McCoin Upper: Difference between revisions

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|name=McCoin Upper
|name=McCoin Upper
|location=CRNG, OCHOCO NF
|location=CRNG, OCHOCO NF
|tree_count=31
|species_breakdown=22 apple, 9 pear
|variety_count=9
|lat=44.42907887096774
|lon=-121.08888196774194
}}
}}
The '''McCoin Upper''' orchard contains 31 documented heritage fruit trees.
== History ==
=== The McCoin Homestead (1886-1936) ===
[[File:Julius McCoin Family.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The McCoin family, early 1920s. Standing, left to right: Walter McCoin, Ella McCoin Mendenhall, Minnie McCoin Helfrich, Numa McCoin. Seated: Julius McCoin. Source: [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22980836/numa_franklin-mccoin Find a Grave].]]
Julius Spate McCoin (1850-1928) and Sarah Osborn McCoin homesteaded on the southeast flank of Gray Butte in the spring of 1886, claiming a 160-acre parcel under the Homestead Act. They selected a site at the head of a gully with a good spring, which provided reliable water for their orchards and livestock. The U.S. Department of the Interior issued a Homestead Patent to Julius McCoin on September 9, 1895 (BLM Serial Number ORTDAA 062819, Document 2435).
Julius established a freighting business between Prineville and The Dalles (and sometimes Shaniko), driving big 12-horse wagons loaded with wool, meat, hides, and other produce going out, and merchandise coming back. According to family tradition, during his freight runs he began collecting fruit tree starts, presumably from The Dalles, planting them in the protected gully below his house. Over time, his orchard grew to number over 100 trees, including apples, pears, and plums.
=== Family Tragedy ===
On December 4, 1888, while Julius was away on one of his freight runs, Sarah McCoin died suddenly at the age of 33. She was buried at Juniper Haven Cemetery in Prineville. Julius and Sarah had five children: Numa Franklin, Minnie Clara, Ella Jane, Ida Frances (who died in 1885), and Walter Henry (born July 1886). At the time of Sarah's death, four children survived; three were still at home — Minnie, Ella, and Walter. Taking stock of his family's predicament, Julius decided that with Minnie in charge, his children had sufficient gumption to run the ranch during his absences, which sometimes lasted up to two weeks. He never remarried.
The McCoins were among the earliest homesteaders in what would become Jefferson County, and their primary agricultural endeavor included livestock such as sheep and high-quality horses, in addition to their extensive orchard.
=== Abandonment and Sale (1930s) ===
Following a devastating ten-year drought during the Great Depression, the community of approximately 700 homesteaders around Gray Butte faced economic collapse. In 1934, Julius's youngest son Walter, who had managed the property, sold the homestead to the federal government for $1,200 as part of the National Grasslands "Relocation" or "Marginal Lands" program under the Roosevelt administration's New Deal.
The Civilian Conservation Corps subsequently demolished the house and other buildings, and the land was converted to grazing use. The community of homesteaders around Gray Butte was dispersed, and their buildings were flattened. The period of significance for the McCoin Homestead extends from occupation in 1886 until abandonment in 1936.
=== Rescue and Preservation (1970s-Present) ===
In the 1970s, two U.S. Forest Service/National Grasslands range specialists from Prineville, Duane Ecker and Harry Ketrenos, discovered the abandoned McCoin orchard and undertook efforts to rescue the surviving trees. They systematically pruned the trees and cleared encroaching brush, saving the orchard from being overtaken by juniper and sagebrush.
In August 2012, the Jefferson County Historical Society collaborated with the Home Orchard Society of Portland to conduct a comprehensive survey of the orchard. Expert "fruit detectives" Joanie Cooper and Shaun Shepherd carefully mapped the trees, took samples and cuttings for identification, and documented the varieties present. The survey identified approximately 63 living trees, including apple varieties such as [[Northern Spy]], [[Yellow Transparent]], and [[Red Astrachan]], as well as pears and plums in the lower orchard areas.
On May 26, 2015, the Julius and Sarah McCoin Homestead and Orchard Site was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The site is recognized as emblematic of the homesteader experience in the Grasslands as described in the Multiple Property Document "The Settlement and Abandonment of the Crooked River Grassland in Jefferson County, OR, 1868-1937."
=== Current Restoration Efforts ===


The '''McCoin Upper''' orchard contains 31 documented heritage fruit trees.
The Heritage Apple Corps, a collaborative effort involving the School of Ranch, In Cahoots Heirloom Apple Orchard Collaborative, U.S. Forest Service staff, and community volunteers, continues restoration work at the orchard. Preservation efforts have included:
 
* Creation of a gene bank at the Historic Apple Preservation Arboretum in Clarno, where 41 trees from the Crooked River National Grassland have been grafted and cultivated
* Wildfire mitigation through removal of encroaching brush and juniper
* Ongoing variety identification work by botanists and the In Cahoots Heirloom Apple Orchard Collaborative
* DNA analysis with geneticists collecting cuttings grafted onto M-111 apple tree rootstock with nearly 100% grafting success
 
Today, the McCoin Orchard stands near the Gray Butte Trailhead as a living monument to the pioneer families who settled Central Oregon and a valuable repository of heritage fruit tree genetics.


