Established in 1856, the fort housed 200–300 troops tasked with two key missions: protecting the newly created Coast (Siletz) Indian Reservation to the west from settler encroachment and harassment, and confining and monitoring the tribes on the reservation. During the Civil War, the troops also worked to prevent the secessionist movement in the mid-Willamette Valley from escalating into armed conflict. The fort was closed in 1865.

From a soldiers diary: “”Wed. Mar. I, 1865. Rather cold all day. Snow covers the ground.
I am on guard. We have a large pot of coffee sitting by the fire, from which we draw now and then (near midnight). No drill in the snow. Had plenty to eat all day.” [Ref: on-site kiosk]

The town of Hoskins emerged in 1865 after buildings from Fort Hoskins were sold at auction following the fort’s closure. By 1891, the population had grown enough to establish a post office. The town thrived for a few decades as the headquarters of the Valley & Siletz Railroad, hosting diesel engines and passenger cars. However, as the timber industry declined, so did Hoskins. The post office closed permanently on December 31, 1958, and the railroad section through Hoskins was removed in 1979 after being sold to Boise Cascade. Today Hoskins is a ghost town.

The Commander’s Residence is one of only two surviving military buildings from Oregon’s pre-Civil War era, making it one of the most historically significant houses in the state, according to Oregon State University archaeologist David Brauner. A classic example of its type, the house features a formal parlor and private quarters on the ground floor, with bedrooms upstairs and a rear section for the kitchen and service areas. It was first occupied by Capt. Christopher Colon Augur, who later had a distinguished military career, including serving as commandant of cadets at West Point and earning a promotion to general during the Civil War.

Constructed in 1915, this foundation once supported a schoolhouse abuzz with the spirited sounds of 20-25 children in grades 1 through 8. When the population of the area increased following construction of the Valley & Siletz Railroad through Hoskins, mill owner Samuel Frantz donated an acre of land for this school, which replaced the original schoolhouse built in 1875 across the river.

During rainy winters, it was often too muddy for children to make the trip to school, so the original academic year was only four months long, beginning in April. In the 1920s, the school adopted a standard nine-month academic year that began in September. [Ref: on-site kiosk]

Interesting Facts:
– The river originates (about 2.7 miles north of the end of the ride) in the Coast Range and flows in a circuitous counterclockwise circle moving eastward before emptying into the Willamette River between Albany and Salem. Click on the map to left for an expanded view.
– The River has two main branches: the Little Luckiamute River (originating 9 miles west of Fall City) and the main Luckiamute River.
– The name “Luckiamute” is derived from the Native American Kalapuya tribe who lived in the region. The meaning of the name is unknown.

Red Alders are often some of the first trees to regenerate after clear-cut logging. Here’s why:

– Red Alder seeds are small, light, and easily carried by the wind, allowing them to spread quickly across disturbed areas like clear-cuts.
– These trees thrive in open, sunny conditions that clear-cuts provide. Their rapid growth enables them to outcompete slower-growing species in the early stages of forest regeneration.

Red Alders don’t typically dominate a forest for the long term (due to their shorter lifespan of 50–100 years), they play a vital role in restoring the ecosystem after clear-cut logging, paving the way for more complex, conifer-dominated forests like Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, and western hemlock to re-establish over time.

This area has most likely not been re-logged due to being sensitive wetland habitat.

Take a careful look to your right at mile 10.5 as riding and you’ll spot this old railroad grade—once part of the Valley & Siletz Railroad. Constructed between 1912 and 1917, this 40.6-mile railroad operated from 1912 to 1978. It served as a critical connection between Independence, a city along the Willamette River (to the east of here), and Valsetz, a logging community deep in the Oregon Coast Range. The line closely followed the Luckiamute River and the path of this ride. Hoskins was the operational hub of the railroad during its active years.

Fun fact: The name “Valsetz” is a portmanteau, a blend of two words, “Valley” and “Siletz.”

In November 1866, Samuel and Mary Frantz arrived in Hoskins, Oregon, with their seven children after traveling by wagon from Iowa. Using lumber from the local Hoskins mill, Samuel built this Gothic Revival-style home around 1869. The house features a T-shaped design, typical of Gothic Revival architecture from that period, but its asymmetrical front elevation makes it unique. Remarkably well-preserved with minimal alterations since its construction, this house stands as one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in Benton County. Despite its impressive style, the home originally lacked interior plumbing.