Rice Hill, Oregon

Rice Hill is an unincorporated community in Douglas County, Oregon, United States.^[2] It is located about 10 miles (16 km) north of Oakland on Interstate 5.^[3] Rice Hill has complete tourist facilities, including a truck stop, motels, and restaurants.^[4][5] It has long been a popular spot to stop for ice cream.^[6][7]

Rice Hill, Oregon
Unincorporated community
Rice Hill, Oregon
Rice Hill, Oregon Show map of Oregon Rice Hill, Oregon Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 43°32′19″N 123°17′24″W
Country	United States
State	Oregon
County	Douglas
Elevation [1]	456 ft (139 m)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	97462
Area codes	458 and 541
GNIS feature ID	1158447[1]

History

Rice Hill was named either for Isadore F. Rice, who settled in the area in the 1850s, or for William S. Rice, who had a Donation Land Claim at the north end of Rice Valley at about the same time.^[8] Rice Hill post office was established in 1892, and soon renamed Ricehill.^[8] The office closed in 1908.^[8] The steep grade of Rice Hill was an obstacle for pioneer travelers and it also created problems for the construction of the railroad.^[9]

Geography

Rice Hill is a summit that divides the watersheds of Elk Creek and the Umpqua River.^[8] A two-mile long valley stretches south from the community of Rice Hill.^[10] Southern Pacific Railroad (today Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad) has a station on its Siskiyou Line at the summit named Rice Hill.^[8] The community has an elevation of 710 feet (220 m). It rises 325 feet (99 m) in 3 miles (4.8 km).^[8][11]