of 200.[5] At that time Riverton shipped coal mined locally by steamboat to California.[5] The first coal mine opened in the county in 1854 and up to a quarter of people worked in what was then the region's most important industry.[6] Riverton served as a coal-mining center for more than 50 years.[6] In 1940, Riverton's population was 150, and the place served as a trading center for farmers who grew peas.[7] The post office closed in 1961.[4] Formerly Riverton Ferry crossed the Coquille there and as of 1969, it was still being operated by the county.[8][9] At one time the community had a high school and a grade school.[5] Circa 1901, there was a Christian Church and today there is a Riverton Community Church unaffiliated with the former one.[6] As of 2010 there are no stores in Riverton.[6]

See also

• Steamboats of the Coquille River

References

1. "Riverton". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. November 28, 1980. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
2. Oregon Atlas and Gazetteer (Map) (7th ed.). Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme Mapping. 2008. p. 51. ISBN 978-0-89933-347-2.
3. United Press International (January 2, 1959). "Slide Blocks Highway 101 for 12 Hours". The Bulletin. p. 12. Retrieved 2010-01-17.
4. McArthur, Lewis A.; McArthur, Lewis L. (2003) [1928]. Oregon Geographic Names (7th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. ISBN 978-0875952772.
5. Friedman, Ralph (1990). In Search of Western Oregon (2nd ed.). Caldwell, Idaho: The Caxton Printers, Ltd. p. 232. ISBN 0-87004-332-3.
6. "Coastal Towns". Pioneer History to About 1900, Churches of Christ & Christian Churches in the Pacific Northwest. Northwest College of the Bible. Retrieved 2010-01-16.
7. Writers' Program of the Work Projects Administration in the State of Oregon (1940). Oregon: End of the Trail. American Guide Series. Portland, Oregon: Binfords & Mort. p. 383. OCLC 4874569.
8. Query, Charles Floyd (2008). A History of Oregon Ferries Since 1826. p. 8. ISBN 978-0-89288-291-5.
9. Reed, Ione (September 6, 1969). "A Festival That's the Berries". The Register-Guard.