| Official Name: | Jawbone Flats, Oregon |
| Settlement Type: | Unincorporated community |
| Pushpin Map: | Oregon#USA |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Oregon |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Marion |
| Coordinates: | 44.8467°N -122.2099°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
Jawbone Flats is a ghost town in Marion County, Oregon, United States. It is located along Opal Creek, approximately 22miles from Salem, the state capitol, and is accessible via the Opal Pool Loop trail.[1] Established in 1931, Jawbone Flats was a mining camp founded after miners discovered gold in the region in 1859.[2]
Jawbone Flats was established in 1931 by James Hewitt of the Amalgamated Mining Company, after miners had struck gold in the region in 1859.[2] The company processed various metals found in the region, including lead, zinc, copper, and silver.[2] Some of the roads built in the area, including the Gold Creek Bridge, were constructed under President Roosevelt's New Deal in 1939.[2] The town population began to dwindle in the 1950s after snow damaged the buildings, and the mining operations proved unprofitable.[2]
In 1992, after all mining operations had ceased in the region, the Shiny Rock Mining Company gifted 151acres of oldgrowth forest, including Jawbone Flats, to the Friends of Opal Creek, a non-profit historical society.[2] Contemporarily Jawbone Flats is accessible to the public, and hosts educational field trips for schools, as well as other events.[2]
Jawbone Flats was largely destroyed by the Beachie Creek Fire in 2020.[3]