| Prospect, Oregon | |
| Settlement Type: | Census-designated place |
| Pushpin Map: | Oregon#USA |
| Pushpin Label: | Prospect |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Oregon |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Jackson |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 9.07 |
| Area Land Km2: | 9.07 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.01 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 449 |
| Population Density Km2: | 49.52 |
| Timezone: | Pacific (PST) |
| Utc Offset: | -8 |
| Timezone Dst: | PDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -7 |
| Elevation Ft: | 2566 |
| Coordinates: | 42.7511°N -122.4878°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
| Postal Code: | 97536 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 41-60100 |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 1148014 |
| Footnotes: | Coordinates and elevation from Geographic Names Information System[2] |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 3.50 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 3.50 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.00 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 128.25 |
Prospect is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Jackson County, in the U.S. state of Oregon.[2] It lies along Oregon Route 62 on the Rogue River, in the Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest.[3] As of the 2020 census it had a population of 449.[4]
Prospect began as a logging town; its first sawmill began operating in 1870.[5] Prospect had a post office established in 1882 that was first named "Deskins" after the first postmaster.[6] In 1888, there was a mill named Deskins Sawmill. The name of the community was changed to "Prospect" in 1889 because of plans made to run a railroad up the Rogue River, which would ostensibly improve the community's prospects.[6]
The Prospect Hotel, which opened in 1892, was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.[5] [7]
On the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, Prospect holds the Mill Creek Memorial festival. It honors veterans with a parade, a flag retirement ceremony, live music and games for children. All the proceeds go to a fund to help veterans.
In July Prospect hosts an airplane "fly-in" that helps support the Jackson County Search and Rescue, and in August a jamboree and timber carnival (a festival that includes lumberjack contests such as log rolling) are held.[5]
On the last weekend in September, Prospect hosts Music in the Mountains, a two-day festival of bluegrass, country, folk and Americana music on the grounds of the Prospect Hotel.[8]
Prospect is the site of Prospect State Airport, which has one asphalt runway. It is used for general aviation operations, totaling about 1200 annual movements.[9] The Prospect State Scenic Viewpoint is nearby.[10]
This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6F. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Prospect has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.[11]