Grants Pass

Grants Pass is the seat of Josephine County. It lies along Interstate 5 between Roseburg and Medford.

Grants Pass was named when settlers constructing the town's main road heard news of General Grant's capture of Vicksburg in 1863. It was incorporated in 1887. In 1968 the Rogue River, which runs through town, was designated by Congress as a National Wild and Scenic River.

Today Grants Pass, population 17,500, is the hub of a region producing flower bulbs, nuts, fruits, vegetables and dairy products. It also boasts significant lumbering enterprises. The city is the river region's center and a popular departure point for many downriver raft trips. Hellgate Canyon, northwest of the city, marks the Rogue River's entrance to the coast ranges.

The downtown area has been designated a National Historic District. The Grower's Market is one of the largest open-air markets in Oregon. The Boatnik Festival is held in May.

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