Editing Coos County, Oregon (section)

==History==
Coos Bay is the homeland of two bands of Native people, Miluk and Hanis. Both today are often referred to as "Coos".<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 13, 2020 |title=History - Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians |url=https://ctclusi.org/history/ |access-date=March 11, 2024 |language=en-US}}</ref> [[Lewis and Clark Expedition|Lewis and Clark]] noted Cook-koo-oose for Coos Bay people.<ref name="mcarthur">{{cite book | last = McArthur | first = Lewis | title = Oregon geographic names | publisher = Oregon Historical Society Press | location = Portland | year = 1992 | isbn = 0875952364 }}</ref>  The origin of the name "Coos" is probably influenced both by the Lewis and Clark reference and the name for the region in the Hanis and Miluk languages, kuukwis.<ref>{{Cite web |last=shichils |date=September 8, 2015 |title=“Place of Pines”: A case of mistaken identity? |url=https://shichils.wordpress.com/2015/09/07/place-of-pines-a-case-of-mistaken-identity/ |access-date=March 11, 2024 |website=Shichils' Blog |language=en}}</ref> Early maps and documents spelled it Kowes, Cowes, Coose, Koos, among others.<ref name="mcarthur"/>

Although exploration and trapping in the area occurred as early as 1828, the first European-American settlement was established at Empire City in 1853 by members of the Coos Bay Company; this is now part of the city of [[Coos Bay, Oregon|Coos Bay]].

Coos County was created by the Territorial Legislature from parts of [[Umpqua County, Oregon|Umpqua]], and [[Jackson County, Oregon|Jackson]] counties on December 22, 1853. [[Curry County, Oregon]], was created from the southern part in 1855. The county seat was originally at Empire City. In 1895 the legislature permitted the citizens of the county to choose a new county seat. The 1896 vote resulted in moving the seat to [[Coquille, Oregon|Coquille]].

The Territorial Legislature granted permission for the development of wagon roads from Coos Bay to [[Jacksonville, Oregon]], in 1854, and to [[Roseburg, Oregon]], in 1857.