Sixes is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

in Curry County,

Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...

, United States. It is along U.S. Route 101 and the

Sixes River The Sixes River flows about through coastal forests in southwestern Oregon in the United States. It drains a rugged region of the Klamath Mountains along the Pacific north of Port Orford. It rises in the mountains of northern Curry County, so ...

, east of Cape Blanco and the

Cape Blanco Light Cape Blanco Light is a lighthouse located on Cape Blanco, Oregon, United States in Cape Blanco State Park. Construction of the light In a deed recorded in 1867, John D. and Mary West sold the United States a tract of land. The Light-House ...

house. Accounts vary as to the origin of the name "Sixes". The community was named after the river. One local postmaster said Sixes was named for a Native American chief. Another source said that in 1851, the river was usually called the "Sikhs River" after the Chinook Jargon word for "friend", and on maps it was called the "Sequalchin River". Another source says the Native American name for the river was "Sa-qua-mi". Hodge's ''Handbook of American Indians'' says that one of the variants of the name of the local tribe, the Kwatami (a subdivision of the

Tututni The Tututni tribe is a historic Native American tribe, one of Lower Rogue River Athabascan tribes from southwestern Oregon who signed the 1855 Coast Treaty, and were removed to the Siletz Indian Reservation in Oregon. They traditionally lived a ...

), was "Sik-ses-tene", which is said to mean "people by the far north country". Though this is most likely the real source of the name, the spelling "Sixes" was probably used by miners drawn to the Oregon

gold rush A gold rush or gold fever is a discovery of gold—sometimes accompanied by other precious metals and rare-earth minerals—that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, New ...

who were familiar with the Chinook word "sikhs". The current spelling was used as early as 1855, and Sixes' post office was established in 1888. The Sixes post office has since closed.

References

External links

Sixes community site: sixes.net
Oregon Coast Unincorporated communities in Curry County, Oregon 1888 establishments in Oregon Populated places established in 1888 Unincorporated communities in Oregon {{CurryCountyOR-geo-stub

See also

References

External links