Merlin, Oregon

Merlin is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Josephine County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,615.^[3] The area is known for sport fishing and whitewater rafting on the Rogue River. Merlin's ZIP code is 97532.

Merlin, Oregon
Census-designated place
Merlin Show map of Oregon Merlin Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 42°31′04″N 123°25′13″W
Country	United States
State	Oregon
County	Josephine
Area [1]
• Total	4.17 sq mi (10.79 km2)
• Land	4.16 sq mi (10.77 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2)
Elevation	907 ft (276 m)
Population  (2020)[2]
• Total	1,690
• Density	406.45/sq mi (156.94/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	97532
Area code(s)	458 and 541
FIPS code	41-47650
GNIS feature ID	1166680

A new railroad station in this location in 1883 was called "Jump Off Joe" for a local stream. The station was renamed "Merlin" in October 1886. The name came from a railroad civil engineer who named it for the merlins (a type of falcon) he saw in the area. "McAllister" post office was established about a mile north of Merlin in 1885, then moved to the vicinity of the railroad station and renamed Merlin in 1891.^[4]

Geography

Merlin is located 9 miles (14 km) northwest of Grants Pass. It sits in the valley of Jumpoff Joe Creek, 4 miles (6 km) east of where that stream joins the Rogue River. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Merlin CDP has a total area of 4.27 square miles (11.07 km²), of which 0.01 square miles (0.02 km²), or 0.19%, are water.^[3]

Merlin lies at an elevation of about 277 m (909 ft) above MSL.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
2020	1,690		—
U.S. Decennial Census[5][2]