Lorane, Oregon is a small, rural community located within a few miles of the headwaters of the Siuslaw River. It sits in a position some 22 miles southwest of Eugene; 12 miles west of Cottage Grove; 13 miles southeast of Crow; and 9 miles north of Curtin.
A drive to Lorane through the Siuslaw Valley from any direction is an extremely pleasant experience. The beauty of the countryside with its lush green trees, open fields, and rolling hills is a feast for the eye.
The town of Lorane itself is built on two-levels. The two retail stores sit along Territorial Road, the main route through the town. The old and quaint part of the town which serves as the community center is located on an upper tier overlooking the valley. The buildings are picturesque. The former Lorane Elementary School, the Lorane Christian Church, the Rebekah Lodge, and the Lorane Grange all blend with their settings, as does the much newer Lorane Fire Department which sits across the street from them.
The Siuslaw Valley is a long winding gap between the hills to the east separating it from Cottage Grove, and those to the northwest, which are the beginning of the coast range.
Since our book, Sawdust and Cider, was first published in 1987, Lorane’s resources have changed drastically. In the early days, it’s economy was driven by the timber industry — the logging of the vast forests surrounding it and by the many mills that it once hosted. When restrictions were placed on the logging of old-growth timber and the industry had to make drastic changes to the way logging was done and milled, the lumber mills in and around Lorane closed down.
Fortunately, a new industry began to grow roots in the community’s soil. Oregon wines were becoming very popular across the state, and the first one to locate in Lorane was Chateau Lorane, owned by the Kester family and located about a quarter of a mile west of Lorane on Siuslaw River Road.
Then the King family bought the vast acreages, about a mile north of Lorane, that once were the Lorane Orchards in the early 1900s. They built a huge winery and planted the 1,000 acres or more to grapes. King Estate is considered to be the largest organic winery in Oregon.
Our newest winery is Iris Hill Vineyards owned by the Boyles family. It’s located about 4 miles north of Lorane on Territorial Road.
The unincorporated community of Lorane has stayed relatively small, but it has proven to be close-knit and its residents active. They have proven to be supportive of each other in times of distress and, as Sher Woods of Lorane posted on our Facebook page during the potential devastating wildfire that burned nearby in August 2015, “You know what?? I LOVE this home community of mine!!!”
You’re not the only one, Sher!
All Things Lorane 
Great website! I bicycled thru town and read some history at the mural and found tour blog when i got home. I was wondering if you had any more info on the Cartwright House after its heyday, if it stayed a hotel to the end, and how they made the decision to burn down what sounded like an amazing historical landmark. Thanks.
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How did the town of Lorane get it’s name?
Stephen in Eugene
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Here is the story from my book, “From Sawdust and Cider to Wine”…
The Lorane Post Office was established May 27, 1887, under the supervision of William N. Crow, its first postmaster.
According to Harry Crowe, son of William N. Crow, “When Benjamin Harrison became President of the United States, William N. Crow received the appointment of Postmaster. Up to that time mail came addressed ‘Siuslaw’ or ‘Siuslaw Valley’… Postal authorities, in the early days, frowned on naming Post Offices after rivers. The reason is evident, for settlers soon wish to claim their part of the river. Letters seldom went astray, however, for pioneers knew each other from North to South throughout the state.
“Father had been Postmaster only a short time when word came from the Postal Department that a change in the name of the office was necessary and that three names be submitted. Father thought a great deal of his nephew, Nelson Crow, so he suggested “Nelson,” also “Upper Siuslaw.” Then he asked Mother, Lillie Harris Crow, if she had a name and she said, “Loraine.” Loraine Harris was her much-loved cousin in Minnesota. Father laughed and said that was no name for a Post Office, but added it anyway. When the choice came back, the name “Lorane” had won but the government ordered the spelling changed to Lorane, leaving out the ‘i’. Mother took special pride in the fact that she had named the Post Office.” (Please note: Harry Crowe, although a serious historian, erred in the dates of the post office’s origin. Official published sources including Ramstead’s Lane County, Oregon Post Offices; Helbock’s Oregon Post Offices 1847-1982, McArthur’s Earliest Oregon Post Offices, and Payne’s Oregon Post Offices all give the date that the Lorane Post Office was established as May 27, 1887.) In a second letter written by Harry Crowe, he states, “The Post Office which was called Lorane, and which was started at my father’s house, came about when Benjamin Harrison was elected President in 1884.” Of course, Harrison wasn’t elected until 1888, and didn’t take office until March, 1889.
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