January 21, 2020 3:35 a.m.
Roseburg Public Library and the Genealogical Society of Douglas County are sponsoring a two-part genealogy series featuring local historians which will begin on Thursday.
The first presentation will be Dale Greenley talking about a mysterious local angler from the 1850s and interweaving his own research story. Greenley will share information about local resources and how to use them to help discover and research history.
Greenley was born and raised in Roseburg. In retirement, he was approached by angling historians from Portland who were putting together a book on the angling history of the Umpqua Basin. Greenely began researching local angling history and became fascinated with it. That started 15 years ago and now he is the editor of the “Umpqua Trapper”.
On Thursday February 27th, AL Helgeson will present a history of what is currently called Dole Road. It begins at Myrtle Creek and goes as far as Roberts Creek. The road started as part of the Scott-Applegate Trail and grew into part of the military and stage road that was the principal north-south road west of the Cascades until the Pacific Highway, now known as Highway 99, replaced it in 1920. Helgeson will also discuss the history of the community that was known as Oak Grove, Ruckles, and finally Dole, including its involvement with the stage lines, the railroad and the people who lived there.
Helgeson is a longtime resident of Douglas County who lives in the 150-year-old Pitzer Smith House at Ruckles, which his parents bought in 1943. He belongs to the Douglas County Historical Society and is vice-president of the South Umpqua Historical Society.
Both programs are free and will begin at 6:30 p.m. Contact the Roseburg Public Library at 492-7051 for more information.