Post Office Box 746                    Gold Beach, Oregon  97444

Board of Commissioners

County Office Phone Directory      

Employment Opportunities 

Senior & Disabled Tax Deferral Information

 Special Assessment Tax Deferral Information

Notice of Privacy Practices

Curry County Enterprise GIS, Assessor's Office

Curry County Property Tax Payments

Curry County Law Enforcement Blue Ribbon Committee

County Code   H1N1 Protocols

Public Services - Planning, Environmental Services, Building

Curry County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan

Sheriff's Office self-report crime form

Arrest-Log   Jail-Population

Curry County Wildfire Protection Plan

Sudden Oak Death Information

H1N1-Virus Information

PUBLIC NOTICES

Public Auctions

One Hundred One Miles of Nature's Best

Curry County was created on December 18, 1855, from the southern part of Coos County. Initially it was proposed that the new county be named after Captain William Tichenor, council member from Port Orford.  However, he declined because his constituents wanted to honor the territorial governor, George Law Curry.

Elected Officials:

Assessor/Tax Collector            Jim Kolen       Clerk              Renee Kolen District Attorney Everett Dial Sheriff             John Bishop Surveyor         Jerry Floyd Treasurer        Debbie Crumley

Curry County is situated along the Pacific Coast in the southwest corner of Oregon.  It is bounded on the south by California, on the west by the Pacific Ocean, on the north by Coos County, and on the east by Josephine County.  The county originally contained about 1,500 square miles.  However, boundary adjustments with Coos County in 1872 and 1951 and Josephine County in 1880 and 1927 increased the area to 1,648 square miles.

Upon creation of Curry County, the Territorial Legislature fixed the county seat temporarily at Port Orford until the citizens of the county could determine a permanent site.  In 1859, following an informal vote of county citizens during the general election, Ellensburg was designated the county seat.  In 1891 Ellensburg was renamed Gold Beach because of the gold and other minerals found in the sands in this area and to eliminate confusion with the city of Ellensburg located in the state of Washington.

The first courthouse was in Judge Fred Smith's home in Port Orford.  Apparently the town's inability to finance the construction of a proper courthouse was a factor in the vote that favored the move to Gold Beach.  The first courthouse in Gold Beach was replaced in 1912.  The current courthouse was constructed in 1958.

Adventure Abounds

 Chetco River- Kalmiopsis Wilderness

Adult Corrections Animal Control  Assessor/Tax Collector    Children & Families         Clerk Elections Recording Commissioners    District Attorney Emergency Services         Fiscal Services Home Health & Hospice       HumanServices Information Technology Juvenile         Parks & Recreation Personnel         Public Health Public Services R.S.V.P.           Road Department Sheriff      Surveyor  Treasurer  Veterans Services

The government of Curry County consisted originally of a probate judge, a three member board of commissioners, sheriff, auditor, treasurer, and coroner.  The county judge's position was replaced by a board of commissioners in 1969.  Curry County is represented by Senate District 1, Representative District 1, and the Fourth Congressional District.  Port districts were established at Port Orford in 1919 and Gold Beach in 1955.

The first county census in 1860 showed a population of 393.  There has been a steady increase in population with the 1997 population given at 22,200, a 14.9% increase over 1990.

Coastal Pilot          Curry Reporter       Port Orford News Port Orford Today

Radio Stations

KURY  95.3 FM  KGBR  92.7 FM

In 1852, explorers discovered gold and other precious metals in the rivers and along the beaches of this area.  Initially, settlement in the county was concentrated along the coast and depended primarily on water transport.  The slow development of inland transportation routes kept the county relatively isolated well into the twentieth century.  While there is still some mining of cobalt, nickel, and chromium in the southern part of the county, most of the county's economy has reoriented to agriculture, recreation, tourism and forest products.  Port Orford cedar (Lawson Cypress) and myrtlewood are important export commodities.  The county has excellent grazing areas for raising cattle and sheep as well as favorable environmental conditions for the production of blueberries, cranberries, and horticultural nursery stock.  The Harbor Bench area of southern Curry and northern Del Norte counties produces ninety percent of all Easter lilies raised in the United States.  Vacation and recreational possibilities in the county draw tourists to the area and provide additional economic diversity.

                  Curry County Historical Society Port Orford Heritage Society

Airports

Brookings        Gold Beach    Cape Blanco

Ports

Gold Beach Brookings-Harbor Port Orford