| Merlin, Oregon | |
| Settlement Type: | Census-designated place |
| Pushpin Map: | Oregon#USA |
| Pushpin Label: | Merlin |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Oregon |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Josephine |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 10.79 |
| Area Land Km2: | 10.77 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.02 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 1690 |
| Population Density Km2: | 156.94 |
| Timezone: | Pacific (PST) |
| Utc Offset: | -8 |
| Timezone Dst: | PDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -7 |
| Elevation Ft: | 907 |
| Coordinates: | 42.5178°N -123.4203°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
| Postal Code: | 97532 |
| Area Code: | 458 and 541 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 41-47650 |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 1166680 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 4.17 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 4.16 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.01 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 406.45 |
Merlin is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Josephine County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,615.[2] The area is known for sport fishing and whitewater rafting on the Rogue River. Merlin's ZIP code is 97532.
A new railroad station in this location in 1883 was called "Jump Off Joe" for a local stream. The station was renamed "Merlin" in October 1886. The name came from a railroad civil engineer who named it for the merlins (a type of falcon) he saw in the area. "McAllister" post office was established about a mile north of Merlin in 1885, then moved to the vicinity of the railroad station and renamed Merlin in 1891.[3]
Merlin is located 9miles northwest of Grants Pass. It sits in the valley of Jumpoff Joe Creek, 4miles east of where that stream joins the Rogue River. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Merlin CDP has a total area of 11.07sqkm, of which 0.02sqkm, or 0.19%, are water.[2]
Merlin lies at an elevation of about 277m (909feet) above MSL.