== Trees ==
''Sources: Jefferson County Historical Society "The Agate" (Spring 2015); Duane Ecker, "CRNG Apple Orchard Legacy Notes" (2001); Oregon Historic Sites Database; Home Orchard Society/JCHS 2012 Survey; Madras Pioneer; Oregon State Archives; [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22426271/sarah_frances-mccoin Find a Grave: Sarah Frances McCoin]''


=== Good Condition (19) ===
== Orchard Map ==
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 37|Tree #37]]
{{#ask: [[Has orchard::McCoin Upper]] [[Has coordinates::+]]
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 38|Tree #38]]
|?Has coordinates
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 39|Tree #39]]
|?Has field tag
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 42|Tree #42]] - Lawver
|?Has condition
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 43|Tree #43]] - Lawver
|?Has variety
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 44|Tree #44]] - Lawver
|format=leaflet
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 46|Tree #46]] - Fameuse
|height=400px
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 49|Tree #49]] - Red Astrachan
|width=100%
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 53|Tree #53]]
|zoom=15
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 54|Tree #54]]
|scrollwheelzoom=off
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 55|Tree #55]]
}}
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 58|Tree #58]]
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 59|Tree #59]]
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 60|Tree #60]]
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 61|Tree #61]]
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 62|Tree #62]]
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 63|Tree #63]] - Black Twig
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 64|Tree #64]] - Baldwin
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 66|Tree #66]] - Winesap


=== Fair Condition (3) ===
== Trees ==
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 45|Tree #45]] - Lawver
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 57|Tree #57]]
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 65|Tree #65]] - Winesap


=== Poor Condition (7) ===
{{Orchard tree list|orchard=McCoin Upper}}
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 40|Tree #40]] - White Winter Pearmain
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 41|Tree #41]] - White Winter Pearmain
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 47|Tree #47]] - Fameuse
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 48|Tree #48]] - Esopus Spitzenburg
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 50|Tree #50]] - Yellow Newtown/Newtown Pippin
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 52|Tree #52]] - Red Astrachan
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 67|Tree #67]]


=== Dead Condition (2) ===
{{Condition summary|orchard=McCoin Upper}}
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 51|Tree #51]]
* [[McCoin Upper Tree 56|Tree #56]]


== Varieties ==
== Varieties ==
Line 62: Line 77:
* [[Winesap]]
* [[Winesap]]
* [[Yellow Newtown/Newtown Pippin]]
* [[Yellow Newtown/Newtown Pippin]]
== Historical Documents ==
* [[Media:Duane_Ecker_CRNG_Legacy_Notes_2001.pdf|Duane Ecker Field Notes (2001)]]
* [[Media:McCoin_Orchard_Survey_2012.pdf|Home Orchard Society Survey (2012)]]
* [[Media:McCoin_Orchard_Tree_List_2012.pdf|Tree List (2012)]]
* [[Media:McCoin_Upper_Map_2012.pdf|Hand-drawn Map (2012)]]
* [[Media:Homestead_Orchards_Central_Oregon_Agate_2015.pdf|"The Agate" Article (2015)]]
''See also: [[Document Archive]]''
== Maps ==
[[File:McCoin_Map_GoogEarth.pdf|thumb|600px|Spatial map with imagery]]
== Related Orchards ==
'''McCoin Homestead Orchards'''
The McCoin Upper and Lower orchards are part of the original McCoin homestead established by Julius and Sarah McCoin in 1886.
* [[McCoin Lower]]


[[Category:Orchards with Unique Trees]]
[[Category:Orchards]]
[[Category:Orchards]]
[[Category:Crooked River National Grassland]]
[[Category:Crooked River National Grassland]]

Latest revision as of 23:37, 7 March 2026

McCoin Upper
Location CRNG, OCHOCO NF
Tree Count 31
Species 22 apple,9 pear
Varieties 25 identified

The McCoin Upper orchard contains 31 documented heritage fruit trees.

History

The McCoin Homestead (1886-1936)

The McCoin family, early 1920s. Standing, left to right: Walter McCoin, Ella McCoin Mendenhall, Minnie McCoin Helfrich, Numa McCoin. Seated: Julius McCoin. Source: Find a Grave.


