Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Page 18
Historic Wimer-Gasquet Road paved way for naming current Redwood Hwy.
By ROGER BRANDT
For IVN
Prior to the construction
of Hwy. 199, to reach the
coast from Illinois Valley
travelers used the Wimer-
Gasquet Road.
It’s a narrow gravel
road from O’Brien to
Gasquet, Calif., and it con-
tinues over Howland Hill
Road through a redwood
forest to Crescent City.
This road is still main-
tained and in good condition.
It offers an opportunity to get
off the beaten path and enjoy
a scenic route that was trav-
eled by Illinois Valley resi-
dents heading to the coast
from the 1880s to 1920s.
The story of these two
roads begins in the 1870s
when W. T. Wimer, a mer-
chant in Illinois Valley, be-
gan construction on a new
road to Crescent City. It was
to replace the older and
steeper Turnpike Road
(known today as the
have a map showing both
route to the coast became a
in California.
McGrew Trail). This new
the California and Oregon
combination of the two
To drive the old Wimer-
route was completed in
sections of the
1882, and a
road. And use
toll
was
a vehicle that
charged
to
has durable
travel on it.
tires suitable
At about
for travel on
the
same
gravel roads.
time, Horace
Be prepared
Gasquet,
a
for emergen-
store owner
cies with ex-
in California,
tra food and
began con-
water.
struction on a
From Illi-
road
from
nois Valley,
Crescent City
turn west on
to Wimer’s
Lone Moun-
road
near
tain Road at
O r e g o n
O’Brien. You
Mountain on
are now on
the Oregon-
the
Wimer
California
Road. Follow
border. This
this for ap-
toll road was
f i n i s h e d In the early 1900s the Gasquet-Wimer Road was the main travel route for auto traffic proximately 9
miles to the
around 1887 between the coast and Illinois Valley. It was during this time that the road was nick-
named
Redwood
Hwy.
(Photo
courtesy
of
Josephine
County
Historical
Society.)
pass at Ore-
and provided
gon Moun-
a more direct
tain, where you will encoun-
roads -- Wimer’s road in
Gasquet route to Crescent
route to Crescent City.
ter a fork in the road. Stay
Oregon and Gasquet’s road
City, be certain that you
Over time, the preferred
right and within half a mile,
turn to the left where the
road drops down and fol-
lows Shelly Creek.
This is the beginning of
the Gasquet Toll Road. Drive
some 8 miles to where it ends
at Patrick Creek Road. Turn
right. Within half a mile you
will cross a bridge. Stay left at
the fork after crossing the
bridge to continue on the old
route.
This section climbs to
some beautiful vistas of
Smith River before drop-
ping down to Gasquet. At
Hwy. 199, turn right and
drive approximately 7 miles
to the turnoff to Stout Grove
and Howland Hill Road.
This is the final section
of the Gasquet Toll Road
and winds through the red-
wood forest of Jedediah
Smith State Park to Crescent
City. The total distance from
O’Brien to Crescent City
along this route is approxi-
mately 55 miles.
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Open Daily
Fridays 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
All other days 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
An honor to serve Illinois Valley
for more than 20 years!