page_title: Upper and Lower Table Rock
section_title: Human history
hierarchical_section_title: Upper and Lower Table Rock / Human history
caption_attribution_description: English: This picture was taken by my wife (who of course has no problem letting me upload it). She snapped it on Upper Table Rock, part of en:Upper and Lower Table Rock. The coordinates are 42°28′46″N 122°54′47″W﻿ / ﻿42.4795742°N 122.9129336°W and the elevation is 2,083 feet (635&#160;m).[1]
context_page_description: Upper Table Rock and Lower Table Rock are two prominent volcanic plateaus located just north of the Rogue River in Jackson County, Oregon, U.S. Created by an andesitic lava flow approximately seven million years ago and shaped by erosion, they now stand about 800 feet above the surrounding Rogue Valley. The Table Rocks are jointly owned; The Nature Conservancy is responsible for 3,591 acres, while the Bureau of Land Management is responsible for 1,280 acres.
  Native Americans have inhabited the Table Rocks area for at least 15,000 years before European-American settlement. Starting in the mid-19th century during a gold rush, the settlers forced the Takelma tribe away from the Table Rocks and into reservations. The surrounding area was quickly developed. The Table Rock post office was established in 1872, an airstrip was built atop Lower Table Rock in 1948, and a very high frequency omni-directional range aviation tower was constructed on Upper Table Rock in the 1960s. The Table Rocks were not protected until the 1970s.
  The rocks are home to over 70 species of animals and 340 species of plants, which includes over 200 species of wildflowers.
context_section_description: Humans have lived in the Table Rock area for at least 15,000 years, based on the age of Clovis points that were discovered nearby. The region surrounding the Table Rocks was home to the Takelma people. They gathered food such as acorns and tarweed seeds, and caught salmon in the nearby Rogue River. The Takelma also used deer hides for clothing. They had several names for the rocks, including Di'tani ("rock above"), Titanakh ("little Indian plums"), and possibly Kwenphunkh. The first use of the names Upper Table Rock and Lower Table Rock is unknown, however the first recorded use was by mountain man James Clyman in 1845.
  Some of the first European Americans to visit the area were fur trappers led by Peter Skene Ogden in 1827. In 1841 the United States Exploring Expedition passed through the Rogue Valley. Neither Ogden nor the expedition mentioned the Table Rocks. The gold rush of the early 1850s brought many emigrants to the area, and Table Rock City (soon renamed Jacksonville) was established several miles south of the rocks. The sudden increase of settlers created conflicts with the Rogue River Indians. These conflicts turned into warfare, and several treaties were signed in an attempt to end the hostilities. In June 1851, soldiers of the United States Army led by Major Philip Kearny attacked the Takelma near Lower Table Rock, but the Takelma were prepared. One soldier died, and three others were injured. Major Kearny returned with volunteers from Yreka soon after, accompanied by Oregon Territory delegate Joseph Lane.
  Hostilities resumed in 1853, culminating in the Battle of Table Rock, which actually took place in the Evans Creek drainage. In September 1853, the Native Americans signed a peace treaty with Joseph Lane, and the Treaty with the Rogue River with Joel Palmer, which resulted in their ceding 2,500 square miles (6,500 km²) of land in exchange for $60,000, $15,000 of which was to be used to repay white settlers for losses sustained in the hostilities and $5,000 of which was set aside to purchase agricultural implements and other improvements benefitting the Native Americans. The Takelma population underwent their first forced migration into the Table Rock Reservation, located between Upper Table Rock and nearby Evans Creek. This reservation remained open for three years, while the inhabitants were moved to other reservations. In January 1856, 400 Native Americans were moved to the Grande Ronde Reservation, 263 miles (423 km) to the north. Most of the rest were relocated to the Siletz Reservation in May.
  Development of the area commenced immediately and in 1872 the Table Rock Post Office was established just south of Upper Table Rock and east of Lower Table Rock. The Table Rock School District was created in 1879. In 1895 the post office's name was changed to Tablerock, and it was closed in 1906. Telephones arrived in 1908, and the Table Rock Mutual Telephone Company was established. The school district was merged with Central Point's district in 1948.
  In November 1948, John Day, a local cattle rancher and developer, built a ³⁄₄-mile (1.2 km) airstrip on the surface of Lower Table Rock to impress visiting celebrities from Hollywood. Day funded residential lots near the landmark with the intent of marketing the lots to the celebrities who used the grassy runway. The runway was closed in the late 1980s, but small airplanes still occasionally attempt to land on it.
  The Federal Aviation Administration has operated a 25-foot (7.6 m) tall very high frequency omnidirectional range (VOR) aviation tower on Upper Table Rock since the 1960s. The tower's purpose is to broadcast precise coordinates to nearby aircraft to assist in navigation. The facility is closed to the public due to the threat to the safety of the occupants of the aircraft. However, the structure sustained $40,000 damage in 1997 when vandals unsuccessfully attempted to steal aluminum antennas from the 15-foot (4.6 m) tall fiberglass shell on the roof of the building.
  The Nature Conservancy became concerned about overdevelopment in 1978 and launched its lar
caption: VORTAC located on Upper Table Rock
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