Frozen Umpqua?

Douglas County’s moderate climate is part of the lure, bringing folks to settle down here; very few days of extreme weather here, but we do have our moments. One of the worst was, of course, The Great Flood of 1861-1862. Rain and melting snow caused a catastrophic winter flood. That calamity overshadowed an associated, but very unique, event. Before the waters had receded, in January of 1862, the swollen South Umpqua River “froze over” and wagons were able to drive across the ice. It is estimated that between 75% - 80% of all livestock, in the Pacific Northwest, either froze to death, starved, or were lost in these combined events. 26 years later, in January 1888, temps dropped to six degrees below zero, and the South Umpqua River froze over again. Ice blocks were cut from the river, covered with sawdust and stored in warehouses for commercial and home use. 44 years later, in December 1932, the South Umpqua River would freeze over once again. At Roseburg, the temperature had dipped to 9 degrees. People were ice skating on the frozen South Umpqua River, below the Old Soldiers Home (now the Umpqua Valley Arts Center), in Roseburg. Elk Creek and the main Umpqua froze over in several places near Elkton, as well. 5 years later, in January 1937, the ice skates were brought back out of retirement, as many skaters frolicked on the South Umpqua River. Quiet stretches of water near the Oak Street Bridge and at the Old Soldiers Home Bridge (Steel Bridge to VA) were frozen sufficiently for skating. In Reedsport, ice in the Umpqua River rammed and sank the Vulcan, a combined passenger, freight and mail boat on the Smith River-Reedsport Run. 12 years later, in January 1949, once again ice on the Umpqua River and Smith River became a hazard to boat traffic. 13 years later, in January 1962, the Umpqua River froze over once more and children were sliding and skating on the river near downtown Roseburg. Do you remember a winter when the surface of the Umpqua River has been frozen? #DouglasCountyOregon