| Ruch, Oregon | |
| Settlement Type: | Census-designated place |
| Pushpin Map: | Oregon#USA |
| Pushpin Label: | Ruch |
| 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: | 17.44 |
| Area Land Km2: | 17.44 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.00 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 819 |
| Population Density Km2: | 46.95 |
| Timezone: | Pacific (PST) |
| Utc Offset: | -8 |
| Timezone Dst: | PDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -7 |
| Elevation Ft: | 1527 |
| Coordinates: | 42.2372°N -123.0414°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
| Postal Code: | 97530 |
| Area Code: | 458 and 541 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 41-64150 |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 1148830 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 6.74 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 6.74 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.00 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 121.60 |
Ruch is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. It is located on Oregon Route 238, southeast of Grants Pass. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 840.[2]
Ruch was named after Casper M. Ruch, who bought a tract of land where the community now stands in 1896. He built a blacksmith shop, a store and a house. When he was appointed as a postmaster of the new post office in 1897 and allowed to name it. He named the post office after himself. The post office closed in 1939.[3]
There are two structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Ruch—McKee Bridge and Star Ranger Station.
The Ruch area is home to several Oregon wineries and in the Applegate Valley AVA, a sub-appellation of the Rogue Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area). A small elementary school, Ruch Elementary, is located near the center of the community. The school serves Kindergarten to 8th grade with the Cougars as their mascot.
The Applegate River runs through the southwest edge of the valley.
Ruch has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Csb) according to the Köppen climate classification system.