Highway 11 from Greer Grade where it meets Highway 12 to Headquarters is called the Gold Rush Historic Byway. We are putting out a series of caches honoring our past Gold Rush History. Some are out with others planned in the near future to create a circle drive: Take Highway 12 to Greer Bridge going up Highway 11. Past Pierce take Grangemont Road back to Orofino and Highway 12.
This route passes through land where Lewis and Clark met the Nez Perce Indians, where gold was discovered in Orofino Creek, where once bustling towns of Weippe and Pierce exist and finally to where a logging industry was started.
Oro Fino City sprang up during the gold rush of 1861. It was just two miles from Pierce and consisted of more saloons than needed, two smith shops, two butcher shops, 60 houses, and about 500 residents. When the gold rush was over, the whole town was deserted. A few years later in 1867 the whole town burned down. This was one short lived town.