Up that road is the old cemetery for the town of Waldo. It was once the Josephine County seat. No longer is this the case. There isn’t even a single house here anymore.
The small roadside memorial reads:
Sailors Diggings
In 1852, English sailors jumped ship in Crescent City to go east in search of rumored gold strikes, and found “color” here at what became known as Sailors Diggin’s. By January 22, 1856, this had become the town of Waldo, the first Territorial seat of Josephine County, with the Post Office established the same year. THe town was named for William Waldo, brother of California Judge Daniel Waldo. With its stores, saloons, billiard halls, boarding houses and hotels, a skating rink, and a bowling alley, Waldo reached a population of 3000, only 1500 of whom were citizens, and 600 were “Celestials,” Chinese who could not become citizens or own gold claims or other property. Oregon’s first water rights were established here***, making Waldo the hub of Oregon’s first hydraulic mining industry.
As the gold played out, many of Waldo’s residents drifted away. In 1919, a land development company sold speculation housing lots and began building a home, which was never completed. In 1927, Waldo was leveled by the giant hydraulic mining water cannons of the placer mines.
The dreams of its residents now gone, only the occupants of the hilltop cemetery remain to watch over the once thriving community of Waldo, Oregon.
This plaque was placed October 8, 2011 by the Umpqua Joe Chapter 1859 of the Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus in cooperation with the Josephine County Historical Society.
This area is remarkably healed for having been hydraulically mined a little less than 100 years ago. No evidence of a town exists. Such is life in old gold towns.
We have been here several times. Sad that there is nothing left except for the cemetery. We are geocachers (TeamTrekkerz) and we try to find new or should I say old places that have history. Ya can’t get much older locally than Waldo.
There are quite a few old towns in Oregon that have completely vanished. But this one vanished more than most.
My great grandfather was the owner of the Deep Gravel mine in Waldo along with being the postmaster for the town of Waldo,owner of the rogue river courier, and Grantspass hotel, Builder of the Wimer trail to the coast and Wimer ditch that brought water from the Illinois river miles away to his mining site for his hydro-mining.
Some of his family along with his young son is buried at the Waldo cemetery.
I am in my 60’s and my sister is pushing 70.
We just started this family search a couple years ago and plan to make a trip to all the areas he, our grandfather, was involved in.
His name was William Jordan Wimer (w.j.wimer) His partner in the mine was E.A.Reaves.
It is an interesting area full of history. The local county historical society might be able to help fill in additional details.
my email adderss is dadstexaco@aol.com
thanks, JC
That cemetery marker is new since I last visited up that way. I’m still confused about the names Sailor Diggings and Waldo, but I’m starting to lean towards Sailor Diggings being the name of the entire area, and Waldo being the town that eventually sprung up.
More information: http://pnwphotoblog.com/ghost-town-of-waldo-oregon/
While working on my family’s ancestry, I was finally able to go through my Mother’s photos (she died in 2005). While doing so, I found a picture of my Mom with cousins I knew and one I did not – he ended up being the great grandson of my great grandfather’s sister, the only,sibling of his I could never find anything on until then. It turns out that she and her husband, Margaret O’Brien and James Connell, both born in Ireland, went west and settled in Waldo about 1865. They had 8 children, all born in Waldo, and remained there while James was mining until about 1890, when the family relocated to San Francisco.
One of their children, Timothy, born 1869, died before 1880, and I am wondering if he is buried there. It seems not all of the headstones are readable.
How can I find out more about the Connells? It appears that Jaems Connell’s brother Timothy was also there, as they lived next door. Also, curiously, a James Connell was one of the casualties of the a Brother Jonathan sinking in the 1850s.
Sad that Waldo is no longer. If anyone knows where I can find any more info about Waldo during that time period, I would greatly appreciate it!
Matt Peck
There are two cemeteries in Waldo.
Actually there is. Turn off from Hwy 199 onto waldo rd. After several miles you’ll come across an open spot. There is s commemorative plaque on the left (north) side of the road with a little history Sailors diggin’s. A.K.A. Waldo.
Turn around and look across the street and to your right and you’ll se s hill.
On top of that hill is the cemetery.