Julius Spate McCoin (1850-1928) and Sarah Osborn McCoin homesteaded on the southeast flank of Gray Butte in the spring of 1886, claiming a 160-acre parcel under the Homestead Act. They selected a site at the head of a gully with a good spring, which provided reliable water for their orchards and livestock. The U.S. Department of the Interior issued a Homestead Patent to Julius McCoin on September 9, 1895 (BLM Serial Number ORTDAA 062819, Document 2435).

Julius established a freighting business between Prineville and The Dalles (and sometimes Shaniko), driving big 12-horse wagons loaded with wool, meat, hides, and other produce going out, and merchandise coming back. According to family tradition, during his freight runs he began collecting fruit tree starts, presumably from The Dalles, planting them in the protected gully below his house. Over time, his orchard grew to number over 100 trees, including apples, pears, and plums.

Family Tragedy

On December 4, 1888, while Julius was away on one of his freight runs, Sarah McCoin died suddenly at the age of 33. She was buried at Juniper Haven Cemetery in Prineville. Julius and Sarah had five children: Numa Franklin, Minnie Clara, Ella Jane, Ida Frances (who died in 1885), and Walter Henry (born July 1886). At the time of Sarah's death, four children survived; three were still at home — Minnie, Ella, and Walter. Taking stock of his family's predicament, Julius decided that with Minnie in charge, his children had sufficient gumption to run the ranch during his absences, which sometimes lasted up to two weeks. He never remarried.

The McCoins were among the earliest homesteaders in what would become Jefferson County, and their primary agricultural endeavor included livestock such as sheep and high-quality horses, in addition to their extensive orchard.

Abandonment and Sale (1930s)

Following a devastating ten-year drought during the Great Depression, the community of approximately 700 homesteaders around Gray Butte faced economic collapse. In 1934, Julius's youngest son Walter, who had managed the property, sold the homestead to the federal government for $1,200 as part of the National Grasslands "Relocation" or "Marginal Lands" program under the Roosevelt administration's New Deal.

The Civilian Conservation Corps subsequently demolished the house and other buildings, and the land was converted to grazing use. The community of homesteaders around Gray Butte was dispersed, and their buildings were flattened. The period of significance for the McCoin Homestead extends from occupation in 1886 until abandonment in 1936.

Rescue and Preservation (1970s-Present)

In the 1970s, two U.S. Forest Service/National Grasslands range specialists from Prineville, Duane Ecker and Harry Ketrenos, discovered the abandoned McCoin orchard and undertook efforts to rescue the surviving trees. They systematically pruned the trees and cleared encroaching brush, saving the orchard from being overtaken by juniper and sagebrush.

In August 2012, the Jefferson County Historical Society collaborated with the Home Orchard Society of Portland to conduct a comprehensive survey of the orchard. Expert "fruit detectives" Joanie Cooper and Shaun Shepherd carefully mapped the trees, took samples and cuttings for identification, and documented the varieties present. The survey identified approximately 63 living trees, including apple varieties such as Northern Spy, Yellow Transparent, and Red Astrachan, as well as pears and plums in the lower orchard areas.

On May 26, 2015, the Julius and Sarah McCoin Homestead and Orchard Site was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The site is recognized as emblematic of the homesteader experience in the Grasslands as described in the Multiple Property Document "The Settlement and Abandonment of the Crooked River Grassland in Jefferson County, OR, 1868-1937."

Current Restoration Efforts

The Heritage Apple Corps, a collaborative effort involving the School of Ranch, In Cahoots Heirloom Apple Orchard Collaborative, U.S. Forest Service staff, and community volunteers, continues restoration work at the orchard. Preservation efforts have included:

  • Creation of a gene bank at the Historic Apple Preservation Arboretum in Clarno, where 41 trees from the Crooked River National Grassland have been grafted and cultivated
  • Wildfire mitigation through removal of encroaching brush and juniper
  • Ongoing variety identification work by botanists and the In Cahoots Heirloom Apple Orchard Collaborative
  • DNA analysis with geneticists collecting cuttings grafted onto M-111 apple tree rootstock with nearly 100% grafting success

Today, the McCoin Orchard stands near the Gray Butte Trailhead as a living monument to the pioneer families who settled Central Oregon and a valuable repository of heritage fruit tree genetics.

Sources: Jefferson County Historical Society "The Agate" (Spring 2015); Duane Ecker, "CRNG Apple Orchard Legacy Notes" (2001); Oregon Historic Sites Database; Home Orchard Society/JCHS 2012 Survey; Madras Pioneer; Oregon State Archives; Find a Grave: Sarah Frances McCoin

Orchard Map

Loading map...

Trees

Condition Count
Good 19
Fair 3
Poor 7
Dead 2
Total 31

Varieties

Historical Documents

See also: Document Archive

Maps

File:McCoin Map GoogEarth.pdf

McCoin Homestead Orchards

The McCoin Upper and Lower orchards are part of the original McCoin homestead established by Julius and Sarah McCoin in 1886.

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